Goshwara Pear Cabs
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Drop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian More Earrings
Emerald, Opal, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Quartz, 18k Gold
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2010s British Signet Rings
Diamond, Brown Diamond, Gold, 9k Gold
Vintage 1950s Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
Antique Late 19th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Link Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Italian Casual Dresses
Antique Late 19th Century British Belle Époque Engagement Rings
Pink Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Diamond, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1970s Italian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Hoop Earrings
Emerald, Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Cocktail Dresses
Mid-20th Century American Retro Choker Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, Opal, Fire Opal, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Link Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Three-Stone Rings
Emerald, Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Fire Opal, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Dangle Earrings
Opal, Fire Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Topaz, Yellow Gold
Finding the Right earrings for You
In the United States, ear piercing didn’t really become popular until the 1950s and ‘60s, but our desire for a dazzling pair of vintage earrings has deeper roots than that. In fact, wearing earrings actually goes back thousands of years, and you can find many tangible connections between now and then in how we continue to talk about these treasured accessories.
Women wore ornamental earrings — studs and hoops at the very least — in Ancient Egypt, which is home to mines that are among the earliest sources of emeralds in the world. Emerald earrings are highly prized today, and their quality lies in their rich, saturated color. The highest-quality emeralds are green or bluish-green. Earrings worn by the affluent in early Roman civilizations were set with precious stones such as diamonds and pearls, and a clean-looking pop of pearl on the front of the lobe is as timeless as ever. Hoop earrings are imbued with symbolism and cultural significance for many, and on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.
Today, ear piercing is very popular all over the world, and, as a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a good pair of earrings — modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings, you name it. Sure, jewelry trends and the fashion darlings of social media come and go, but earrings have a staying power that seems impenetrable: The still-strong love affair between British royals and Cartier earrings is more than a century old, glossy 1970s hoops from legacy houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels remain the statement makers they’ve always been and although people have been stacking earrings for many moons, the allure of an expertly mismatched stack of charms and studs still feels fresh and new.
While there is no shortage of modern earring designs to choose from, the classics, like coral earrings, Art Deco–style earrings and diamond drop earrings are still heavy hitters. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique, new and vintage earrings today.