Edwardian Circa 1800's Diamond Platinum on 14k Yellow Gold Necklace
Located in Wailea, HI
Edwardian Circa 1800's Diamond Platinum on 14k Yellow Gold Necklace 43 Old European Cut Diamonds weighing 3.00 carats approximately [GHI VVS-SI1] On a 16 inch White Gold Chain
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Georgian Briolette Diamond Pendant Necklace Mined Rose Cut .60ct 14K 1800's
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Antique from the Early 1800's Georgian Briolette Diamond Pendant Necklace Mined Rose Cut .60ct 14K Features a Natural Mined .50ct Briolette Cut Diamond This Neckl...
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Art Nouveau Pendant Pink Enamel late 1800's with Diamond 14 Karat Yellow Gold
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Unique Flower Pendant from approx the end of 1800's Art Nouveau style with pink enamel center Diamond approx 0.25 carat G-VS flower size approx 1' inch. 14k Yellow Gold 11.1 grams ...
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Feudal Japan, 1800s, Samurai Gold Coin Diamonds 18K Gold Pendant
By Steven Battelle
Located in Soquel, CA
An interesting small rectangular gold coin from the last Japanese shogunate, minted in the waning days of their power: 1837-1854, is set in an artisan handcrafted Steven Battelle de...
Diamond, 18k Gold
1800s Antique 3.36 Carat Diamond and 9k Yellow Gold Pendant / Brooch
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A stunning antique 3.36 carat diamond and 9 karat yellow gold, silver set star brooch/pendant; part of our diverse antique Victorian diamond jewellery collections. This stunning, fi...
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Silver
Sapphire Diamond Platinum Yellow Gold Pendant Necklace
Located in Stamford, CT
Beautiful late 1800's handmade sapphire and diamond pendant necklace.
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum,...
Georgian Diamond Pendant Necklace 14K Yellow Gold Rose Cut Original Early 1800's
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Antique from the Early-Mid 1800's Georgian .80-1.00ct Diamond Rose Cut Pendant Necklace 14K Yellow Gold Features 43 Genuine Natural Rose Cut Diamonds This Pendan...
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Georgian Diamond Pendant Necklace 14K Yellow Gold Rose Cut Original Early 1800's
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Antique from the Early-Mid 1800's Georgian .80-1.00ct Diamond Rose Cut Pendant Necklace 14K Yellow Gold Features 43 Genuine Natural Rose Cut Diamonds This Pendan...
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian Ruby Diamond Pearl Platinum 18k Pendant Necklace circa 1800s
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Charming Victorian round pendant featuring a vivid red ruby that hangs delicately in the center of a wreath of diamonds set in platinum. There are 44 rose cut and single cuts diamond...
Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
1800s Victorian .70 Carat Diamond 12 Carat Turquoise 18 Karat Gold Necklace
Located in Hicksville, NY
1800s Victorian Diamond, Turquoise and 18 Karat Gold Necklace features .70 carats total weight of Diamonds, 12 carats total weight of Turquoise and 18 Karat Yellow and White Gold.
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Rare Antique Victorian Rose Cut Diamond Pendant 15K Gold England 1800s
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Antique from 1860's Victorian Rare Rose Cut Diamond Pendant 15K Gold England Beautiful and Increasingly Difficult-to-Find Genuine Victorian Pendant from England,...
Diamond, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian 1800s Enamel Floral .05ct Old Mine Diamond Pendant 14K Gold
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Antique from 1800's Victorian Enamel Floral Pendant with .05ct Old Mine Cut Diamond Features a Beautifully Detailed Botanical Design Accented with Colorful Ename...
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Belle Epoque Diamond Lavalier Necklace
Located in Santa Barbara, CA
Exquisite and radiant, this 1800s Belle Epoque antique diamond necklace features an elegant lavalier design with an undeniable sense of grace.
Diamond, 10k Gold, Silver
16 Carat Old Mine Cut Diamond Victorian Style Riviere' Necklace
Located in Santa Barbara, CA
Condition: Very Good Era: Victorian Revival Year: Diamonds (Late 1800's) Necklace (2000's) Metal: 18K Gold & Silver 72 Old Mine Diamonds Total Carat Weight: 16.07 G-J VS1-SI2 Dimen...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
16 Carat Old Mine Cut Diamond Victorian Style Riviere' Necklace
Located in Santa Barbara, CA
Condition: Very Good Era: Victorian Revival Year: Diamonds (Late 1800's) Necklace (2000's) Metal: 18K Gold & Silver 72 Old Mine Diamonds Total Carat Weight: 16.07 G-J VS1-SI2 Dimen...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Japan 1800's Samurai Gold Coin Diamonds 18K Gold Pendant
By Steven Battelle
Located in Soquel, CA
An interesting rectangular gold coin from the last Japanese shogunate, minted in the waning days of their power 1837-1854, is set in a handmade classic double braid 18K gold setting ...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Estate 1800's 14K Gold Ruby Diamond Cross, Mine cut Diamonds
Located in Wallkill, NY
Very large Cross totally covered in Rubies set in 14K gold comes with a 14k gold chain. This is stunning in person. It measures 3.35" /59.74 mm x 1.67" / 42.59 mm wide. Chain is 15...
