Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1960s American Modernist Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gilt Metal
1980s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s Danish Modernist Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1970s American Modernist Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Brass
1980s French Artist Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gilt Metal
1990s Unknown Anglo-Indian Vintage Tortoise Earrings
20th Century American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Diamond, Jade, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
1960s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gilt Metal
1990s Italian Art Deco Vintage Tortoise Earrings
People Also Browsed
1890s Unknown Victorian Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Mid-20th Century Vintage Tortoise Earrings
20th Century French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gilt Metal
1950s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gilt Metal
1950s American Retro Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Turquoise
1970s American Modernist Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Vintage Tortoise Earrings
14k Gold, Rose Gold
1950s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Base Metal
20th Century French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gilt Metal
1940s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Crystal, Pearl, Silver, Rhodium
1970s French Etruscan Revival Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1950s Italian Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1960s American Egyptian Revival Vintage Tortoise Earrings
2010s Victorian Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Diamond, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, White Gold, Rhodium, Silver
1950s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gold Plate, Base Metal
1970s Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1960s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1950s Mexican Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Sterling Silver
1950s Mexican Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Sterling Silver
1970s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1980s French Contemporary Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Late 20th Century French Artisan Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Late 20th Century French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gold Plate
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Sterling Silver
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1960s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1960s American Modern Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1950s American Modern Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gold Plate
1970s Vintage Tortoise Earrings
20th Century French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Synthetic
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
20th Century Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1970s Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1980s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1950s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
18k Gold
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Late 20th Century French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1990s French Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Mid-20th Century American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1950s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Mid-20th Century American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
20th Century Italian Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1980s French Etruscan Revival Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Gold Plate
1970s American Vintage Tortoise Earrings
1980s Italian Vintage Tortoise Earrings
Vintage Tortoise Earrings For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Vintage Tortoise 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 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.
- 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.
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