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Victorian Snake Ring Garnet Eyes Three Dimensional Gold Antique Circa 1860
Victorian Snake Ring Garnet Eyes Three Dimensional Gold Antique Circa 1860

Victorian Snake Ring Garnet Eyes Three Dimensional Gold Antique Circa 1860

Located in New York, NY

Indulge in a rare and wonderful antique Victorian Snake Ring with two Bohemian Garnet Eyes in 10 Karat Gold.

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Fashion Rings

Materials

Garnet, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 1.6 Inches
Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 1.6 Inches

Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 1.6 Inches

Located in New York, NY

This is a very rare pair of Victorian Bohemian Garnet Cabochon Dangle Drop Earrings in Gold.

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Dangle Earrings

Materials

Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Coral Garnet Pearl Bangle Buckle Bracelet 14K Gold Etruscan Revival
Victorian Coral Garnet Pearl Bangle Buckle Bracelet 14K Gold Etruscan Revival

Victorian Coral Garnet Pearl Bangle Buckle Bracelet 14K Gold Etruscan Revival

Located in New York, NY

A spectacular Victorian Bangle Bracelet in 14 Karat Gold in a Buckle motif with a stunning central Salmon Coral cabochon with Seed Pearl and Bohemian Garnet accents.

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Bangles

Materials

Garnet, Coral, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 2 Inches
Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 2 Inches

Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 2 Inches

Located in New York, NY

This is a very rare pair of Victorian Bohemian Garnet Cabochon Dangle Drop Earrings in Gold.

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Dangle Earrings

Materials

Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold

14k Gold White Enamel and Cabochon Garnet Bracelet
14k Gold White Enamel and Cabochon Garnet Bracelet

14k Gold White Enamel and Cabochon Garnet Bracelet

Located in New York, NY

Victorian Era Circa 1890's. 14kt Gold White enamel and cabochon Garnet bangle bracelet.

Category

Antique 1880s Victorian More Bracelets

Materials

14k Gold, Enamel

Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 2.25 Inches
Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 2.25 Inches

Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings Gold Circa 1880 Rare 2.25 Inches

Located in New York, NY

This is a very rare pair of Victorian Bohemian Garnet Dangle Drop Earrings in Gold.

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Dangle Earrings

Materials

Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Victorian 1850s 18K Gold Blue Enamel Pearl & Garnet Snake Necklace
Antique Victorian 1850s 18K Gold Blue Enamel Pearl & Garnet Snake Necklace

Antique Victorian 1850s 18K Gold Blue Enamel Pearl & Garnet Snake Necklace

Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB

An antique, pearl, garnet, blue enamel, and yellow gold necklace, formed as a snake, comprising four round pearls, two cabochon garnets, and cobalt blue enamel, set in 18 karat yello...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century European Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Garnet, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

C1880 18K Five Stone Almandine Garnet Ring
C1880 18K Five Stone Almandine Garnet Ring

C1880 18K Five Stone Almandine Garnet Ring

Located in Baltimore, MD

The five stone 19th century ring design is one of the most enduring Victorian ring styles today. The Victorians designed five stone rings using every gemstone and combinations of gem...

Category

Antique 1880s English Victorian Band Rings

Materials

Garnet, 18k Gold

Anthony's Temptation - 9ct Gold and Garnet Snake Curb Necklace or Wrap Bracelet
Anthony's Temptation - 9ct Gold and Garnet Snake Curb Necklace or Wrap Bracelet

Anthony's Temptation - 9ct Gold and Garnet Snake Curb Necklace or Wrap Bracelet

Located in Midhurst, GB

1960s 9ct gold curb chain with a Victorian 9ct gold, garnet and sapphire snake motif clasp.

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

Garnet, Gold

Giuliano Enamel, Peridot, Moonstone, Garnet and Gold Pendant, circa 1885
Giuliano Enamel, Peridot, Moonstone, Garnet and Gold Pendant, circa 1885

Giuliano Enamel, Peridot, Moonstone, Garnet and Gold Pendant, circa 1885

By Carlo Giuliano

Located in London, GB

A Carlo Giuliano enamel, peridot, moonstone, garnet and gold pendant with a cabochon-cut peridot, in the centre of a cluster of eight, cabochon-cut moonstones, with a blue, white, bl...

Category

Antique 1880s English Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Garnet, Moonstone, Peridot, Gold, Enamel

Opal Demantoid Garnet Diamond and Enamel 14k Yellow Gold Dragonfly Brooch 1886
Opal Demantoid Garnet Diamond and Enamel 14k Yellow Gold Dragonfly Brooch 1886

Opal Demantoid Garnet Diamond and Enamel 14k Yellow Gold Dragonfly Brooch 1886

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A stunning, fine and impressive antique 1.21 carat opal, 0.02 carat green demantoid garnet, 0.29 carat diamond, hot enamel and 14 karat yellow gold dragonfly brooch - boxed; part of ...

