9k Birmingham
Vintage 1950s British Retro Cufflinks
Pearl, White Gold
Vintage 1930s Wrist Watches
Mid-20th Century English Signet Rings
Gold, 9k Gold
Late 20th Century English Band Rings
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Mid-20th Century English Pendant Necklaces
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century English Chain Necklaces
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Cufflinks
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Cufflinks
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Mid-20th Century English Signet Rings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Band Rings
Pearl, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century English Pendant Necklaces
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century English Signet Rings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century English Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold
Late 20th Century English Link Bracelets
Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Carnelian, Gold, 9k Gold
Early 20th Century English Chain Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold
Mid-20th Century English Signet Rings
9k Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century English Signet Rings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century English Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Garnet, Gold, 9k Gold
Early 20th Century English Chain Necklaces
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Band Rings
Turquoise, Gold, 9k Gold
Early 20th Century English Chain Necklaces
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century English Bangles
Gold, 9k Gold
Antique 1890s English Victorian Vanity Items
Carnelian, 9k Gold
Late 20th Century English Signet Rings
Gold, 9k Gold
20th Century British Modern Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold
Vintage 1940s English Modern Cufflinks
9k Gold
Vintage 1910s British Art Nouveau Band Rings
9k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s British Modern Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1910s British Edwardian Brooches
9k Gold
Mid-20th Century English Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold
Vintage 1910s English Edwardian Vanity Items
9k Gold
Vintage 1970s British Gothic Revival More Jewelry
Gold, 9k Gold
Vintage 1970s English Cufflinks
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Topaz, 9k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Brooches
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, Quartz, Sapphire, Topaz, Tourmaline...
1990s Unknown More Jewelry
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Victorian Fashion Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 9k Gold
Vintage 1920s British Art Deco Cufflinks
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s British Classical Greek Brooches
Yellow Gold, 9k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1960s British Artisan Brooches
Cultured Pearl, Zircon, Pearl, 9k Gold, Gold
Antique 1860s British High Victorian Bangles
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century British Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 9k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century British Modern Bangles
Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s English Late Victorian Engagement Rings
Garnet, 9k Gold
Vintage 1940s Retro Bangles
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s British Modern Dangle Earrings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Chain Necklaces
9k Gold
Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Band Rings
Diamond, 10k Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Link Bracelets
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Mid-20th Century English Signet Rings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century English Link Bracelets
Gold, 9k Gold
Late 20th Century English Pendant Necklaces
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Drop Earrings
9k Gold
Early 20th Century English Chain Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
- 1
9k Birmingham For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 9k Birmingham?
Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The difference between K5 and K9 crystal relates to lead content. K5 crystal is 5 percent lead oxide and 95 percent glass, while K9 crystal is 91 percent glass and 9 percent lead oxide. You'll find a large collection of crystal decorative objects, jewelry and art on 1stDibs.