Emerald Earring Earcuff
2010s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Emerald, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s French Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Modern Drop Earrings
18k Gold, White Gold
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2010s Victorian Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Afghan Modern Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, 18k Gold, 22k Gold, 15k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Rhodium, Base Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Cluster Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Tanzanite, Multi-gemstone, White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco More Earrings
Rhodium, Base Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Rhodium
Early 20th Century Norwegian Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Silver, Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1980s Clip-on Earrings
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Hong Kong Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Multi-gemstone, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Deco Stud Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Art Deco Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
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2010s Greek Contemporary More Earrings
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Emerald, White 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.