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Cameo Brooches

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Cameo Brooch
Located in Los Angeles, CA
10K Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch that would be a good present for anyone!
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brooches

Materials

10k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cameo Brooch
Cameo Brooch
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Shell Cameo Brooch
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Shell cameo brooch Depicting a young nymph, surrounded by gold and 11 seed pearls one missing
Category

20th Century Brooches

Shell Cameo Brooch
Shell Cameo Brooch
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Cameo Brooch and Pendant
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful shell cameo brooch and pendant set in silver with twisted gold rope accent, circa late
Category

Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Brooches

Materials

Gold, Silver

Cameo Brooch and Pendant
Cameo Brooch and Pendant
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H 1.13 in W 0.88 in
Antique Moses Cameo Brooch
Located in New Orleans, LA
The legendary Michelangelo's Moses is meticulously recreated in this 19th-century cameo brooch
Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Moses Cameo Brooch
Antique Moses Cameo Brooch
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H 1.5 in W 1.25 in
Antique Pink Cameo Brooch
Located in Jacksonville, FL
A lovely antique cameo pin. Beautifully carved figure of a lady on semi precious stone. The metal
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

14k Gold

 Antique Pink Cameo Brooch
 Antique Pink Cameo Brooch
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H 1.24 in W 0.96 in D 0.28 in
Hermes & Caduceus Cameo Pin
Located in Coral Gables, FL
14 Karat Yellow Gold Round Pin Featuring A Carved Shell Cameo Depicting Hermes and the Caduceus. 1
Category

Late 20th Century Brooches

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Hermes & Caduceus Cameo Pin
Hermes & Caduceus Cameo Pin
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Dm 1 in
Victorian Micromosaic Cameo Brooch
Located in New York, NY
Late 19th Century stone cameo brooch with micromosaic dove details. Unusual to have the combination
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Brooches

Materials

14k Gold

Antique Shell Cameo Brooch
Located in Milano, MI
Antique shell cameo of very fine manufacture and particular subject depicting a classical male bust
Category

Antique 19th Century Brooches

Materials

18k Gold

Antique Shell Cameo Brooch
Antique Shell Cameo Brooch
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W 1.58 in D 0.36 in L 1.86 in
Gold Cameo Brooch Pendant
Located in Paris, FR
19th century oval brooch-pendant decorated with a cameo depicting a young woman in Renaissance
Category

Antique 1860s French Napoleon III Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Coral, Gold

Gold Cameo Brooch Pendant
Gold Cameo Brooch Pendant
H 1.78 in W 1.38 in D 0.52 in
Antique Lava Cameo Brooch
Located in New York, NY
A nineteenth century yellow gold brooch featuring a carved lava cameo encircled by granulated gold
Category

Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Brooches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Victorian Goddess Cameo Brooch
Located in Brighton, GB
“Goddess of The Day” Shell Cameo Brooch Beautiful Fine Engraving Either Side 9ct Rose Gold
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Brooches

Materials

9k Gold

Mid Victorian Shell Cameo
Located in New York, NY
Lovely mid Victorian shell cameo with a exquisitely carved Neoclassical beauty with ornate
Category

Antique 1880s American Victorian Brooches

Materials

14k Gold

Mid Victorian Shell Cameo
Mid Victorian Shell Cameo
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W 1.25 in L 1.5 in
Charming Dog Cameo Suite
Located in New York, NY
Charming and super unusual hand carved dog, shell cameo suite from the 1930's. Wonderful subject
Category

Vintage 1930s American Brooches

Materials

14k Gold

Charming Dog Cameo Suite
Charming Dog Cameo Suite
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W 1.5 in
Antique Chalcedony 18 Karat Gold Cameo Pendant w Matching Cameo Earring Set
Located in Mount Kisco, NY
consisting of a Pre-Victorian Cameo Pendant and Earring Pair is in remarkable condition. Believed to be hand
Category

