Tiffany Spiral Diamond Earrings
Late 20th Century American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1970s American Modern Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary North American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
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Vintage 1980s American Drop Earrings
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s American Edwardian More Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s American Modernist Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Hoop Earrings
18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century Hoop Earrings
Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Gold
Early 2000s Modern Stud Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Maxi Dresses
2010s Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Platinum
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Natural Pearl, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1950s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Crystal
Vintage 1980s American Modernist Hoop Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Unknown More Earrings
White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary More Earrings
Vintage 1980s More Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
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.