Ancient Cross
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Turkish Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Silver, Bronze
Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artisan Cufflinks
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Multi-gemstone, Tourmaline, Rhodocrosite, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, B...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Fashion Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Byzantine More Rings
Garnet, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
2010s American Etruscan Revival Signet Rings
Agate, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Mexican Contemporary Modern Bracelets
14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Link Necklaces
Jade, Coral, Turquoise Matrix, Turquoise, Freshwater Pearl, Pearl, Multi...
Antique 15th Century and Earlier European Classical Roman Pendant Necklaces
Gold
Early 2000s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Onyx, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier European Classical Roman Pendant Necklaces
Gold
2010s American Artisan Hoop Earrings
White Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze, Gold
Vintage 1910s Unknown Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Platinum
2010s American Artisan Dangle Earrings
White Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 1870s French Napoleon III Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Silver, 18k Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Byzantine Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 22k Gold, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Choker Necklaces
14k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Modern Bracelets
21st Century and Contemporary British Artist Multi-Strand Necklaces
Quartz, Jade, Crystal, Citrine, Chalcedony, Amazonite, Agate, Mixed Meta...
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Emerald, 18k Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Greek Medieval Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Emerald, 22k Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Contemporary More Jewelry
Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
1990s Contemporary Drop Necklaces
22k Gold
20th Century Unknown Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
2010s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Garnet, Gold, 15k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Tanzanite, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
1990s Contemporary Brooches
22k Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Israeli Classical Roman Pendant Necklaces
Gold, Bronze
Antique 1870s Russian Russian Empire Pendant Necklaces
Gold
2010s American Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Agate, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Op...
Early 20th Century Russian Russian Empire Pendant Necklaces
14k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Chalcedony, Diamond, Opal, Multi-gemstone, Agate, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow...
2010s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, Bronze, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Spanish Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, Bronze, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, Sapphire, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Byzantine Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
Antique 1770s French Baroque Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel, Silver...
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Unknown Byzantine Drop Earrings
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Byzantine Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 22k Gold, Bronze
Ancient Cross For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Ancient Cross?
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.