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Albertina Gold

Edwardian 9 Carat Gold Albertina
Edwardian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Edwardian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Modelled in 9ct gold, this Albertina boasts so much detail! To start off with it has a dog clip to

Category

Antique Early 1900s British Edwardian Link Bracelets

Materials

Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina with Charms
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina with Charms

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina with Charms

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

sliding gold bead and a sweet little gent charm. This bracelet also features two gorgeous orb beads

Category

Vintage 1980s British Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold

Antique 9ct Yellow Gold Albertina Chain with Tassel
Antique 9ct Yellow Gold Albertina Chain with Tassel

Antique 9ct Yellow Gold Albertina Chain with Tassel

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Antique 9ct Yellow Gold Albertina Chain with Tassel dog clip charming and classic chain

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

Yellow Gold

Victorian Sapphire and 15 Carat Gold Albertina Necklace
Victorian Sapphire and 15 Carat Gold Albertina Necklace

Victorian Sapphire and 15 Carat Gold Albertina Necklace

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This gorgeous 15ct gold chain would make a great necklace with two sliders on the double chain

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Multi-Strand Necklaces

Materials

Sapphire, Gold

15ct Gold Victorian Double Row Fox Tail Link Bracelet with Gold & Enamel Beads
15ct Gold Victorian Double Row Fox Tail Link Bracelet with Gold & Enamel Beads

15ct Gold Victorian Double Row Fox Tail Link Bracelet with Gold & Enamel Beads

Located in Brighton, GB

Antique Albertina Bracelet 15ct Gold Tested Circa 1880 Introducing a stunning two-tone 15ct

Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Beaded Bracelets

Materials

Gold, 15k Gold, Enamel

Recent Sales

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Charming Albertina modelled out of 9ct gold. Featuring a stunning delicate chain tassel, T-bar, dog

Category

Antique 1830s British Victorian More Jewelry

Materials

9k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Stunning Albertina chain featuring a wonderful large chain tassel which is held together with a

Category

Antique 1830s British Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold

Edwardian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet
Edwardian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Edwardian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Modelled in 9ct gold, this Albertina boasts so much detail! To start off with it has a dog clip to

Category

Antique Early 1900s British Edwardian Link Bracelets

Materials

Gold

Vintage 9 Carat Two-Tone Gold Albertina
Vintage 9 Carat Two-Tone Gold Albertina

Vintage 9 Carat Two-Tone Gold Albertina

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

A wonderful vintage Albertina formed throughout of complementing rose and yellow gold elements. At

Category

Vintage 1970s Unknown Victorian More Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold

1890s Antique Yellow Gold Albertina Watch Chain
1890s Antique Yellow Gold Albertina Watch Chain

1890s Antique Yellow Gold Albertina Watch Chain

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A fine and impressive antique Victorian 9 carat yellow gold ladies 'Albertina' watch chain; part of

Category

Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian More Jewelry

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique 9ct Rose Gold Victorian Albertina Bracelet
Antique 9ct Rose Gold Victorian Albertina Bracelet

Antique 9ct Rose Gold Victorian Albertina Bracelet

Located in Brighton, GB

9ct Rose Gold Tagged Circa 1880 Fabulous, Victorian Albertina bracelet. Features two rows of

Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Chain Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold, Rose Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Albertina Chain
Victorian 9 Carat Albertina Chain

Victorian 9 Carat Albertina Chain

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This stunning Albertina chain is wonderfully delicate and features a tassel with beautiful detail

Category

Antique 1840s British Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold and Enamel Albertina Bracelet
Victorian 9 Carat Gold and Enamel Albertina Bracelet

Victorian 9 Carat Gold and Enamel Albertina Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This stunning albertina has features a gorgeous tassel. At the top of this tase is a decorative

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian More Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold

1910 Antique Albertina Watch Chain in Yellow and Rose Gold
1910 Antique Albertina Watch Chain in Yellow and Rose Gold

1910 Antique Albertina Watch Chain in Yellow and Rose Gold

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

An impressive 'Albertina' chain crafted in 9k rose gold, 14 karat yellow and rose gold; part of our

Category

Vintage 1910s British Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Edwardian 15 Karat Rose And Yellow Gold Albertina Watch Chain
Antique Edwardian 15 Karat Rose And Yellow Gold Albertina Watch Chain

Antique Edwardian 15 Karat Rose And Yellow Gold Albertina Watch Chain

Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.

