Cartier Vintage 18K Yellow Gold Virgo Agate Pendant, Circa 1970-75
By Cartier
Located in Greenwich, CT
Forged in nature, this Cartier Virgo zodiac agate and 18 karat yellow gold vintage pendant has a one-of-a-kind spirit.
Yellow Gold
Cartier Georges L'Enfant Paris Virgo Zodiac Gold Large Vintage Pendant
By Georges L'Enfant
Located in Greenwich, CT
With the Virgo Zodiac sign of the harvest maiden engraved on the front and its numerical sign on the back, this Georges L'Enfant for Cartier Paris 18 karat yellow gold large vintage ...
Gold, 18k Gold
Cartier Zodiac Virgo Pendant by George L'Enfant
By Cartier
Located in Bethesda, MD
The feminine figure on the front of the pendant is for Astraea the Greek Goddess of Justice and the Constellation Virgo. • Metal:18kt Yellow Gold • Designer: Cartier • Circa: 1960's ...
18k Gold
Cartier Vintage Virgo Zodiac Gold Charm
By Cartier
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The round 18KT yellow gold charm depicts a cut-out of the Roman God Mercury, who represents eloquence, communication, travel and luck. "Virgo" is hand engraved. The charm is set wi...
Diamond
Whether you’re layering multiple jewelry pieces or opting for a single strand, vintage pendant necklaces are versatile accessories that can elevate your casual wear as easily as they can add a creative flourish to your formal attire.
The earliest jewelry was less about accessorizing than it was about wearers arming themselves with amulets. In Ancient Egypt, some amulets featured a loop so that they could be strung around one’s neck. While rubies have long been one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money, members of some ancient civilizations valued the stones from the get-go, donning ruby pendants as well as other stones with the belief that these adornments would bring protection, healing powers or strength. Today, we still wear our charm bracelets and charm pendants around our necks for good luck.
Later, pendant necklaces, like most fine jewelry, were worn strictly by royalty or the upper class and conferred wealth and prestige. This changed over time, thankfully, as wearing jewelry became more widespread, a democratized means of personal expression.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, pendant necklaces evolved from their status as spiritual amulets, but the jewels still carried deep personal significance. Victorian pendants, in particular, were part of the “mourning jewelry” tradition. Wearers would embed their pendants with locks of hair from a deceased loved one as a way of grieving in the wake of a loss. In the case of cameo jewelry, some pendants were even decorated with miniature hand-carved portraits in a detailed raised relief. Today, portraiture is still a characteristic of many of the hand-carved pendant necklaces offered by Italian jewelry house Scala Gioielli.
Luxury fine jewelry brands such as Cartier, BVLGARI and David Yurman offer their own unique interpretations of the cherished accessory, embellishing platinum or gold pendant necklaces with diamonds, sapphires and other stones.
On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage pendant necklaces and other necklaces today.