Antique 1870s French Artisan Brooches

Materials

Pearl, Chalcedony, 18k Gold, Gold

Diamond Cameo Pendant, 4.50 Carats
Located in New Orleans, LA
Featuring a combination of both exquisite intaglio and relief carving, this cameo pendant combines
Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Battle Scene Cameo Shell
Located in New York, NY
This cameo sardonyx shell features a finely detailed carved battle scene in contrasting shades. The
Category

Early 20th Century Brooches

Antique Battle Scene Cameo Shell
Antique Battle Scene Cameo Shell
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H 0.11 in W 1.8 in L 2.17 in
Cameo of Chief Billy Bowlegs
Located in New Orleans, LA
known as Holata Micco, or "Alligator Chief"), is represented in this exceptionally rare cameo brooch. He
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century American Anglo-Indian Brooches

Cameo of Chief Billy Bowlegs
Cameo of Chief Billy Bowlegs
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H 1.63 in W 1.32 in
Antique Cameo Brooch, circa 1850.
Located in London, GB
Hardstone cameo brooch. Set with a carved hardstone cameo to centre of a bust of a lady in profile
Category

Antique 1850s Victorian Brooches

Materials

18k Gold

19th Century Gentilhomme Shell Cameo
Located in Poitiers, FR
Antique cameo on shell. Slightly curved He represents a gentleman, face and bust engraved with
Category

Antique 1850s French Napoleon III Brooches

Yellow gold Cameo pin/pendant
Located in Surfside, FL
Cameo pin/pendant in 18k yellow gold. 23mm x 29mm (0.875 inch by 1.125 inch)
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Yellow Gold

14kt Gold Cameo Gold Pin
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Cameo Pin Very Well Made 36 x 31mm inch 14kt. yellow gold 7.8 Grams.
Category

2010s American Brooches

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

14kt Gold Cameo Gold Pin
14kt Gold Cameo Gold Pin
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W 1.42 in L 1.23 in
Sardonyx Pearl Enamel Cameo Brooch
Located in Dallas, TX
Composed of 14 karat yellow gold, this unusual sardonyx cameo features a row of seed pearls all
Category

Early 20th Century Brooches

Materials

Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique Vulcanite cameo brooch, Victorian
Located in NEWARK, GB
An interesting antique Victorian era Vulcanite cameo brooch. It is a very well designed piece
Category

Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches

Antique Vulcanite cameo brooch, Victorian
Antique Vulcanite cameo brooch, Victorian
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W 1.5 in L 1.9 in
Antique French Agate Cameo Brooch
Located in Firenze, IT
Brooch in 18Kt yellow gold decorated with a cameo on agate in the profile of a thinking woman, in a
Category

Antique 1850s French Napoleon III Brooches

Materials

Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Agate Cameo Pendant Brooch
Located in New York, NY
An antique cameo carved from agate, mounted as a pendant-brooch. 19th Century.
Category

Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Brooches

Materials

Agate, Yellow Gold

Gold Shell Cameo Pendant Brooch
Located in New York, NY
18k gold cameo brooch pendant. Measuring 48mm x 36mm. Marked 750. Weight - 13.5 grams.
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Gold

Etruscan Revival Cameo Brooch Pendant
Located in New York, NY
An antique agate cameo depicting the profile of a lady, encircled with gold granulation in the
Category

Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Brooches

Materials

Agate, Yellow Gold

Antique French Agate Cameo Brooch
Located in Firenze, IT
CAMEO on agate decorated with a young woman in profile turned to the left, her hair richly chiseled
Category

Antique 1890s French Napoleon III Brooches

Materials

Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Hardstone Cameo Gold Brooch
Located in Riverdale, NY
Victorian high relief sardonyx cameo of maiden with hair wreath decoration. The wreath and dress
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Brooches

Materials

Agate, 18k Gold

Victorian Hardstone Cameo Gold Brooch
Victorian Hardstone Cameo Gold Brooch
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W 1.9 in L 2.25 in
Shell Cameo and Gold Brooch
Located in New York, NY
Intricately carved shell cameo brooch set in 18 karat yellow gold. Dimensions L 2 1/4 x W 1 3/4
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brooches

