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An 18k Gold French Signet Ring
An 18k Gold French Signet Ring

An 18k Gold French Signet Ring

Located in Amsterdam, NL

An 18-carat gold signet ring with a beautiful floral engraved shank, France, with French assay mark

Category

1910s French Edwardian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold

An 18k Gold French Signet Ring with Laurels
An 18k Gold French Signet Ring with Laurels

An 18k Gold French Signet Ring with Laurels

Located in Amsterdam, NL

An 18 carat yellow gold signet ring with three laurels on each side, France with French makers mark

Category

1910s French Edwardian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold

18 kt Gold French Raised Arm Signet Ring
18 kt Gold French Raised Arm Signet Ring

18 kt Gold French Raised Arm Signet Ring

Located in Stamford, CT

A French Victorian 15 Kt signet ring that shows all the signs of power. There is an arm raised up

Category

1870s French High Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold

French 20th Century 18 Karat Yellow Gold Engraved Signet Ring
French 20th Century 18 Karat Yellow Gold Engraved Signet Ring

French 20th Century 18 Karat Yellow Gold Engraved Signet Ring

Located in Poitiers, FR

Ring in 18 karat yellow gold, horse's head hallmark. The top of this antique signet ring is square

Category

Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

French 19th Century Carnelian Intaglio 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring
French 19th Century Carnelian Intaglio 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring

French 19th Century Carnelian Intaglio 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring

Located in Poitiers, FR

jewel - French work of the 19th century. Our opinion: Superb mixed ring, in its original condition

Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

French Neo-Renaissance Intaglio Signet Ring Manner of Wièse & Froment-Meurice
French Neo-Renaissance Intaglio Signet Ring Manner of Wièse & Froment-Meurice

French Neo-Renaissance Intaglio Signet Ring Manner of Wièse & Froment-Meurice

Located in London, GB

A fantastic French 19th century Neorenaissance silver intaglio ring, in the manner of Jules Wièse

Category

Mid-19th Century French Belle Époque Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Chalcedony, Silver

18kt Yellow Gold and Carnelian Signet Ring
18kt Yellow Gold and Carnelian Signet Ring

18kt Yellow Gold and Carnelian Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Yellow gold ring, decorated with an intaglio engraved with a coat of arms on carnelian. Ring size

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Carnelian, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

19th Century Blood Jasper 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring
19th Century Blood Jasper 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring

19th Century Blood Jasper 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring

Located in Poitiers, FR

Ring in 18 karat yellow gold. Magnificent antique signet ring, it is formed on the top of a shield

Category

Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Vintage 18K Two-Tone Yellow & White Gold Signet Ring with 2.00 Ct Old European
Vintage 18K Two-Tone Yellow & White Gold Signet Ring with 2.00 Ct Old European

Vintage 18K Two-Tone Yellow & White Gold Signet Ring with 2.00 Ct Old European

Located in MONTMORENCY, FR

unisex signet ring can be resized on request to ensure a perfect fit. Ideal for collectors of Art Deco

Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique French Chalcedony Cameo Ring
Antique French Chalcedony Cameo Ring

Antique French Chalcedony Cameo Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

18Kt gold ring set with a cameo on lavender chalcedony stylizing a profile of a man with a waving

Category

1870s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Chalcedony, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique French Agate Cameo Men's Ring
Antique French Agate Cameo Men's Ring

Antique French Agate Cameo Men's Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

beard and wavy hair. Top size cameo is 26mmx 18mm.French maker's mark. Ring size: 8 3/4 - Gross weight

Category

1870s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

French Antique 18K Toi et Moi ring - love ring - rose cut diamonds - engagement
French Antique 18K Toi et Moi ring - love ring - rose cut diamonds - engagement

French Antique 18K Toi et Moi ring - love ring - rose cut diamonds - engagement

Located in Antwerp, BE

This extraordinary French ring is crafted in 18 karat yellow gold and finished with white rhodium

