14k Smokey Topaz Ring

The word “topaz” comes from Topazios, the Greek name for St. James Island on the Red Sea (presently known as Zabargad). And even though the Greeks believed that topaz protected the wearer and gave them strength, we unfortunately cannot promise that your antique and vintage topaz jewelry will give you any superhuman abilities.

Beloved by royalty, topazes were once believed to possess special powers for curing diseases and breaking magical spells. While they may not have supernatural properties, these autumnal gems are enchanting just the same.

It’s appropriate that as the temperatures cool and the leaves turn yellow, the birthstone for November is a gem found in autumnal hues. The deep browns, reds and oranges of the topaz, a stone once believed to have the power to cure fevers, is perfect for this time of year. In fact, the palette has also inspired a second birthstone for the month: citrine, which is less expensive and easier to find. Truth be told, topazes can be found in a wide variety of colors (which can get confusing since the blue topaz, along with turquoise, is a birthstone for the month of December), but it’s nice to wax poetic about the season.

The topaz can be blue, green, yellow, pink, purple and red. The colors of this allochromatic stone result from impurities in its crystal structure and are not part of its chemical composition, which is aluminum silicate fluoride hydroxide. The true color of topaz is no color at all. Isn’t it fascinating that a stone that can come in a variety of colors is colorless in its purest form?

Find a range of vintage and antique topaz rings, topaz necklaces and other accessories on 1stDibs.

A flashy symbol of wealth during the early 20th century, antique and vintage cocktail rings have gained broader appeal in the decades since for the hefty dose of glamour they bring to any ensemble.

Cocktail rings earned their name for their frequent appearances during glitzy cocktail parties at the height of the Prohibition era. Back then, these accessories were seen not only as statement pieces but as statements in and of themselves. They openly represented a sense of freedom and independence as well as a demonstration of opulence. After all, the 1920s heralded the Harlem Renaissance and Art Deco design, and a slew of social and cultural shifts meant that women in particular were breaking from pre–World War I conventions and embracing newfound freedoms to express themselves as individuals.

Women expressly wore cocktail rings on the fingers of their right hand versus the left, which was “reserved” for an engagement ring or wedding band, accessories definitely paid for by a suitor. And for cocktail rings, the bigger the colored gem at the center — which is usually mounted in a high setting — and the more elaborate the design, the stronger the likelihood of being noticed.

Cocktail rings remained a popular piece of jewelry for women until the 1930s, when the Great Depression and the onset of war marked a change in behaviors nationwide. While the 1960s and ’70s saw a return in visibility for the accessory, it wasn’t until the 1980s that cocktail rings once again assumed their position as a beacon of luxury and glitz.

During the 20th century, the range of dazzling cocktail rings seems to have been limitless, from glimmering gold rings set with carved jade diamonds designed by David Webb to Pomellato’s pink quartz confections to striking Gucci butterfly rings with accent diamonds set in a pavé fashion.

So, how do you wear a cocktail ring? Cocktail rings “can be worn for almost anything — dinners, date nights, parties, special events, on the red carpet,” explains David Joseph of New York-based jewelry brand Bochic. 

Can you wear cocktail rings with other rings? “In my opinion, cocktail rings should stand on their own since they showcase a large gem in the center,” says Joseph.

These glamorous jewels can be worn inside or outside crowded taverns, in either daytime or nighttime with casual or dressy attire. On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of antique and vintage cocktail rings, including those offered by Chanel, whose elegant cocktail rings often feature pearls and, of course, diamonds, and sometimes were styled after showy flowers like the camellia, and Van Cleef & Arpels, whose detailed and intricate designs are viewed as miniature pieces of wearable art.