Category

Antique 1880s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Opal, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique 3.91 Carat Garnet 0.95 Carat Diamond 10k Yellow Gold Brooch Circa 1870
Antique 3.91 Carat Garnet 0.95 Carat Diamond 10k Yellow Gold Brooch Circa 1870

Antique 3.91 Carat Garnet 0.95 Carat Diamond 10k Yellow Gold Brooch Circa 1870

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A stunning, fine and impressive antique Victorian 3.91 carat garnet, 0.95 carat diamond, 10k yellow gold and silver set brooch; part of our garnet jewelry collection.

Category

Antique 1870s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Yellow Gold, Silver

Antique 6.92ct Garnet, 3.50ct Moonstone and 1.23ct Diamond Yellow Gold Pendant
Antique 6.92ct Garnet, 3.50ct Moonstone and 1.23ct Diamond Yellow Gold Pendant

Antique 6.92ct Garnet, 3.50ct Moonstone and 1.23ct Diamond Yellow Gold Pendant

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A stunning antique Victorian 6.92 carat garnet, 3.50 carat moonstone and 1.23 carat diamond, 14 karat yellow gold and 14k white gold set pendant; part of our diverse antique jeweller...

Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Moonstone, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Carbuncle Brooch
Victorian Carbuncle Brooch

Victorian Carbuncle Brooch

Located in London, GB

However, taking centre stage is a large cabochon garnet which sits slightly risen within a fine roped frame.

Category

Antique 19th Century Brooches

Materials

Garnet, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Red Enamel Guilloche Brooch/Pendant Garnet, Pearls 14K Gold c.1870
Antique Red Enamel Guilloche Brooch/Pendant Garnet, Pearls 14K Gold c.1870

Antique Red Enamel Guilloche Brooch/Pendant Garnet, Pearls 14K Gold c.1870

Located in London, GB

The enamel guilloche has remained in great condition with no chips which is delightful for a piece of this age and the red tones contrasted by the two bands of white pearls certainly...

Category

Antique 1870s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Garnet, Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Enamel

Antique Diamond Garnet and Enamel Yellow Gold Horse and Jockey Brooch
Antique Diamond Garnet and Enamel Yellow Gold Horse and Jockey Brooch

Antique Diamond Garnet and Enamel Yellow Gold Horse and Jockey Brooch

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A stunning Victorian 0.37 carat diamond, 0.01 carat garnet and enamel, 15 karat yellow gold horse and jockey brooch; part of our diverse antique jewellery collections.

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Vintage Antique Dragon Claw Stick Pin in 14K Yellow Gold Garnet Center
Vintage Antique Dragon Claw Stick Pin in 14K Yellow Gold Garnet Center

Vintage Antique Dragon Claw Stick Pin in 14K Yellow Gold Garnet Center

Located in Fairfield, CT

Vintage Antique Dragon Claw Stick Pin in 14K Yellow Gold Garnet Center This Antique 14 Karat Cabochon Dragon Claw Stick Pin is a mesmerizing piece of Victorian craftsmanship, steepe...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver

Victorian Figural Sterling Silver Wise Owl Cufflinks
Victorian Figural Sterling Silver Wise Owl Cufflinks

Victorian Figural Sterling Silver Wise Owl Cufflinks

Located in New York, NY

Charming Victorian Wise Owl cufflinks of sterling silver and garnet cabochons eyes.

Category

Antique 1890s American Early Victorian Cufflinks

Materials

Garnet, Sterling Silver

11.23-Carat Rhodolite Garnet and Diamond Ring 18k Solid Gold
11.23-Carat Rhodolite Garnet and Diamond Ring 18k Solid Gold

11.23-Carat Rhodolite Garnet and Diamond Ring 18k Solid Gold

By Nancy Phillips

Located in Eugene, OR

This is a one-of-a-kind Rhodolite Garnet Ring. Crafted in lustrous 18k yellow gold, this piece features a captivating, deep magenta garnet set in a unique, protective hybrid bezel an...

Category

2010s Victorian Cocktail Rings

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Rhodolite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian 16K Gold Garnett and Rose Cut Diamond Bangle - VHK#40c
Victorian 16K Gold Garnett and Rose Cut Diamond Bangle - VHK#40c

Victorian 16K Gold Garnett and Rose Cut Diamond Bangle - VHK#40c

Located in Hicksville, NY

Victorian 16K Gold Garnett and Rose Cut Diamond Bangle - VHK#40c Item Details: Year: 1860s Metal Type: 16K Yellow Gold [Hallmarked, and Tested] Weight: 19.7 grams (All Items Total) ...

