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Cartier Mid Century Gold and Lapis large Earrings
Cartier Mid Century Gold and Lapis large Earrings

Cartier Mid Century Gold and Lapis large Earrings

By Cartier

Located in Chicago, IL

Circa 1960s Cartier 18k Yellow Gold Earrings, measuring 7/8 x 7/8 inch and centrally set with a domed Cabochon Lapis Lazuli, nice solid construction with a weight of 20.9 Grams. One ...

Category

Vintage 1960s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings

Materials

Lapis Lazuli

Cartier 9k Single Tennis Ball Cufflink Wimbledon 1964 Prince Phlip Insignia
Cartier 9k Single Tennis Ball Cufflink Wimbledon 1964 Prince Phlip Insignia

Cartier 9k Single Tennis Ball Cufflink Wimbledon 1964 Prince Phlip Insignia

By Cartier

Located in Sherman Oaks, CA

Tennis Ball Single Cufflink Signed "Cartier" Hallmarked "AP / 9 / 375 / i / (lion London Assay mark)" Engraved with the Insignia of Prince Philip, Royal Consort to QEII Total Mass = ...

Category

Vintage 1960s Cufflinks

Materials

10k Gold

Vintage Cartier Silver, Chalcedony and Lapis Necklace in 18 Karat Yellow Gold
Vintage Cartier Silver, Chalcedony and Lapis Necklace in 18 Karat Yellow Gold

Vintage Cartier Silver, Chalcedony and Lapis Necklace in 18 Karat Yellow Gold

By Cartier

Located in London, GB

A vintage Cartier silver, chalcedony and lapis necklace in 18 karat yellow gold, circa 1960.

Category

Vintage 1960s Unknown Retro Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Chalcedony, Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver

Vintage Cartier 18k Yellow Gold Geometric Lapis Lazuli Ring, Size 4.5 - 10.8g
Vintage Cartier 18k Yellow Gold Geometric Lapis Lazuli Ring, Size 4.5 - 10.8g

Vintage Cartier 18k Yellow Gold Geometric Lapis Lazuli Ring, Size 4.5 - 10.8g

By Cartier

Located in Providence, RI

This is a rare vintage Cartier 18k gold ring with a geometric design. The ring features two rectangular squares with lapis lazuli as the main stones. The bezel setting style is used ...

Category

Vintage 1960s European Art Deco Fashion Rings

Materials

Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Love Bracelet, 18K Yellow Gold, 4 Diamonds, Circa 1969
Cartier Love Bracelet, 18K Yellow Gold, 4 Diamonds, Circa 1969

Cartier Love Bracelet, 18K Yellow Gold, 4 Diamonds, Circa 1969

By Cartier

Located in New York, NY

The LOVE collection began with the iconic bracelet created in New York in 1969. An expression of Cartier's design vision, this oval bracelet can be identified by its radical, innovat...

Category

Vintage 1960s Bangles

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Paris Yellow Gold and Sapphire set Stirrup Cufflinks
Cartier Paris Yellow Gold and Sapphire set Stirrup Cufflinks

Cartier Paris Yellow Gold and Sapphire set Stirrup Cufflinks

By Cartier

Located in Chicago, IL

Circa 1960 - 1970 Cartier Paris 18k Yellow Gold Stirrup Cufflinks. measuring 1 inch in length X 1 inch, having a solid link design and set with Pyramid shape Cabochon Sapphires, Sign...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Cufflinks

Materials

Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier rose gold Love ring set with 1 diamond
Cartier rose gold Love ring set with 1 diamond

Cartier rose gold Love ring set with 1 diamond

By Cartier

Located in New York, NY

Cartier Love Band Ring set with 1 diamond Material: 18K Rose Gold 1 brilliant-cut diamond totaling 0.02 cara Ring Size: 7.5 Width: 4mm Thickness: 1.7 Weigth: 5.3gram Condition: Pre-O...

Category

Vintage 1960s Band Rings

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold

1960's Jean Dinh Van for Cartier 18k Modernist Ring with Diamonds
1960's Jean Dinh Van for Cartier 18k Modernist Ring with Diamonds

1960's Jean Dinh Van for Cartier 18k Modernist Ring with Diamonds

By Jean Dinh Van

Located in Oakland, CA

1960's Jean Dinh Van for Cartier 18K Yellow Gold Modernist Diamond Wrap Ring A striking example of 1960's modernist design, this very rare ring from Jean Dinh Van in collaboration ...

