Dior Rose Oval Diamond Earrings
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Morganite, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century Modern Stud Earrings
Amethyst, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Modern Drop Earrings
Garnet, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique 1880s English Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, White Diamond, Diamond, Silver, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
People Also Browsed
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Bangles
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Black Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Engagement Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Antique 1870s British Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century Belle Époque Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold
2010s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Quartz, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Natural Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Cocktail Rings
Sterling Silver
Antique Early 19th Century British George III Drop Earrings
Aquamarine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Tanzanite, Platinum
2010s Indian Modern Stud Earrings
Amethyst, Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
Antique 18th Century Cluster Rings
Ruby, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s European Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century German Modern Clip-on Earrings
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century French Modern Clip-on Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Belgian Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Victorian Dangle Earrings
Garnet, Gold
Late 20th Century French Modern Brooches
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Belgian Modern Drop Earrings
Turquoise, 9k Gold
Late 20th Century French Modern Stud Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, 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.