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
Japan 1800's Samurai Period Rectangular Gold Coin Diamonds 18K Gold Pendant
By Steven Battelle
Located in Soquel, CA
An interesting small rectangular gold coin from the last Japanese shogunate, minted in the waning days of their power 1837-1854, is set in a Steven Battelle designed handmade classic...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Gorgeous Victorian 18 Karat Rose Cut Diamond Locket, circa Late 1800s
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Stunning Victorian 18k yellow gold teardrop diamond locket with lovely organic swirl motif, set with 16 rose cut diamonds. Stones measure from 1-2 millimeters each, with an approxima...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Gold and Silver Georgian Lyre, 1800s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
SYLVA & CIE. 18 Karat and Silver Vintage Georgian Lyre. Diamonds 4.00 cwt.
Diamond
Russian, Estate from 1800s, 22 Karat Rose Cut Diamond, Red Stone Lavalier
Located in Aliso Viejo, CA
Russian, Estate from 1800's, 22Kt Rose Cut Diamond, Red Stone Lavalier. Russian Family Estate Heirloom from the Nicholas Czar, told. This rare item is a 22 carat yellow gold Lavalie...
Diamond, Garnet, 22k Gold
Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself.
Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.
Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.
For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.
Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.
In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so.
Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle.
BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.
A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in.
Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.
Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.
Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
Antique diamond rings, diamond tiaras and dazzling vintage diamond earrings are on the wish lists of every lover of fine jewelry. And diamonds and diamond jewelry are primarily associated with storybook engagements and red-carpet grand entrances — indeed, this ultra-cherished gemstone has a dramatic history on its hands.
From “A Diamond Is Forever” to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” pop culture has ingrained in our minds that diamonds are the most desired, the most lasting and the most valuable gemstone. But what makes the diamond so special? Each stone — whether it’s rubies, sapphires or another stone — is unique and important in its own right. April babies might claim diamonds for themselves, but just about everyone wants this kind of sparkle in their lives!
There are several factors that set diamonds apart from other stones, and these points are important to our gem education.
Diamonds are minerals. They are made up of almost entirely of carbon (carbon comprises 99.95 percent; the remainder consists of various trace elements). Diamonds are the hardest gemstones, ranking number 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Even its name, diamond, is rooted in the Greek adamas, or unconquerable. The only object that can scratch a diamond is another diamond. Diamonds are formed deep within the earth at very high temperatures (1,652–2,372 degrees Fahrenheit at depths between 90 and 120 miles beneath the earth’s surface) and are carried up by volcanic activity. Diamonds are quite rare, according to the Gemological Institute of America, and only 30 percent of all the diamonds mined in the world are gem quality.
In the 1950s, the Gemological Institute of America developed the 4Cs grading system to classify diamonds: clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Not all diamonds are created equal (there are diamonds, and then there are diamonds). The value of the diamond depends on the clarity (flawless diamonds are very rare but a diamond's value decreases if there are many blemishes or inclusions), color (the less color the higher the grade), cut (how the diamond’s facets catch the light, certain cuts of diamonds show off the stone better than others) and carat weight (the bigger, the better).
When you start shopping for a diamond engagement ring, always prioritize the cut, which plays the largest role in the diamond's beauty (taking the time to clean your diamond ring at least every six months or so plays a role in maintaining said beauty). And on 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.
Shop antique and vintage diamond rings, diamond necklaces and other extraordinary diamond jewelry on 1stDibs.
Whether you’re layering multiple jewelry pieces or opting for a single strand, vintage pendant necklaces are versatile accessories that can elevate your casual wear as easily as they can add a creative flourish to your formal attire.
The earliest jewelry was less about accessorizing than it was about wearers arming themselves with amulets. In Ancient Egypt, some amulets featured a loop so that they could be strung around one’s neck. While rubies have long been one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money, members of some ancient civilizations valued the stones from the get-go, donning ruby pendants as well as other stones with the belief that these adornments would bring protection, healing powers or strength. Today, we still wear our charm bracelets and charm pendants around our necks for good luck.
Later, pendant necklaces, like most fine jewelry, were worn strictly by royalty or the upper class and conferred wealth and prestige. This changed over time, thankfully, as wearing jewelry became more widespread, a democratized means of personal expression.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, pendant necklaces evolved from their status as spiritual amulets, but the jewels still carried deep personal significance. Victorian pendants, in particular, were part of the “mourning jewelry” tradition. Wearers would embed their pendants with locks of hair from a deceased loved one as a way of grieving in the wake of a loss. In the case of cameo jewelry, some pendants were even decorated with miniature hand-carved portraits in a detailed raised relief. Today, portraiture is still a characteristic of many of the hand-carved pendant necklaces offered by Italian jewelry house Scala Gioielli.
Luxury fine jewelry brands such as Cartier, BVLGARI and David Yurman offer their own unique interpretations of the cherished accessory, embellishing platinum or gold pendant necklaces with diamonds, sapphires and other stones.
On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage pendant necklaces and other necklaces today.
If jewelry could talk, we know this piece would have good stories.
Emblems of heartfelt emotion, elegant vessels for photos and keepsakes and perfect for layering, these special ornaments are an essential component of any thoughtfully curated jewelry collection.
With more than 100 carats of diamonds, this vintage stunner converts into different styles, making it as versatile as it is breathtaking.
Givers of fine gems enjoy surprise more than receivers, and women more than men. Find out what else our survey of 3,000 Americans revealed.
Organic shapes, surprising textures, shimmering colors and inventive embellishments take the new generation of pearl jewelry from classic to cutting-edge.
Soak up the pleasures of the season with a these bold gems.
Learn more about the stylish links that have passed the test of time.
After more than a decade creating the iconic Lanvin gems of the Alber Elbaz years, designer Elie Top dove into the world of fine jewelry, mixing silver and gold to create his own striking, timeless look.