Category

Vintage 1960s American Cocktail Rings

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold

Vintage Cartier Earrings 18k Gold Clip-On Estate Jewelry
Vintage Cartier Earrings 18k Gold Clip-On Estate Jewelry

Vintage Cartier Earrings 18k Gold Clip-On Estate Jewelry

By Cartier

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

A pair of rare vintage Cartier 18k gold earrings with clip-on closure. The earrings have an amazing intricate texture. Two layers of the gold “pins” and “buttons” are sitting on diff...

Category

Vintage 1960s American Clip-on Earrings

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier 18k Gold Emerald, Ruby and Diamond Lion Dragon Brooch Vintage
Cartier 18k Gold Emerald, Ruby and Diamond Lion Dragon Brooch Vintage

Cartier 18k Gold Emerald, Ruby and Diamond Lion Dragon Brooch Vintage

By Cartier

Located in Sherman Oaks, CA

A very whimsical Gold, Emerald, Ruby, and Diamond Lion/Dragon Brooch Set in 18k Bi-Color Gold Dimensions: 1.5" x 1.5" Total Mass = 17.2 grams Overall Condition: Good. Superficial wea...

Category

Vintage 1960s Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Love Pendant Necklace, 18K White Gold, 2 Brilliant-Cut Diamonds
Cartier Love Pendant Necklace, 18K White Gold, 2 Brilliant-Cut Diamonds

Cartier Love Pendant Necklace, 18K White Gold, 2 Brilliant-Cut Diamonds

By Cartier

Located in New York, NY

The LOVE collection began with the iconic bracelet created in New York in 1969. An expression of Cartier's design vision, this oval bracelet can be identified by its radical, innov...

Category

Vintage 1960s Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold

Cartier Vintage Silver Gold and Stone bead Triple strand Necklace
Cartier Vintage Silver Gold and Stone bead Triple strand Necklace

Cartier Vintage Silver Gold and Stone bead Triple strand Necklace

By Cartier

Located in Chicago, IL

Circa 1960s Cartier Scarce triple strand Opera length Sterling Silver and 18k Yellow Gold 3 M.M Bead necklace, further set with Green Chalcedony and Blue Lapis Lazuli 3 M.M beads. Se...

Category

Vintage 1960s American Multi-Strand Necklaces

Materials

Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Silver

1975 Les Must de Cartier Bordeaux Leather Suitcase, Made in France
1975 Les Must de Cartier Bordeaux Leather Suitcase, Made in France

1975 Les Must de Cartier Bordeaux Leather Suitcase, Made in France

By Cartier

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

A seldom-seen vintage suitcase from Cartier’s celebrated Les Must de Cartier collection, crafted in France circa 1975. This substantial travel case is made from smooth leather in the...

Category

1960s French Suitcases and Trunks

Vintage Factory 18k Solid Gold Cartier Les Must Lighter in Box 1960s
Vintage Factory 18k Solid Gold Cartier Les Must Lighter in Box 1960s

Vintage Factory 18k Solid Gold Cartier Les Must Lighter in Box 1960s

By Cartier

Located in DELFT, NL

Cartier has stood for fine jewellery and luxury goods since 1847, and its precious-metal accessories are finished to the same standard as its jewellery. The Les Must lighter is value...

Category

Vintage 1960s Swiss Vanity Items

Materials

18k Gold, Gold

Cartier Desk Alarm Clock, Lapis Lazuli & Gold-Plated, Swiss, 1964
Cartier Desk Alarm Clock, Lapis Lazuli & Gold-Plated, Swiss, 1964

Cartier Desk Alarm Clock, Lapis Lazuli & Gold-Plated, Swiss, 1964

By Cartier

Located in Milano, IT

Gorgeous Cartier alarm clock from the 1960s (1964). Made in Switzerland. It is made of lapis lazuli and gold-plated metal, and is manually wound. It features the original walnut case...

