Boucheron Classic Quatre

As the oldest high-end jewelry boutique on the legendary Place Vendôme in Paris, dating to 1893, Boucheron stands for history, sensuality and avant-garde style. The French fine jewelry house has created iconic rings, necklaces and other adornments over its more than 160-year history for royalty like the Russian imperial family, the Maharaja of Patiala and Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It has also received popular acclaim for its modern designs and playful motifs such as serpents and cats.

Since its founding in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron with a boutique at the Palais Royal arcades, the maison has sought to create unforgettably unique pieces, push the boundaries of innovations in jewelry design and celebrate the opulence of gold. Many of its pieces are sculpted in gold by expert goldsmiths so that the material becomes a design element in its own right.

At its best, Edwardian jewelry was all about the exquisite diamond, platinum and pearl creations made by such famous names as Cartier and Boucheron. Later, Frédéric’s son Louis became especially interested in the Art Deco style as well as accessories like cigarette holders, bags and belts.

Boucheron is most famously known for its sources of inspiration: nature, animals and the earth. Its iconic Serpent Bohème collection, introduced in 1968, references the curves and scales of the animal with pear-shaped motifs and coiled accents adorned with diamonds and other precious stones like turquoise, lapis lazuli and malachite. (A 1960s-era Boucheron brooch featuring a lavish mound of artfully assembled round and baguette diamonds set in platinum is a dinner-party conversation starter from any angle.)

Frédéric Boucheron gave a serpent necklace to his wife as a symbol of love and protection. Leopards, hummingbirds, deer and hedgehogs are referenced in the Animaux de Collection, while high-end 3D technology in the Nature Triomphante meticulously re-creates flower petals, ivy branches and other organic forms.

Boucheron also pays homage to Paris, the city where it was founded. The octagonal shape of the Place Vendôme is translated into the geometric Liseré pieces, and the Clou de Paris motif — which is integral to the house's Quatre series — is inspired by the cobblestones on its streets. Since 1859, when Boucheron introduced a collection of pocket watches, the maison has also regularly created timepieces with the same elegance and refinement as its jewelry.

Despite having such a long legacy, Boucheron has always been ahead of its time. Its creative collections and bold jewelry remain coveted and cherished. In 2018, its flagship in the Place Vendôme reopened after a restoration under its current owner Kering.

Find antique and vintage Boucheron jewelry on 1stDibs.

Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.

No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.

Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.

Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings. 

The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry. 

The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.

Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.