Category

Late 19th Century French Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

French, 1900s, Diamond 18 Karat Yellow Gold Lion Ring
French, 1900s, Diamond 18 Karat Yellow Gold Lion Ring

French, 1900s, Diamond 18 Karat Yellow Gold Lion Ring

Located in Poitiers, FR

Ring in 18 karat yellow gold, owl hallmark, and platinum, mascaron hallmark. Massive antique ring

Category

Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique French Diamond and Yellow Gold Engagement Ring
Antique French Diamond and Yellow Gold Engagement Ring

Antique French Diamond and Yellow Gold Engagement Ring

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

decoration, integrating with the main setting and emanating around the shaped ring shank. This gent's signet

Category

1910s Unknown Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian swivel ring tiger-eye cabochon, antique man ring 18k gold
Victorian swivel ring tiger-eye cabochon, antique man ring 18k gold

Victorian swivel ring tiger-eye cabochon, antique man ring 18k gold

Located in PARIS, FR

, taking on warm hues ranging from golden yellow to brown. Antique swivel ring, circa 1880, France. Weevil

Category

1880s French Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold

18 k yellow gold tank ring - real rose cut diamonds - Retro estate bulky ring
18 k yellow gold tank ring - real rose cut diamonds - Retro estate bulky ring

18 k yellow gold tank ring - real rose cut diamonds - Retro estate bulky ring

Located in Antwerp, BE

gold and marked with a french eagle head mark. This type of ring is called a Tank ring thanks to to the

Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Silver and Cameo Glass Men's Ring
Silver and Cameo Glass Men's Ring

Silver and Cameo Glass Men's Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

French cameo glass depicting woman in profile setting in silver. Top size 31mm x 23mm Size : 9

Category

Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Silver

Jean Després Art Deco Modernist Sterling Silver Black Onyx Ring, 1920s
Jean Després Art Deco Modernist Sterling Silver Black Onyx Ring, 1920s

Jean Després Art Deco Modernist Sterling Silver Black Onyx Ring, 1920s

By Jean Despres

Located in Monaco, MC

This exceptional signet ring by French modernist master Jean Després stands as a bold testament to

Category

1920s French Art Deco Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Onyx, Sterling Silver

1900s Blood Jasper 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ring
1900s Blood Jasper 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ring

1900s Blood Jasper 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ring

Located in Poitiers, FR

Ring in 18 karat yellow gold. Delightful antique ring, it presents a rectangular and rounded plate

Category

Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Carnelian Intaglio Ring, Louis VIII
Antique Carnelian Intaglio Ring, Louis VIII

Antique Carnelian Intaglio Ring, Louis VIII

Located in New York, NY

Antique Carnelian Intaglio Ring from the mid to late 19th Century. Intricately and finely carved

Category

1870s French Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Carnelian, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver

18kt Yellow Gold and Agate Cameo Ring
18kt Yellow Gold and Agate Cameo Ring

18kt Yellow Gold and Agate Cameo Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Yellow gold ring, adorned with a cameo on agate representing three male profiles probably Italian

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Silver Gold and Agate Cameo Men's Ring
Silver Gold and Agate Cameo Men's Ring

Silver Gold and Agate Cameo Men's Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Agate cameo depicting a bearded man in profile (25mm x 20mm) mounted in silver and gold. Finger size 8 3/4 Weight : 16.8gr

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Agate, Gold, 18k Gold, Silver

Antique Brown Vitreous Intaglio Ring by Simon Fils '1788-1866'
Antique Brown Vitreous Intaglio Ring by Simon Fils '1788-1866'

Antique Brown Vitreous Intaglio Ring by Simon Fils '1788-1866'

Located in Firenze, IT

). French medal commemorating the peace treaties signed at Tilsit on 7 and 9 July 1807 by France, Russia

Category

1820s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Gold Ring With Large Oval Garnet Cabochon Merovingian 4th-6th Century
Gold Ring With Large Oval Garnet Cabochon Merovingian 4th-6th Century

Gold Ring With Large Oval Garnet Cabochon Merovingian 4th-6th Century

Located in Firenze, IT

A Merovingian gold ring with an oval bezel that secures a large red garnet cabochon. The

Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Garnet, Gold

19th Century Dendrite Agate Diamonds 18 Karat Rose Gold Silver Ring
19th Century Dendrite Agate Diamonds 18 Karat Rose Gold Silver Ring

19th Century Dendrite Agate Diamonds 18 Karat Rose Gold Silver Ring

Located in Poitiers, FR

Ring in 18 karat rose gold, and silver, owl hallmark. Rare and elegant antique rose gold ring, its

Category

Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Agate, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver

Bague du début du 19ème siècle en or 9 carats ornée d'une intaille sur verre
Bague du début du 19ème siècle en or 9 carats ornée d'une intaille sur verre

Bague du début du 19ème siècle en or 9 carats ornée d'une intaille sur verre

Located in PARIS, FR

Bague ancienne en or jaune 9 carats (350 millièmes) du début du 19ème siècle sertie d'une plaque de verre portant l'inscription en intaille "Une lettre adoucit les peines de l'absenc...

Category

Late 18th Century French Georgian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

10k Gold

Bague des années 20 ornée d'un camée sur sardoine
Bague des années 20 ornée d'un camée sur sardoine

Bague des années 20 ornée d'un camée sur sardoine

Located in PARIS, FR

Bague ancienne ornée d'un camée sur sardoine représentant un homme de profil à l'antique. Elle est en or rose 18 carats (750 millièmes) et date des années 20. Poids total du bijou ...

Category

Early 20th Century French Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Chalcedony, 18k Gold

Chevalière Art nouveau en or à décor de houx
Chevalière Art nouveau en or à décor de houx

Chevalière Art nouveau en or à décor de houx

Located in PARIS, FR

Chevalière Art nouveau en or 18 carats (750 millièmes). Son plateau, de forme ovale, est monogrammé "B.B" et elle décorée de houx. Poids total du bijou : 8,6 g environ. Taille 61,5....

Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold

French 19th Century Carnelian Intaglio 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring
French 19th Century Carnelian Intaglio 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring

French 19th Century Carnelian Intaglio 18 Karat Yellow Gold Signet Ring

Located in Poitiers, FR

jewel - French work of the 19th century. Our opinion: Superb mixed ring, in its original condition

Category

19th Century French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Gold Signet Ring
Antique Gold Signet Ring

Antique Gold Signet Ring

Unavailable|$1,735

Antique Gold Signet Ring

Located in London, GB

Late 19th Century 18ct Gold signet ring with French import marks and deep armorial engraving

Category

1880s French Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Art Nouveau MC signet ring in 18k gold
Art Nouveau MC signet ring in 18k gold

Art Nouveau MC signet ring in 18k gold

Located in PARIS, FR

Art Nouveau MC signet ring in 18 karat yellow gold. Antique ring with a relief decoration on the

Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold

Antique Victorian Venus Mars Onyx Cameo Signet Ring
Antique Victorian Venus Mars Onyx Cameo Signet Ring

Antique Victorian Venus Mars Onyx Cameo Signet Ring

Located in Sale, Cheshire

Love & War. A substantial antique signet ring set with an onyx cameo depicting Venus and Mars, both

Category

19th Century French Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Onyx, 18k Gold

Antique secret signet ring in 18 karat gold, ring for men
Antique secret signet ring in 18 karat gold, ring for men

Antique secret signet ring in 18 karat gold, ring for men

Located in PARIS, FR

Antique secret signet ring in 18 karat rose gold. Antique wedding ring monogrammed "FD". The ring

Category

1850s French Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold

0.35 Carats Diamond 18 Carat Yellow Gold Lion Signet Ring
0.35 Carats Diamond 18 Carat Yellow Gold Lion Signet Ring

0.35 Carats Diamond 18 Carat Yellow Gold Lion Signet Ring

Located in Paris, FR

orginal signet ring with a lion figure, its jaw enclosing an old cut diamond. Estimated diamond

Category

Early 20th Century French Romantic Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

