Antique Nouveau Necklace
1920s Antique Nouveau Necklace
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
1920s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Moonstone, Silver, Sterling Silver
1910s French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
18k Gold
Early 20th Century Russian Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Silver
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1910s Dutch Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Early 20th Century Antique Nouveau Necklace
Emerald, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s American Edwardian Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, White Diamond, Peridot, Platinum
Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Cultured Pearl, Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum, Gold
19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Pearl, Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
14k Gold, Yellow Gold, 10k Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Turquoise, 14k Gold
1890s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
1910s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Natural Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Czech Antique Nouveau Necklace
Base Metal
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Coral, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Opal, Ruby, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Ruby, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Amethyst, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Opal, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Amethyst, Onyx, Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, Silver, Ye...
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Oriental Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Moonstone, 14k Gold
Late 19th Century European Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Rock Crystal, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Enamel
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Moonstone, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yello...
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond
1890s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Garnet, Pearl, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
1890s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Opal, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, 10k Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Emerald, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum, Enamel
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold
Early 1900s British Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 15k Gold
1860s French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Brass
Early 1900s German Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Citrine, Silver
1920s Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Peridot, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold
19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Amethyst, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Chinese Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Jade, Tourmaline, Silver, Gilt Metal
19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 10k Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
14k Gold
Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Silver
1920s Czech Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Silver
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
1880s American Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Nouveau Necklace
Silver, Enamel
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A Close Look at art-nouveau Jewelry
Art Nouveau — generally considered to have begun in the late 1800s and ended with the start of World War I — was a movement in the decorative arts that drew inspiration from natural forms, such as trees, flowers and, of course, the human figure. The three main themes present in Art Nouveau jewelry and watches were flora, fauna and women.
Art Nouveau, which reached its pinnacle in the year 1900, spawned from artists who rejected the historicism of their predecessors to create an entirely new visual vocabulary. As compared to Art Deco jewelry’s geometric patterns and sharp lines, the extravagant style of antique Art Nouveau jewelry is characterized by curvilinear forms and whiplash lines, vibrant materials and dramatic imagery.
The first art and design movement of the 20th century, Art Nouveau was also a reaction against the Industrial Revolution, and took its inspiration from the theories of the Symbolists, the art of the Pre-Raphaelites, the ideas of John Ruskin and his follower William Morris and, most importantly Japanese crafts. (The country was a fertile ground for inspiration after it was opened to the West in 1854.) The Art Nouveau style touched all manners of the arts, including the most exultant jewelry.
Nature was a favorite muse for artists going back to the 18th and 19th centuries, but in the hands of 20th-century artists, it was depicted in new ways. For example, a withering flower was considered just as beautiful as one in full bloom. Winged creatures, such as insects and birds, were also a popular subject. Dragonflies and butterflies were particular favorites because they morphed so dramatically in different life stages.
This was also a reference to women, whose role in society was evolving. It was not uncommon to see a piece of jewelry that would at once reference a woman as a winged creature (think René Lalique’s famous Dragonfly brooch, circa 1897–98, at the Gulbenkian Collection in Lisbon). However, just as women’s roles were ambiguous, so was their image, as the femmes nouvelle were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized.
In addition to Lalique, vital figures in Art Nouveau jewelry included Louis Comfort Tiffany in the United States, Vladimir Soloviev, who designed jewelry for Peter Carl Fabergé in Russia, Fuset Grau of Spain, Karl Rothmuller of Germany and Philippe Wolfers of Belgium.
Art Nouveau jewelers used every “canvas” imaginable, looking beyond brooches and necklaces to belt buckles, fans, tiaras, dog collars (a type of choker necklace), pocket watches, corsages and hair combs. Multicolored gems and enamel could complete this vision better than diamonds. Jewelers also favored pearls, particularly baroque pearls, for their large size and irregular shape. However, opal was the most popular stone — its iridescence harmonized perfectly with the enamel, and it could be carved into any shape. Art Nouveau jewelry was primarily set in yellow gold.
Find a range of antique Art Nouveau jewelry today on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right necklaces for You
We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.
Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers.
In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs.
For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone.
Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt.
On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.
- 1stDibs ExpertDecember 4, 2023To tell if a necklace is antique, first look for hallmarks that indicate the maker. If you locate them, you can consult trusted online resources to find out when the company or artisan was active. To qualify as an antique, a necklace must be at least 100 years old. The presence of materials that are no longer commonly used to produce jewelry, like bakelite, camphor glass, foil opals and paste, can be good indicators that a piece is an antique. Antique jewelry is also more likely to have European- and rose-cut gemstones than modern cuts like the brilliant round. Because it can be difficult to date jewelry on your own, you may wish to consult an expert, like a certified appraiser or experienced dealer, for assistance. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of antique necklaces.