Cartier Button Earrings
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Clip-on Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1970s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1940s French Retro Boxes and Cases
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s American Dangle Earrings
Coral, Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
1990s French Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Fashion Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s American Artist Bangles
Emerald, Gold
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Turquoise, Platinum
20th Century American Modern Chain Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Engagement Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
Mid-20th Century French More Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1960s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s French Clip-on Earrings
Carnelian, Onyx, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Unknown More Earrings
Carnelian, Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Yellow Gold
1990s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s American Clip-on Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s American Clip-on Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary British Wallets
Vintage 1970s American Beaded Bracelets
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Swivel Chairs
Fabric
Vintage 1970s French Stud Earrings
18k Gold, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s French Stud Earrings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s French Contemporary Stud Earrings
Onyx, Diamond, 18k Gold
Finding the Right earrings for You
In the United States, ear piercing didn’t really become popular until the 1950s and ‘60s, but our desire for a dazzling pair of vintage earrings has deeper roots than that. In fact, wearing earrings actually goes back thousands of years, and you can find many tangible connections between now and then in how we continue to talk about these treasured accessories.
Women wore ornamental earrings — studs and hoops at the very least — in Ancient Egypt, which is home to mines that are among the earliest sources of emeralds in the world. Emerald earrings are highly prized today, and their quality lies in their rich, saturated color. The highest-quality emeralds are green or bluish-green. Earrings worn by the affluent in early Roman civilizations were set with precious stones such as diamonds and pearls, and a clean-looking pop of pearl on the front of the lobe is as timeless as ever. Hoop earrings are imbued with symbolism and cultural significance for many, and on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.
Today, ear piercing is very popular all over the world, and, as a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a good pair of earrings — modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings, you name it. Sure, jewelry trends and the fashion darlings of social media come and go, but earrings have a staying power that seems impenetrable: The still-strong love affair between British royals and Cartier earrings is more than a century old, glossy 1970s hoops from legacy houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels remain the statement makers they’ve always been and although people have been stacking earrings for many moons, the allure of an expertly mismatched stack of charms and studs still feels fresh and new.
While there is no shortage of modern earring designs to choose from, the classics, like coral earrings, Art Deco–style earrings and diamond drop earrings are still heavy hitters. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique, new and vintage earrings today.