French circa 1780 Georgian Period Red Enamel Diamond Giardinetti Ring
French circa 1780 Georgian Period Red Enamel Diamond Giardinetti Ring

French circa 1780 Georgian Period Red Enamel Diamond Giardinetti Ring

Located in Napoli, IT

Past Remembrance Giardinetti stands for Italian little garden These floral-theme rings reflect the

Category

1780s French Georgian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel

Handmade 18 Kt Gold and 925 Silver Ring with French Early 1900s Porcelain
Handmade 18 Kt Gold and 925 Silver Ring with French Early 1900s Porcelain

Handmade 18 Kt Gold and 925 Silver Ring with French Early 1900s Porcelain

Located in roma, IT

Fascinating 18 kt gold and 925 silver ring handmade by our Italian master goldsmiths, with early

Category

Early 1900s French Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Gold, Silver

JEAN FOUQUET A Platinum Gentleman's Ring

JEAN FOUQUET A Platinum Gentleman's Ring

By Jean Fouquet

Located in London, GB

." Signed Jean Fouquet and numbered 22241, circa 1929, French assay mark for platinum, maker's mark for

Category

1930s French Art Deco Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Platinum

Belle Époque Diamond, Red Enamel and Rubies Marquise Ring
Belle Époque Diamond, Red Enamel and Rubies Marquise Ring

Belle Époque Diamond, Red Enamel and Rubies Marquise Ring

Located in Paris, FR

56 roses diamonds. Shoulders set with diamonds too. Usually wear as a signet ring on the little

Category

Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold

A Brown Agate Cameo of Napoleon as Emperor in Later Gold Ring Mount
A Brown Agate Cameo of Napoleon as Emperor in Later Gold Ring Mount

A Brown Agate Cameo of Napoleon as Emperor in Later Gold Ring Mount

Located in London, GB

later English Victorian 18k Gold Ring, with Chevron design shoulders. The Cameo is engraved, incorrectly

Category

Early 1800s French Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Agate, 18k Gold

Art Deco Sapphire and Diamonds Signet Ring
Art Deco Sapphire and Diamonds Signet Ring

Art Deco Sapphire and Diamonds Signet Ring

Located in Paris, FR

Large platinum signet ring centered with an oblong cut sapphire weighting around 5 carats, color

Category

1920s French Art Deco Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum

Antique Art Deco 18 Kt French Signet Ring
Antique Art Deco 18 Kt French Signet Ring

Antique Art Deco 18 Kt French Signet Ring

Located in Stamford, CT

A symbol of rank and power is the face of this important looking Art Deco French Signet ring c

Category

1920s French Art Deco Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold

Antique Silver French Signet Ring
Antique Silver French Signet Ring

Antique Silver French Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Signet ring in silver, adorned with coats of arms under the crown. Ring size: 7 Weight: 2.7g. Top

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Silver

18kt Yellow Gold French Signet Ring
18kt Yellow Gold French Signet Ring

18kt Yellow Gold French Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Yellow gold Signet ring, engraved with a coat of arms decorated with three sections. Ring size: 7

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

18kt Yellow Gold French Signet Ring
18kt Yellow Gold French Signet Ring

18kt Yellow Gold French Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Yellow gold Signet ring, engraved with a coat of arms decorated with three crowns and stars. Ring

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique 18 Karat Gold French Signet Ring
Antique 18 Karat Gold French Signet Ring

Antique 18 Karat Gold French Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Signet ring in 18k yellow gold engraved with a coat of arms with three chevrons, a horse and

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold

18kt Yellow Gold & Silver French Signet Ring
18kt Yellow Gold & Silver French Signet Ring

18kt Yellow Gold & Silver French Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Yellow gold and Silver Signet ring, engraved a double coat of arms. Ring size: 8 3/4 Weight: 13.1g.