Category

Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Lapis Lazuli

Cartier Mughal Inspired Carved Emerald Ruby and Diamond Day and Night Earrings
Cartier Mughal Inspired Carved Emerald Ruby and Diamond Day and Night Earrings

Cartier Mughal Inspired Carved Emerald Ruby and Diamond Day and Night Earrings

By Cartier

Located in New York, NY

Cartier Mughal Inspired Carved Emerald Ruby and Diamond Day and Night Earrings A very rare and iconic pair of Cartier earrings set with carved emeralds, rubies, and diamonds The da...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Clip-on Earrings

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, 18k Gold

Midcentury Salad Cutlery in Mahogany Sterling Silver by Cartier, 1960s
Midcentury Salad Cutlery in Mahogany Sterling Silver by Cartier, 1960s

Midcentury Salad Cutlery in Mahogany Sterling Silver by Cartier, 1960s

By Cartier

Located in Lejre, DK

Midcentury salad cutlery in mahogany and sterling silver by Cartier. Made in France 1960s. Great original condition.

Category

Vintage 1960s French Scandinavian Modern Tableware

Materials

Silver

CARTIER 1970 Vintage Egyptian Ankh Cross Pendant In Solid 18Kt Yellow Gold
CARTIER 1970 Vintage Egyptian Ankh Cross Pendant In Solid 18Kt Yellow Gold

CARTIER 1970 Vintage Egyptian Ankh Cross Pendant In Solid 18Kt Yellow Gold

By Cartier

Located in Miami, FL

Ankh cross pendant designed by Cartier. This is a beautiful and rare Ankh cross pendant created by the jewelry house of Cartier, back in the 1960-1970.

Category

Vintage 1960s French Modernist Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold

Vintage Factory 18k Solid Gold Cartier Les Must Lighter Malachite in Box 1960s
Vintage Factory 18k Solid Gold Cartier Les Must Lighter Malachite in Box 1960s

Vintage Factory 18k Solid Gold Cartier Les Must Lighter Malachite in Box 1960s

By Cartier

Located in DELFT, NL

Cartier has stood for fine jewellery and luxury goods since 1847, and its precious-metal accessories are finished to the same standard as its jewellery. The Les Must lighter is value...

Category

Vintage 1960s Swiss Vanity Items

Materials

Malachite, 18k Gold, Gold

CARTIER PARIS SIGNED BRONZE & LEATHER MID CENTURY MODERN WRiTING TABLE DESK
CARTIER PARIS SIGNED BRONZE & LEATHER MID CENTURY MODERN WRiTING TABLE DESK

CARTIER PARIS SIGNED BRONZE & LEATHER MID CENTURY MODERN WRiTING TABLE DESK

By Cartier

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this super rare, highly collectable, original Mid Century Modern Circa 1960-1970 Cartier Paris Bronze & Brow...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Cartier France Georges L'Enfant Diamond & 18K Yellow Gold Door-Knocker Earrings
Cartier France Georges L'Enfant Diamond & 18K Yellow Gold Door-Knocker Earrings

Cartier France Georges L'Enfant Diamond & 18K Yellow Gold Door-Knocker Earrings

By Cartier

Located in Tampa, FL

Convertible Cartier earrings with pavé diamond huggie style tops and removable gold door-knocker drops. These Cartier day–night earrings feature a versatile two-part design: pavé-se...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Retro Drop Earrings

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

CARTIER PARIS SIGNED BRONZE & LEATHER MID CENTURY MODERN WRiTING TABLE DESK
CARTIER PARIS SIGNED BRONZE & LEATHER MID CENTURY MODERN WRiTING TABLE DESK

CARTIER PARIS SIGNED BRONZE & LEATHER MID CENTURY MODERN WRiTING TABLE DESK

By Cartier

Located in West Sussex, Pulborough

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale one of two super rare, highly collectable, original Mid Century Modern Circa 1960-1970 Cartier Paris Bronze ...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Art Deco Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Bronze

Cartier France 18K Gold Diamond Rose Flowering Brooch and Earrings Set
Cartier France 18K Gold Diamond Rose Flowering Brooch and Earrings Set

Cartier France 18K Gold Diamond Rose Flowering Brooch and Earrings Set

By Cartier

Located in Palm Springs, CA

An 18 karat gold and diamond rose flowering brooch and matching earrings created by Cartier of France. The set has a Florentine finish to the petals with 15 full cut diamonds in the ...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Modernist Brooches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold

Vintage Cartier Set Coral Onyx Diamond 18k Gold Ring and Earrings Estate Jewelry
Vintage Cartier Set Coral Onyx Diamond 18k Gold Ring and Earrings Estate Jewelry

Vintage Cartier Set Coral Onyx Diamond 18k Gold Ring and Earrings Estate Jewelry

By Cartier

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

A vintage Cartier set consisting of a ring and matching earrings. The set is made of 18k gold, coral, black onyx, and diamond. Each piece features carved coral sections with a ribbed...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Clip-on Earrings

Materials

Coral, Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier 1960s Precious Coral Diamond Circular Clip Earrings Yellow Gold Cased
Cartier 1960s Precious Coral Diamond Circular Clip Earrings Yellow Gold Cased

Cartier 1960s Precious Coral Diamond Circular Clip Earrings Yellow Gold Cased

By Cartier

Located in Lisbon, PT

Magnificent Pair of Cartier Corallium rubrum Precious Coral and Diamond Circular Clip Earrings in Yellow Gold, 1960s, fitted in a Cartier case from the period. Each earring of a circ...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Modern Clip-on Earrings

Materials

Coral, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Vintage Gold Bracelet
Cartier Vintage Gold Bracelet

Cartier Vintage Gold Bracelet

Located in London, GB

Condition: Used (Very Good) Weight: 123.0 grams Length: 8.0 inches Width: 24mm Fastening: Single Tab Insert Hallmarked: 18ct London 1960 Marked: 'Cartier' 'London' Maker's Mark: JC B...

Category

Vintage 1960s Link Bracelets

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier 1965s Horloge Voyage Ados 8 Days Folding Travel Clock Brown Leather Case
Cartier 1965s Horloge Voyage Ados 8 Days Folding Travel Clock Brown Leather Case

Cartier 1965s Horloge Voyage Ados 8 Days Folding Travel Clock Brown Leather Case

By Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier

Located in PARIS, FR

Cartier travel clock circa 1970, model 8 Jours or Ados (designed by Jaeger-LeCoultre in the 1930s), composed of a polished steel case, rectangular shape, ecru dial, Arabic numerals a...

Category

1960s French Clocks

CARTIER 1965 Geometric Bauhaus Octagonal Vase In Solid .925 Sterling Silver
CARTIER 1965 Geometric Bauhaus Octagonal Vase In Solid .925 Sterling Silver

CARTIER 1965 Geometric Bauhaus Octagonal Vase In Solid .925 Sterling Silver

By Cartier, Moritz Schroth

Located in Miami, FL

An octagonal geometric vase designed by Cartier. Being offered is a very rare octagonal vase created by Schroth in New York City by for the jewelry house of Cartier, back in 1950. T...

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vases

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

Mid-Century Vintage Crystal Bookends in the Style of Cartier
Mid-Century Vintage Crystal Bookends in the Style of Cartier

Mid-Century Vintage Crystal Bookends in the Style of Cartier

By Ralph Lauren, Cartier, Cristalleries De Sevres

Located in San Diego, CA

Incredibly sculptural bookends that are modernist and unique. Crafted in glass, these pieces stand alone as sculptures that accent your decor. Their weightless perspective summed w...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Bookends

Materials

Crystal

CARTIER Aldo Cipullo 1973 Vintage Geometric Earrings In 18Kt Gold With Onyxes
CARTIER Aldo Cipullo 1973 Vintage Geometric Earrings In 18Kt Gold With Onyxes

CARTIER Aldo Cipullo 1973 Vintage Geometric Earrings In 18Kt Gold With Onyxes

By Aldo Cipullo for Cartier

Located in Miami, FL

He works as a designer in New York, for David Webb (1960-1969) and Cartier (1969-1975). In 1975 he found his own company as a freelance designer.

Category

20th Century American Modernist Clip-on Earrings

Materials

Onyx, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold

CARTIER 1971 By Aldo Cipullo Door Knocker Earrings In Solid 18Kt Yellow Gold
CARTIER 1971 By Aldo Cipullo Door Knocker Earrings In Solid 18Kt Yellow Gold

CARTIER 1971 By Aldo Cipullo Door Knocker Earrings In Solid 18Kt Yellow Gold

By Aldo Cipullo for Cartier

Located in Miami, FL

He works as a designer in New York, for David Webb (1960-1969) and Cartier (1969-1975). In 1975 he found his own company as a freelance designer.