19th Century Gold Cameo Brooch
Located in Paris, FR
A gold-mounted agate cameo brooch depicting the bust of a young woman wearing a pearl necklace
Category

Antique 1850s French Neoclassical Brooches

Materials

Agate, Gold

19th Century Gold Cameo Brooch
19th Century Gold Cameo Brooch
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H 1.66 in W 2.56 in D 0.4 in
Antique Cameo Brooch, Yellow Gold
Located in Marcianise, Marcianise (CE)
with a central cameo finely carved with lady motif. This cameo was totally handmade by Italian master
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Retro Brooches

Materials

Gold, Yellow Gold

Sterling Silver Vintage Cameo Pin
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Designer: custom design Material: sterling silver Dimensions: pin measures 39 x 31mm Weight: 7.34 grams
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brooches

Materials

Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver Vintage Cameo Pin
Sterling Silver Vintage Cameo Pin
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W 1.23 in L 1.54 in
Vintage older cameo brooch pendant
Located in Palos Hills, IL
DETAILS • unsigned • silver tone • vintage brooch / pendant MEASUREMENTS • CONDITION • excellent vintage condition with minimal signs of wear ❤️❤️ VINTAGE DESIGNER JEWELRY ...
Category

Vintage 1960s Brooches

14K Yellow Gold Vintage Cameo Brooch
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Vintage cameo brooch in 14k yellow gold. Cameo Lady Bust Left, Short Hair. 11.1 Grams overall. 1 1
Category

Mid-20th Century Brooches

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

10K Yellow Gold Antique Cameo Brooch
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
This antique carved shell cameo is set inside what is at least a 10k bezel but is potentially a bit
Category

Mid-20th Century Brooches

Materials

10k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Victorian Cameo Micro-Mosaic BroochPin
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The 18 karat yellow gold antique Victorian bar brooch features a beautifully intricate cameo at its
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Brooches

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Victorian Cameo Micro-Mosaic BroochPin
Antique Victorian Cameo Micro-Mosaic BroochPin
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H 0.79 in L 2.37 in
Victorian 10k Onyx Hardstone Cameo Pin
Located in Narberth, PA
A large hand carved cameo pin from the Victorian (ca1880) era! Set in vibrant 14kt rosy yellow gold
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches

Materials

Onyx, 10k Gold

Unusual Art Deco Opal Flapper Cameo
Located in New York, NY
Rare and Unusual Art Deco Opal Flapper Cameo brooch from the 1920's set in 14k filigreed gold. A
Category

Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Brooches

Materials

Opal, 14k Gold

Unusual Art Deco Opal Flapper Cameo
Unusual Art Deco Opal Flapper Cameo
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W 1.15 in L 1.65 in
Antique 18ct Gold Centurion Cameo Brooch
Located in London, GB
Antique 18ct Gold Centurion Cameo Brooch This Edwardian natural shell hand carved cameo depicts a
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century European Brooches

Materials

Gold

Antique 18ct Gold Centurion Cameo Brooch
Antique 18ct Gold Centurion Cameo Brooch
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W 1.19 in L 1.58 in
18K Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch/ Pendant
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a 18K gold Cameo brooch/pendant. It depicts an oval shaped orange shell cameo with a relief
Category

20th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches

Materials

Pearl, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold

18K Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch/ Pendant
18K Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch/ Pendant
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H 1.75 in Dm 1.1 in
14K White Gold Cameo Brooch/ Pendant
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a 14K white gold Cameo brooch/pendant. It depicts an octagonal shaped orange shell cameo
Category

20th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold

14K White Gold Cameo Brooch/ Pendant
14K White Gold Cameo Brooch/ Pendant
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H 0.45 in W 1.3 in D 0.15 in L 1.8 in
Antique Shell Cameo Brooch, late 1800s
Located in Chesterland, OH
the cameo, there is a stamp "800"). This is a lovely cameo that will be admired for years to come! It
Category

Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Brooches

Materials

Silver

Antique Shell Cameo Brooch, late 1800s
Antique Shell Cameo Brooch, late 1800s
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W 1.36 in L 1.76 in
18K Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch Pendant
Located in Washington Depot, CT
Vintage 18K Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch Beautiful cameo brooch brooch with 18K yellow gold! This can
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Chanel 1980s Gold Tone Cameo Brooch
By Chanel
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Indulge in the allure of vintage Chanel with the exquisite Chanel 1980s Gold Tone Cameo Brooch
Category

Vintage 1980s French Brooches

Nardi Love Conquers All Cameo Brooch
By Nardi
Located in New York, NY
An Italian two-toned cameo brooch by Nardi featuring a gold scalloped halo, finished with
Category

Vintage 1980s Victorian Brooches

Materials

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

Nardi Love Conquers All Cameo Brooch
Nardi Love Conquers All Cameo Brooch
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H 0.21 in W 1.76 in L 1.51 in
900 Sterling Silver Cameo Pendant/Pin
Located in Washington Depot, CT
900 Sterling Silver Cameo Pendant/Pin- This classic cameo features a lovely lady in profile framed
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Sterling Silver

900 Sterling Silver Cameo Pendant/Pin
900 Sterling Silver Cameo Pendant/Pin
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W 0.87 in L 1.07 in
Massive Etruscan Framed Victorian Shell Cameo
Located in New York, NY
Massive Etruscan Framed Victorian Shell Cameo from the mid 19th Century. Beautifully carved cameo
Category

Antique 1850s American Victorian Brooches

Materials

14k Gold

14kt Gold Cameo Gold Pin, 1969
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Cameo Pin Very Well Made 1.7 x 1.3 inch 14kt. yellow gold 12.5 Grams.
Category

2010s American Brooches

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

14kt Gold Cameo Gold Pin, 1969
14kt Gold Cameo Gold Pin, 1969
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W 1.7 in L 1.3 in
Stone Cameo Brooch Pendant, circa 1900
Located in Wailea, HI
Stone Cameo Brooch Pendant Circa 1900
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Brooches

Stone Cameo Brooch Pendant, circa 1900
Stone Cameo Brooch Pendant, circa 1900
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W 1.46 in D 0.52 in L 2.39 in
10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch
Located in Washington Depot, CT
Vintage 10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch This stunning cameo brooch features a lovely lady in
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Yellow Gold

10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch
10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch
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W 1.03 in L 1.23 in
10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch
Located in Washington Depot, CT
Vintage 10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch / Pin This lovely cameo pin features a lovely lady in
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Gold

10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch
10 Karat Yellow Gold Cameo Brooch
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W 1.11 in L 1.34 in
Antique Agate Cameo and Pearl Brooch
Located in New York, NY
An elegant antique cameo brooch featuring a profile of a lady, encircled with pearls.
Category

Antique 19th Century Neoclassical Brooches

Materials

Agate, Pearl, Yellow Gold

Silver & Gold Diamond Ruby Shell Cameo
Located in New York, NY
Silver and gold diamond ruby shell cameo, featuring a side profile of a Victorian lady 18 karat
Category

Early 20th Century Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Gold, Silver

Silver & Gold Diamond Ruby Shell Cameo
Silver & Gold Diamond Ruby Shell Cameo
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W 1.88 in L 2.38 in
Antique Hardstone Cameo and Diamond Brooch
Located in New York, NY
An early nineteenth century brooch in white gold, featuring a hardstone cameo encircled by diamonds.
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Neoclassical Brooches

Materials

Diamond, White Gold

14 Karat White Gold Cameo Brooch
Located in Washington Depot, CT
Vintage 14 Karat White Gold Cameo Brooch- This classic cameo brooch depicts a lovely lady in
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

White Gold

14 Karat White Gold Cameo Brooch
14 Karat White Gold Cameo Brooch
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W 0.91 in L 1.19 in
Shell Cameo Gold Pendant Brooch Pin
Located in New York, NY
18k yellow gold pendant brooch, with shell cameo, depicting a lady's profile. Brooch is 45mm x 35mm
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Gold