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver

18kt Yellow Gold Antique French Signet Ring
18kt Yellow Gold Antique French Signet Ring

18kt Yellow Gold Antique French Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

Signet ring in 750 thousandths yellow gold adorned with a coat of arms topped by a count's crown

Category

1890s French Napoleon III Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Neoclassical Gold & Silver French Signet Ring 1780’s
Neoclassical Gold & Silver French Signet Ring 1780’s

Neoclassical Gold & Silver French Signet Ring 1780’s

Located in Firenze, IT

Yellow gold and Silver Signet ring, engraved the family crest on square shape. Ring size: 8 Weight

Category

1780s French Neoclassical Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Gold

Art Deco French Gold Signet Ring
Art Deco French Gold Signet Ring

Art Deco French Gold Signet Ring

Located in Litchfield, CT

Circa 1920s, 18k, French. Decorated with a fabulous armorial, this French Art Deco signet ring has

Category

1920s French Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

French Art Deco Gold Signet Ring
French Art Deco Gold Signet Ring

French Art Deco Gold Signet Ring

Located in Litchfield, CT

Circa 1920s, 18k, France. This Art Deco ring features a sleek architecture in a geometric signet

Category

1920s French Art Deco Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold

A Gold Signet Ring, France 1870ca
A Gold Signet Ring, France 1870ca

A Gold Signet Ring, France 1870ca

Located in Firenze, IT

PLEASE NOTE: OUR PRICE IS FULLY INCLUSIVE OF SHIPPING, IMPORTATION TAXES & DUTIES A Gold signet

Category

Late 19th Century French Victorian Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

Yellow Gold

1780s French Gold Engraved Crest Signet Ring

1780s French Gold Engraved Crest Signet Ring

Located in Firenze, IT

PLEASE NOTE: OUR PRICE IS FULLY INCLUSIVE OF SHIPPING, IMPORTATION TAXES & DUTIES. The oval top engraved with a crest depicting a coat-of-arms with leaves, stars, a rampant lion and...

Category

1780s French Antique French Signet Ring

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

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Antique French Signet Ring For Sale on 1stDibs

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate antique french signet ring for your needs in our varied inventory. Frequently made of Gold, 18k Gold and Yellow Gold, this item was constructed with great care. If you’re looking for an antique french signet ring from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 18th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 20th Century. While most can agree that any antique french signet ring from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a Agate version from the 5 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. See these pages for a french cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also oval cut cut and rose cut cut versions available here, too. Finding an antique french signet ring for sale for men should be easy, but there are 37 pieces available to browse for unisex as well as women, too.

How Much is a Antique French Signet Ring?

Prices for an antique french signet ring can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $817 and can go as high as $16,742, while this accessory, on average, fetches $3,035.

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.

Finding the Right Signet-rings for You

Traditionally considered a ring for men, a vintage signet ring is a popular gift today for anyone who desires an expressive, timeless piece of jewelry that can feature all manner of engraved motifs, gemstones, specific symbols or monograms.

Whether it's an antique gold signet ring, diamond signet ring or some other classic iteration, signet rings get their name from signus, which means “sign” in Latin.

These rings, which may historically be referred to as “seal rings,” date back thousands of years and were used as a form of signature. Whatever may have been engraved on the ring — a married couple’s initials, a family crest — identified ownership for the purposes of authenticating documents and more when impressed on soft wax. During the Middle Ages, signet rings were symbols of power and prestige and common accessories for nobility. Later, during the 19th century, precious and semiprecious stones such as rubies and diamonds were added to gold signet rings as they took on a more ornate appearance than they had previously. 

In recent years, fashion has been primarily about individuality, and nothing is more personal than a jewel bearing a name or monogram. That is the reason jewelers have revived traditional signet rings, custom-engraving their designs with customers’ preferred words or symbols. Those who prefer the thrill of the hunt have a range of vintage letter charms and pendants to sift through.

And it isn't all about men's signet rings anymore, either — the accessory is for everyone. Princess Diana wore a signet ring that was a gift from Charles before their wedding, and we all know that the royals are top-tier fashion influencers, especially when it comes to rings.

Find vintage diamond signet rings, onyx signet rings and other types of rings on 1stDibs.