Category

Vintage 1970s American Modernist Drop Earrings

Materials

Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold

Cartier Style Nugget Belt Necklace
Cartier Style Nugget Belt Necklace

Cartier Style Nugget Belt Necklace

Located in New York, NY

High quality Cartier Style Nugget Belt Necklace in Sterling vermeil.

Category

1960s American Belts

Mid-Century Georges Lenfant for Cartier gold lozenge link bracelet
Mid-Century Georges Lenfant for Cartier gold lozenge link bracelet

Mid-Century Georges Lenfant for Cartier gold lozenge link bracelet

By Georges L'Enfant

Located in New York, NY

A Mid-Century articulated gold bracelet composed of alternating lozenge-shaped links, each finished with either fine granulation or a matte, stippled texture, in 18k gold. Cartier, F...

Category

Vintage 1960s Link Bracelets

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe

By Henri Cartier-Bresson

Located in Santa Monica, CA

Signed in ink on recto

Category

1960s Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Pont Jayques Cartier bridge over St. Lawrence River at Montreal, Canada 1962.

Pont Jayques Cartier bridge over St. Lawrence River at Montreal, Canada 1962.

Located in Cologne, DE

A moment in time In 2021, a gallery from Brussels contacted us. There, a photographic collection had been kept in tin boxes for decades, consisting of 6x6 glass slides in color. Th...

Category

1960s Modern Color Photography

Materials

Color

Siphnos, Greece

Siphnos, Greece

By Henri Cartier-Bresson

Located in Santa Monica, CA

signed by artist in ink with artist's embossed stamp on recto

Category

1960s Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

French Cubist Portrait of a young girl
French Cubist Portrait of a young girl

French Cubist Portrait of a young girl

By Alain Mettais Cartier

Located in Woodbury, CT

Mattais Cartier (French, circa 1910–1960) Cubist Figure with Raised Arm, 1947 Oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right Executed in 1947, this bold and architectonic composition ...

Category

1940s Cubist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Pair of Signed Mid-Century Asprey & Co. Sterling Silver Wine Bottle Coasters
Pair of Signed Mid-Century Asprey & Co. Sterling Silver Wine Bottle Coasters

Pair of Signed Mid-Century Asprey & Co. Sterling Silver Wine Bottle Coasters

By Asprey International Limited, Cartier, Tiffany & Co.

Located in Philadelphia, PA

A pair of fine signed English Mid-Century silver wine coasters. By Asprey & Co. In heavy-gauged sterling silver. Each with a thick flat base for receiving a bottle, low curved...

Category

Vintage 1960s British Mid-Century Modern Barware

Materials

Sterling Silver

ALDO CIPULLO 1970 Maltese Pendant-Brooch In 18Kt Gold Diamonds & Lapis Lazuli
ALDO CIPULLO 1970 Maltese Pendant-Brooch In 18Kt Gold Diamonds & Lapis Lazuli

ALDO CIPULLO 1970 Maltese Pendant-Brooch In 18Kt Gold Diamonds & Lapis Lazuli

By Aldo Cipullo

Located in Miami, FL

He works as a designer in New York, for David Webb (1960-1969) and Cartier (1969-1975). In 1975 he found his own company as a freelance designer.

Category

Vintage 1970s American Modernist Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, White Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold

Aldo Cipullo 1970 Graduated Necklace in 18kt Yellow Gold with Red Coral and Onyx
Aldo Cipullo 1970 Graduated Necklace in 18kt Yellow Gold with Red Coral and Onyx

Aldo Cipullo 1970 Graduated Necklace in 18kt Yellow Gold with Red Coral and Onyx

By Aldo Cipullo

Located in Miami, FL

He work as a designer in New York, for David Webb (1960-1969) and Cartier (1969-1975). In 1975 he found his own company as a freelance designer.