This is a lovely Albertina watch chain crafted in 15K rose and yellow gold. The piece comes from

Category

Early 20th Century English Edwardian Chain Bracelets

Materials

15k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique 5.79 Carat Garnet and Pearl Rose Gold Albertina Watch Chain
Antique 5.79 Carat Garnet and Pearl Rose Gold Albertina Watch Chain

Antique 5.79 Carat Garnet and Pearl Rose Gold Albertina Watch Chain

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

An exceptional 5.79 carat garnet and seed pearl, 18 karat rose gold ladies Albertina watch chain

Category

Antique 1880s French Pocket Watches

Materials

Garnet, Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold

Victorian 15ct And 9ct Tri-Colour Ladies Albertina Fob Chain Circa 1860-80
Victorian 15ct And 9ct Tri-Colour Ladies Albertina Fob Chain Circa 1860-80

Victorian 15ct And 9ct Tri-Colour Ladies Albertina Fob Chain Circa 1860-80

Located in NEW TOWN, AU

jewellery from the Victorian era, these antique ladies Albertina fob chains typically date from the mid to

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

15k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Albertina features a t-bar and oval shaped polished fob modelled in 9ct gold. Length: 8inches

Category

Antique 1830s Unknown Victorian More Jewelry

Materials

9k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This stunning albertina bracelet features two exquisitely engraved heart pendants and also a t-bar

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Link Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

A wonderful antique Victorian Albertina bracelet. Set with a horse shoe charm inlaid with red and

Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This albertina bracelet holds such lot of detail. The main link of the bracelet features an

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian More Bracelets

Materials

Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Modelled in 9ct gold, this Albertina boasts so much detail! To start off with it has a dog clip to

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Link Bracelets

Materials

Gold

Victorian 15 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet
Victorian 15 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Victorian 15 Carat Gold Albertina Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

connecting at the centre with an ornate bead. This classic Albertina bracelet fastens using a dog clip and

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Link Bracelets

Materials

Gold

Vintage 9 Carat Two-Tone Gold Albertina
Vintage 9 Carat Two-Tone Gold Albertina

Vintage 9 Carat Two-Tone Gold Albertina

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

A wonderful vintage Albertina formed throughout of complementing rose and yellow gold elements. At

Category

Vintage 1970s Unknown Victorian More Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina with Charms
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina with Charms

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Albertina with Charms

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This stunning albertina holds a total of three gorgeous charms. One of which is a mother of pearl

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Charm Bracelets

Materials

Ruby, 9k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Ornate Albertina Chain Bracelet
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Ornate Albertina Chain Bracelet

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Ornate Albertina Chain Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

These albertina bracelets always catch my eye! This one in particular is 9ct gold and features a

Category

Antique 1850s British Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold

Antique 9k Yellow Gold Swag Necklace, Fancy Link Chain
Antique 9k Yellow Gold Swag Necklace, Fancy Link Chain

Antique 9k Yellow Gold Swag Necklace, Fancy Link Chain

Located in NEWARK, GB

albertina chain that has an added 9kt gold, antique rolo link section added to make it into this gorgeous

Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

9k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Victorian Gold Tassel Albertina Chain
Antique Victorian Gold Tassel Albertina Chain

Antique Victorian Gold Tassel Albertina Chain

Located in Sale, Cheshire

An expertly crafted antique Albertina chain modelled in 9 karat gold. It dates from the late 19th

Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

9k Gold

Victorian Lady's Albertina Watch Chain, 9ct Rose Gold with Slider
Victorian Lady's Albertina Watch Chain, 9ct Rose Gold with Slider

Victorian Lady's Albertina Watch Chain, 9ct Rose Gold with Slider

Located in Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

An unusual antique gold bracelet being an Albertina watch chain from the Victorian era.  Comprised

Category

Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Link Bracelets

Materials

Rose Gold

Victorian Tri-Coloured Gold Fancy Link Albertina Bracelet with Heart Padlock
Victorian Tri-Coloured Gold Fancy Link Albertina Bracelet with Heart Padlock

Victorian Tri-Coloured Gold Fancy Link Albertina Bracelet with Heart Padlock

Located in Lancashire, Oldham

A very pretty 9ct green and yellow gold 'Albertina' bracelet that was made circa 1880. Albertina

