20s Earring
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
20th Century Drop Earrings
14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1950s Unknown Victorian Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, Silver
20th Century Stud Earrings
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Unknown Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Drop Earrings
Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
Early 20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
1990s Romantic Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
20th Century Drop Earrings
White Diamond, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Hoop Earrings
White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Drop Earrings
White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s Italian Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
20th Century Stud Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Tsavorite, Brown Diamond, Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1970s Drop Earrings
18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Amethyst, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
Late 20th Century Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Stud Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary Stud Earrings
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hoop Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Drop Earrings
White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s European Art Deco Drop Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Dangle Earrings
Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
2010s Greek Byzantine Dangle Earrings
White Diamond, Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1920s European Art Deco Drop Earrings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
20th Century Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Whit...
20th Century Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Whit...
20th Century Dangle Earrings
Citrine, Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Contemporary Stud Earrings
Yellow Diamond, Pink Diamond, Black Diamond, Brown Diamond, Emerald, Mul...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Gold, Gold
Vintage 1950s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1950s Drop Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modernist Hoop Earrings
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco More Earrings
Other, Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Edwardian Drop Earrings
Pearl, Peridot, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Byzantine Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, White Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
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20s Earring For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 20s Earring?
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 ExpertApril 5, 2022In the 1920s, the flapper dress became a fresh new look for both day and evening wear. This shift dress hung from shoulder to just below the knee with a significant drop waistline. The evening versions of these dresses often featured lace, fringe, beadwork and luxe fabrics like chiffon, velvet and taffeta. Shop a collection of expertly vetted vintage flapper dresses from some of the world’s top boutiques on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 1, 2023Clip-on earrings may hurt your ears due to the tension that the backings apply on the lobes. If your earrings have adjustable backs, try fastening them less tightly to reduce discomfort. You can also purchase cushions that stick onto the backings to help ease pressure. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of clip-on earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 27, 2023No, clip-on earrings don't pierce your ears. Instead of slipping through a piercing, a clip-on earring attaches to the surface of your earlobe with a fastener. Depending on the design of the earrings, the fastener may be a hinged clip, a screw, a tension bar or even a magnet. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of clip-on earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 14, 2023The name of earrings that go through the ear is pierced earrings. They differ from clip-on earrings, which attach to the earlobe rather than going through a piercing. Pierced earrings come in a wide range of styles, including studs mounted on posts, dangles and drops that hang from wires and hoops that feature a variety of closures. On 1stDibs, find a large selection of pierced earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The term “20 carat gold” does not have a meaning. “Carat” is a unit of measurement used to describe the size of gemstones. “Karat” is the unit used to describe gold precious metal. Gold stamped as 20 karat or 20K is 83.3 percent pure gold and 16.7 percent metal alloy. You'll find a wide variety of gemstone jewelry on 1stDibs.
- Is a 20-inch necklace too short?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 8, 2023Whether a 20-inch necklace is too short largely depends on what you wear it with. Generally, a necklace should hit above or below a neckline for a balanced look. Also called a matinee necklace, a 20-inch necklace usually hangs just below the collarbone, making it ideal for coordinating with many tops and dresses with lower necklines. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of necklaces.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 8, 2023Yes, you can use clip-on earrings on pierced ears. The different kinds of clasps featured on clip-ons will still secure them to your earlobes if you have a piercing. However, wearing clip-ons exclusively could cause your piercings to gradually close up over time. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of clip-on earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2023Yes, you can wear pearl earrings with diamond earrings if you wish. One way to tie the look together is to choose pearl and diamond earrings with matching settings. For example, you can pair platinum diamond and pearl earrings or yellow gold diamond and pearl earrings. Shop a large assortment of earrings on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 27, 2023Many types of earrings that hang from the ear can be elegant. Dangle earrings featuring pearls or gemstones are one option. Large hoops made of gold, platinum or other precious metals are another. For a bold statement, consider chandelier earrings, which feature tiered dangling designs. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of dangle earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023The difference between a drop earring and a dangle earring is how it hangs. A drop earring extends down below the earlobe but is stationary, while a pair of dangle earrings’ design allows it to swing. On 1stDibs, find a selection of earrings.
- What is a sleeper earring?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Also known as “huggies,” sleeper earrings are small hoops that don't have sharp posts with a separate backing. They're called “sleeper” earrings because you can sleep in them comfortably without a post jabbing into the back of your ear.
- What are earring jackets?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021An earring jacket fastens to the post and, like a jacket, wraps around the bottom of your ear. They don't serve a purpose other than adding another fashionable element to the earrings.
- What are leverback earrings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Leverback earrings have a curved edge and no backing. They typically latch behind the ear like a fishhook. Only people with pierced ears can wear leverback earrings.
- What are halo earrings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertAugust 17, 2021Halo earrings contain a large diamond in the center with accent diamonds in a halo around the stone. Not only are these earrings timeless, but the style can help increase the shimmering of the stone.
- What are huggie earrings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Huggie earrings are miniature hoops that appear to hug the earlobe. Huggies range from .5' to 1.5” in diameter. These dainty earrings are perfect for everyday wear.
- What is a statement earring?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021A statement earring is bold, eye-catching and typically colorful. Statement earrings add character to any outfit. They're flashy, big and sculptural and can even drape down to rest on the shoulder. Trendy statement earrings are made from gold, silver, colorful glass beads, shells, feathers and more. Shop a collection of vintage and modern statement earrings from some of the world’s top jewelers on 1stDibs.
- What are invisible earrings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertDecember 4, 2023Invisible earrings are earrings that have an entirely clear design, making them difficult to spot. Often, makers produce invisible earrings out of clear plastic or silicone. People may choose to wear invisible earrings during times when they would prefer not to wear jewelry but want to insert something into their piercings to reduce the risk of closure. On 1stDibs, explore a large collection of earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertDecember 4, 2023There is no single type of earrings that is the most flattering for everyone. Instead, the most flattering option is one that complements the shape of your face. Long, slim dangle and drop earrings work well with round faces, while shorter earrings like studs and huggies can beautifully frame oval face shapes. For a square or rectangular face, look for earrings that show off curves, like hoops and halo studs. Try framing a diamond- or heart-shaped face with earrings that are wider or thicker at the bottom, like Creole hoops or chandelier earrings. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of earrings.
- What is a saddleback earring?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 6, 2023A saddleback earring is one that features a hinged post that snaps into place in a groove cut into the back of the earring. You may also see this type of earring referred to as a snapback or hinged snapback. The backing is commonly used on huggie earrings and some hoops. On 1stDibs, explore a wide range of earrings.
- What are minimalist earrings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 6, 2023Minimalist earrings have a simple, understated look. The term doesn't describe a specific shape, style or material and is largely subjective. For example, some people may consider gold ball studs, small huggie hoops or a pair of small pearl drops to be minimalist. Shop a diverse assortment of earrings on 1stDibs.
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