Category

Vintage 1970s American Modernist Chain Necklaces

Materials

Coral, Onyx, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

1970s Cartier Paris Sapphire Gold Modernist Bracelet
1970s Cartier Paris Sapphire Gold Modernist Bracelet

1970s Cartier Paris Sapphire Gold Modernist Bracelet

By Cartier

Located in New York, NY

A modern and unusual 1970s bracelet from Cartier-Paris with deeply textured finish on quarter round segments of 18K gold each set with a cabochon sapphire and hinged to move independ...

Category

Vintage 1960s French Modernist Link Bracelets

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold

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Cartier 1960 For Sale on 1stDibs

You are likely to find exactly the cartier 1960 you’re looking for on 1stDibs, as there is a broad range for sale. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from Gold, 18k Gold and Yellow Gold — can elevate any look. Our collection of these items for sale includes 746 vintage editions and 2 modern creations to choose from as well. Making the right choice when shopping for a cartier 1960 may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 19th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 21st Century, both of which have proven very popular over the years. For this particular piece, .5 Carat and 1 Carat are consistently popular carat weights. A cartier 1960 of any era or style can lend versatility to your look, but a version featuring Diamond, from our inventory of 159, is particularly popular. See these pages for a round cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also cabochon cut and brilliant cut cut versions available here, too. There aren’t many items for men if you’re seeking a cartier 1960, as most of the options available are for women and unisex.

How Much is a Cartier 1960?

On average, a cartier 1960 at 1stDibs sells for $8,500, while they’re typically $750 on the low end and $850,000 for the highest priced versions of this item.

Cartier for sale on 1stDibs

For its extraordinary range of bracelets, watches, rings and other adornments, French luxury house Cartier is undeniably one of the most well known and internationally revered jewelers in the world among clients both existing and aspirational.

Perhaps 1847 was not the ideal time to open a new watchmaking and jewelry business, as the French Revolution was not kind to the aristocracy who could afford such luxuries. Nevertheless, it was the year Louis-François Cartier (1819–1904) — who was born into poverty — founded his eponymous empire, assuming control of the workshop of watchmaker Adolphe Picard, under whom he had previously been employed as an assistant. Of course, in the beginning, it was a relatively modest affair, but by the late 1850s, Cartier had its first royal client, Princess Mathilde Bonaparte, niece of Napoleon Bonaparte, who commissioned the jeweler to design brooches, earrings and other accessories.

Under the leadership of Louis-François’s son, Alfred, who took over in 1874, business boomed. Royalty around the world wore Cartier pieces, including Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the Maharaja of Patiala and King Edward VII, who had 27 tiaras made by the jewelry house for his coronation in 1902 and issued Cartier a royal warrant in 1904. (Today, the British royal family still dons Cartier pieces; Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, regularly sports a Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch.)

Cartier’s golden years, however, began when Alfred introduced his three sons, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, to the business. The brothers expanded Cartier globally: Louis reigned in Paris, Pierre in New York and Jacques in London, ensuring their brand’s consistency at their branches across the world. The trio also brought in such talents as Charles Jacqueau and Jeanne Toussaint.

One of Cartier’s earliest major successes was the Santos de Cartier watch — one of the world's first modern wristwatches for men. (Previously, a large number of people were using only pocket watches.) Louis designed the timepiece in 1904 for his friend, popular Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who wanted to be able to check the time more easily while flying.

Cartier’s other famous timepieces include the Tank watch, which was inspired by the linear form of military tanks during World War I, and the so-called mystery clocks. Invented by watchmaker and magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin and later crafted exclusively for Cartier in the house’s workshop by watchmaker Maurice Couët, the mystery clocks were so named because the integration of glass dials on which the clocks’ hands would seemingly float as well as structures that are hidden away within the base give the illusion that they operate without machinery.

On the jewelry side of the business, Cartier’s internationally renowned offerings include the Tutti Frutti collection, which featured colorful carved gemstones inspired by Jacques’s trip to India and grew in popularity during the Art Deco years; the panthère motif, which has been incorporated into everything from brooches to rings; and the Love bracelet, a minimal, modernist locking bangle inspired by medieval chastity belts that transformed fine jewelry.

While the Cartier family sold the business following the death of Pierre in 1964, the brand continues to innovate today, renewing old hits and creating new masterpieces.

Find contemporary and vintage Cartier watches, engagement rings, necklaces and other accessories on 1stDibs.

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.

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