Gold with Coral Cameo Pin Brooch
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage 14 karat gold pin brooch with coral cameo featuring a woman's face, Italy late 1800s
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Brooches

Materials

Coral, 14k Gold

Antique brooch cameo 14 K gold.
Located in Berlin, BE
cameo depicting the portrait of a young lady with flowing hair. The intricate craftsmanship is evident
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Brooches

Materials

Gold

Antique Diamond Ruby Hardstone Cameo Brooch
Located in New York, NY
18k gold antique brooch, featuring hardstone cameo, surrounded with 4 rubies and approx. 0.30ctw in
Category

Antique 19th Century Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby

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Cameo Brooches For Sale on 1stDibs

Find an expansive variety of cameo brooches available on 1stDibs. These distinct designs — crafted with great care and often made from Gold, Yellow Gold and 14k Gold — can elevate any look. Our collection of these items for sale includes 609 vintage editions and 33 modern creations to choose from as well. Our inventory is broad and distinctive, with accessories on offer that were made as long ago as the 18th Century to those produced as recently as the 21st Century. Victorian and Art Deco are consistently popular styles when it comes to cameo brooches. Elizabeth Locke, Tiffany & Co. and Cameo Italiano - Diluca S.R.L each produced beautiful examples of these items that are worth considering. While most can agree that any pick from our collection easily elevates most outfits, but the choice of Diamond versions from the 95 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. A selection of round cut, mixed cut and oval cut can be found today on these pages. There aren’t many items for men in our collection of cameo brooches, as most of the options available are for women.

How Much are Cameo Brooches?

On average, cameo brooches at 1stDibs sell for $1,734, while they’re typically $55 on the low end and $34,500 for the highest priced versions of this item.

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 Brooches for You

Vintage brooches, which refer to decorative jewelry traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.

While jewelry trends come and go, brooches are indeed back on the radar thanks to fashion houses like GucciVersaceDior and Saint Laurent, all of which feature fun pinnable designs in their current collections. Whether a dazzlingly naturalistic Art Nouveau dragonfly, a whimsical David Webb animal, a gem-studded bloom or a streamlined abstract design, these jewels add color and sparkle to your look and a spring to your step. 

Given their long history, brooches have expectedly taken on a variety of different shapes and forms over time, with jewelers turning to assorted methods of ornamentation for these accessories, including enameling and the integration of pearls and gemstones. Cameo brooches that originated during the Victorian age are characterized by a shell carved in raised relief that feature portraits of a woman’s profile, while 19th-century micromosaic brooches, comprising innumerable individually placed glass fragments, sometimes feature miniature depictions of a pastoral scene in daily Roman life.

At one time, brooches were symbols of wealth, made primarily from the finest metals and showcasing exquisite precious gemstones. Today, these jewels are inclusive and universal, and you don’t have to travel very far to find an admirer of brooches. They can be richly geometric in form, such as the ornate diamond pins dating from the Art Deco era, or designer-specific, such as the celebrated naturalistic works created by Tiffany & Co., the milk glass and gold confections crafted by Trifari or handmade vintage Chanel brooches of silk or laminated sheer fabric. Chanel, of course, has never abandoned this style, producing gorgeously baroque CC examples since the 1980s.

Brooches are versatile and adaptable. These decorative accessories can be worn in your hair, on hats, scarves and on the lower point of V-neck clothing. Pin a dazzling brooch to the lapel of your blazer-and-tee combo or add a cluster of smaller pins to your overcoat. And while brooches have their place in “mourning jewelry,” in that a mourning brooch is representative of your connection to a lost loved one, they’re widely seen as romantic and symbolic of love, so much so that a hardcore brooch enthusiast might advocate for brooches to be worn over the heart.

Today, find a wide variety of antique and vintage brooches for sale on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.

Questions About Cameo Brooches
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    To tell how old a cameo brooch is for certain, you usually need to consult a licensed jewelry appraiser. This is because many authentic pieces do not have marks, and there are many modern reproductions that resemble the antique jewelry. Find a selection of expertly vetted antique cameo brooches on 1stDibs.