Category

Antique 1880s English Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique 9 Carat Yellow Gold and Peridot Albertina Chain Bracelet
Antique 9 Carat Yellow Gold and Peridot Albertina Chain Bracelet

Antique 9 Carat Yellow Gold and Peridot Albertina Chain Bracelet

Located in Splitter's Creek, NSW

This lovely old Bracelet is in excellent condition. Stamped 9ct Yellow Gold it features one 0.84

Category

Antique 1870s Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

Peridot, Yellow Gold

Rolled Gold Ladies Demi-Hunter and Albertina, Dated circa 1900
Rolled Gold Ladies Demi-Hunter and Albertina, Dated circa 1900

Rolled Gold Ladies Demi-Hunter and Albertina, Dated circa 1900

Located in London, GB

Rolled Gold Ladies Demi-Hunter and Albertina, dated Circa 1900 This watch is made by "The American

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Victorian Pocket Watches

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Antique 1901 Yellow Gold Curb Bracelet with Heart Padlock Clasp
Antique 1901 Yellow Gold Curb Bracelet with Heart Padlock Clasp

Antique 1901 Yellow Gold Curb Bracelet with Heart Padlock Clasp

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

An impressive antique 9 karat yellow gold curb link bracelet with heart shaped padlock clasp; part of our diverse antique jewelry and estate jewelry collections. This fine and impre...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Unknown Retro Chain Bracelets

Materials

Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold

Vintage 9 Carat Gold Chain  Necklace
Vintage 9 Carat Gold Chain  Necklace

Vintage 9 Carat Gold Chain Necklace

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This beautiful 9ct gold necklace has fancy chain links and links that represent infinity. Length: 63cm Chain Width: 4mm Weight: 6.8g

Category

Vintage 1960s British Chain Necklaces

Materials

Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Albert or Necklace Chain with T-Bar
Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Albert or Necklace Chain with T-Bar

Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Albert or Necklace Chain with T-Bar

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This delightful 9ct rose gold chain has fancy links and two dog clips to fasten. It could be used as an albert, necklace or wrapped around your wrist to make a bracelet! Length: 42c...

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

Gold, Rose Gold

Cartier Paris Carved Coral Diamond Sapphire Rose Flower Gold Brooch
Cartier Paris Carved Coral Diamond Sapphire Rose Flower Gold Brooch

Cartier Paris Carved Coral Diamond Sapphire Rose Flower Gold Brooch

By Cartier

Located in New York, NY

Exquisite 18k gold brooch, crafted by Cartier Paris, featuring two rose flowers, executed in angel skin and orange coral, with blue sapphire in the center and approx. 0.40ctw G/Vs di...

Category

20th Century French Brooches

Materials

Coral, Diamond, Sapphire, Gold

Vintage 9 Carat Gold Signet Ring
Vintage 9 Carat Gold Signet Ring

Vintage 9 Carat Gold Signet Ring

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This sweet signet is modelled in 9ct gold. The initials on the front of the ring read 'IO'. Ring Size: O 1/2 or 7 1/2 Face Diameter: 12x10mm Weight: 3.6g

Category

Vintage 1960s British Signet Rings

Materials

Gold

Antique Swivel Seal Pendant/Charm Carnelian & Blood-Stone British Hallmarked
Antique Swivel Seal Pendant/Charm Carnelian & Blood-Stone British Hallmarked

Antique Swivel Seal Pendant/Charm Carnelian & Blood-Stone British Hallmarked

Located in London, GB

Antique swivel seal pendant set with Carnelian and Blood-Stone set in 9-carat rose gold, British Hallmarked Birmingham 1900, Sponsor mark "M&M". Could be able to wear it as a pendant...

Category

Antique Early 1900s British Edwardian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Carnelian, 9k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Curb Chain Bracelet
Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Curb Chain Bracelet

Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Curb Chain Bracelet

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This curb chain bracelet is wider at the centre and slimmer towards the clasp and modelled in glossy 9ct rose gold. The bracelet is fastened by simple bolt clip and loop. Each link i...

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Link Bracelets

Materials

Rose Gold

Antique Ring 25ct natural Blue Sapphire solid 18K Gold Ø 4.75 US /9.6gr
Antique Ring 25ct natural Blue Sapphire solid 18K Gold Ø 4.75 US /9.6gr

Antique Ring 25ct natural Blue Sapphire solid 18K Gold Ø 4.75 US /9.6gr

Located in SE

Luxurious Antique Ring in Renaissance style, band and crown tested solid 18K Gold,not hallmarked, European, ca. XVIII - early XIX centuries. Huge cabochon of natural Light - Blue Sa...

