Rare Vintage Earrings
20th Century Hoop Earrings
Silver, Enamel
20th Century French Dangle Earrings
Gilt Metal
20th Century Italian More Earrings
Gilt Metal
Early 2000s French Artisan Dangle Earrings
20th Century French Dangle Earrings
Gilt Metal
1990s Clip-on Earrings
20th Century French Dangle Earrings
Early 2000s Italian Artisan Drop Earrings
20th Century Italian Dangle Earrings
20th Century French Dangle Earrings
1990s French Hoop Earrings
20th Century Swiss Stud Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Russian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Emerald
2010s Japanese Artisan Dangle Earrings
Brass
1990s French Artisan Drop Earrings
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Modern Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1980s French Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1970s American Modernist Hoop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
Gilt Metal
20th Century North American Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1980s French Dangle Earrings
Late 20th Century Unknown Clip-on Earrings
Gold Plate, Enamel
20th Century American Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1960s American Modern Drop Earrings
Mixed Metal
Vintage 1970s French Clip-on Earrings
1990s European Etruscan Revival Clip-on Earrings
Silver
Vintage 1980s Brazilian Clip-on Earrings
Amethyst, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Late 20th Century French Retro Dangle Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Mid-20th Century French Retro Clip-on Earrings
Onyx, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Hoop Earrings
1990s European Etruscan Revival Clip-on Earrings
Pearl, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hoop Earrings
Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century More Earrings
Vintage 1980s French Clip-on Earrings
Gold Plate
1990s Italian Drop Earrings
Mid-20th Century American Retro Dangle Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate
Vintage 1970s Drop Earrings
Vintage 1980s French Contemporary Stud Earrings
2010s American Artist Dangle Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate
2010s American Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate, Brass
Vintage 1960s Drop Earrings
Mid-20th Century American Retro Dangle Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate
Vintage 1980s Stud Earrings
2010s American Art Deco Drop Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate, Brass
Late 20th Century Portuguese Early Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold
Vintage 1980s Dangle Earrings
1990s Stud Earrings
Vintage 1950s American Modernist Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s Stud Earrings
Vintage 1980s Dangle Earrings
20th Century More Earrings
20th Century More Earrings
Gold Plate
20th Century More Earrings
20th Century More Earrings
2010s American Art Deco Drop Earrings
Freshwater Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate, Brass
20th Century More Earrings
Gold Plate
2010s American Art Deco Drop Earrings
Freshwater Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate, Base Metal, Brass
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Rare Vintage Earrings For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Rare Vintage Earrings?
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 27, 2023How you use vintage clip-on earrings depends on what type of backing they have. Some simply feature a hinged clip that you open, slip over your ear and then press gently to close. Others may require you to turn a screw or shift a tension bar. On 1stDibs, find a large selection of vintage clip-on earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 27, 2023Most vintage earrings are clip-ons largely due to how beliefs about piercings have changed over the years. It was only during the 1980s and ’90s that many women began piercing their ears. Prior to that, many women didn't have piercings and could only wear clip-ons, so makers produced earrings to suit their customer base. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of vintage earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 8, 2023To wear vintage clip-on earrings properly, first position them so that the decorative part is in front of your ear and the backing is behind it. Clip-ons feature a variety of backings, but regardless of type, the clips should generally be positioned so that the open part faces the ceiling and the hinge or closed part is near the earlobe. Once you have the earrings in place, secure the clasp. This may involve squeezing a clip or turning a screw or fastener. On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage clip-on earrings.
- Are screw back earrings vintage?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Screw back earrings were most popular during the first half of the 20th century, before clip earrings increased in popularity. However, screw back earrings have never gone out of style. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of antique screw back earrings from some of the world’s top sellers.
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