Category

Antique Early 19th Century European Baroque Revival Solitaire Rings

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Fancy Albert or Necklace
Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Fancy Albert or Necklace

Victorian 9 Carat Rose Gold Fancy Albert or Necklace

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This gorgeous chain is made up of a faceted belcher link. There is a dog clip for fastening and a t-bar. Length: 33cm Width: 8-4.5mm Weight: 21.8g

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian More Bracelets

Materials

Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Link Necklace
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Link Necklace

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Link Necklace

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This 9ct yellow gold necklace is made up of slim oval links and intricately detailed gold orbs. The chain fastens using a barrel clasp and has a delicate and stylish feel. Length: ...

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Longuard Necklace
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Longuard Necklace

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Longuard Necklace

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

Longuard chains are so versatile and can be worn in so many ways! This chain is modelled in 9ct gold and there is also a dog clip attached. Length: 152cm Weight: 35.2g

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

Gold

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace

Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace

Located in Chipping Campden, GB

This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. Length: 36cm Chain Width: 2.5mm Weight: 6.5g

Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

Gold, 9k Gold

Cartier Diamond White Enamel Formal Wear Dress Set Art Deco 1910 Cufflinks Studs
Cartier Diamond White Enamel Formal Wear Dress Set Art Deco 1910 Cufflinks Studs

Cartier Diamond White Enamel Formal Wear Dress Set Art Deco 1910 Cufflinks Studs

By Cartier

Located in New York, NY

This is an extraordinary museum quality Cartier French Diamond and Enamel Dress Set with Cuff Links, Studs and Buttons in Platinum and 18 Karat Gold and dating to the Art Deco period...

Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Cufflinks

Materials

Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Platinum, Enamel

Antique 15ct Gold Georgian Cantanile Chain Bracelet
Antique 15ct Gold Georgian Cantanile Chain Bracelet

Antique 15ct Gold Georgian Cantanile Chain Bracelet

Located in Brighton, GB

Antique Triple Chain Bracelet 15ct Gold Circa 1850 Beautiful Georgian Gold Bracelet. Triple Fancy Link Chain Joined by a Gold Centre Square with Pretty Cantanile Detailing. In...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century English Georgian Chain Bracelets

Materials

Gold, 15k Gold

Victorian 28.00 Ct Garnet Rare French Origin 18 KT Bracelet
Victorian 28.00 Ct Garnet Rare French Origin 18 KT Bracelet

Victorian 28.00 Ct Garnet Rare French Origin 18 KT Bracelet

Located in Napoli, IT

Extra Ordinary An outstanding antique French origin bracelet, with mourning locket, 19th century Rare example as hardly seen, superbly hand made with eye catching cushion shaped link...

Category

Antique 1840s French Early Victorian Charm Bracelets

Materials

Garnet, 18k Gold

9ct Rose Gold Antique Chain
9ct Rose Gold Antique Chain

9ct Rose Gold Antique Chain

Located in London, GB

Luxurious Petit 9ct Gold Light Rose Gold Antique Chain Necklace with tight barrel clasp Era 1880 - 1910 Stamped 9c on plaque & 9ct on barrel Length 17.75 Inches Thickness 2mm

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Unknown Edwardian Chain Necklaces

Materials

9k Gold, Rose Gold

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Albertina Gold For Sale on 1stDibs

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate piece of albertina gold for your needs in our varied inventory. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from Gold, 9k Gold and Yellow Gold — can elevate any look. Finding the perfect item from our selection of albertina gold may mean sifting through those created during different time periods — you can find an early version that dates to the 19th Century and a newer variation that were made as recently as the 20th Century. For this particular piece, are consistently popular carat weights. Take a look at a choice in our collection of albertina gold featuring Garnet from our inventory today to add the perfect touch to your look. An oval cut version of this piece has appeal, but there are also rose cut and rough cut versions for sale. When shopping for an object in our assortment of albertina gold, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for unisex or men today than there are for women.

How Much is a Albertina Gold?

The price for a piece of albertina gold starts at $453 and tops out at $4,339 with these bracelets, on average, selling for $688.

A Close Look at Victorian Jewelry

The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.

Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.

The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.

Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.

Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs. 

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.