Category

Antique 1860s Bangles

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Gold, Yellow Gold

14k Gold and Colored Stone Mid-20th Century "Victorian Tribute" Slide Bracelet
14k Gold and Colored Stone Mid-20th Century "Victorian Tribute" Slide Bracelet

14k Gold and Colored Stone Mid-20th Century "Victorian Tribute" Slide Bracelet

Located in Palm Beach, FL

This Mid-20th century slide bracelet is from a genre of similar pieces, all derived and created as a tribute to slides which were primarily used in Victorian period ladies necklaces....

Category

Mid-20th Century American Victorian Link Bracelets

Materials

Agate, Amethyst, Chalcedony, Citrine, Coral, Garnet, Pearl, Tiger's Eye,...

Castellani Archaeological Revival brooch, c.1870s
Castellani Archaeological Revival brooch, c.1870s

Castellani Archaeological Revival brooch, c.1870s

Located in London, GB

This Castellani Archaeological Revival brooch dates back to the 1870s. The circular disk is styled as a flower head with a garnet in the centre, surrounded with white enamel beads an...

Category

Antique 1870s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Garnet, 18k Gold

Elaborate 19th Century French Silver Lapis Letter Opener
Elaborate 19th Century French Silver Lapis Letter Opener

Elaborate 19th Century French Silver Lapis Letter Opener

Located in Riverdale, NY

Elaborate 19th Century Sterling Silver Gothic Revivial Lapis Lazuli and Garnet Letter Opener. French in origin set with large lapis lazuli and garnet cabochons in elaborate silver Re...

Category

Antique 1880s French Victorian Desk Accessories

Materials

Garnet, Lapis Lazuli, Silver, Sterling Silver

Hanging Earrings with Lucky Nine Gems Handcrafted in 22k Gold with Enamel Work
Hanging Earrings with Lucky Nine Gems Handcrafted in 22k Gold with Enamel Work

Hanging Earrings with Lucky Nine Gems Handcrafted in 22k Gold with Enamel Work

By Jay Rawat

Located in Jaipur, IN

Hanging earring pair handcrafted in 22K Good by our highly trained artisans. The earring is made with The Nine Luck Gems called the "Nav Ratan". Each of the gems have their own bene...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Dangle Earrings

Materials

Coral, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Pearl, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapp...

Cabochon Garnet and Yellow Gold Bracelet
Cabochon Garnet and Yellow Gold Bracelet

Cabochon Garnet and Yellow Gold Bracelet

Located in London, GB

A Victorian cabochon garnet bracelet, the centre oval cabochon garnet flanked by two smaller oval shape cabochon garnets, each set in fleur-de-lis designed claws, surrounded by a kno...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century British High Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

Garnet, Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet Pendant
Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet Pendant

Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet Pendant

Located in London, GB

A Victorian Holbeinesque pendant, set to the centre with an oval cabochon-cut garnet, measuring approximately 14.9x19.1 mm, embellished with three rose-cut diamonds and a pearl on ea...

Category

Antique 1860s British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Pearl, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Victorian Garnet and Diamond Pendant
Victorian Garnet and Diamond Pendant

Victorian Garnet and Diamond Pendant

Located in London, GB

A Victorian garnet and diamond pendant, the old brilliant-cut diamond set star to the centre of a round cabochon-cut garnet, within a frame of entwined gold surmounted from a twisted...

Category

Antique 19th Century British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, 18k Gold

Victorian Garnet and Half Pearl Bracelet
Victorian Garnet and Half Pearl Bracelet

Victorian Garnet and Half Pearl Bracelet

Located in London, GB

A Victorian garnet and half pearl bracelet, the central slide set with cabochon-cut garnet measuring approximately 17.2mm in diameter, surrounded by nineteen half pearls, on a gold m...

Category

Antique 19th Century British Victorian Cuff Bracelets

Materials

Garnet, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Garnet Enamel and Diamond Pendant or Brooch
Victorian Garnet Enamel and Diamond Pendant or Brooch

Victorian Garnet Enamel and Diamond Pendant or Brooch

Located in London, GB

A Victorian garnet, enamel and diamond pendant, set to the centre with an oval cabochon-cut garnet, measuring approximately 21.5x17.2mm, surrounded by old-cut diamond-set floral moti...

Category

Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Yellow Gold, Silver, Enamel

Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet and Chrysoberyl Pendant
Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet and Chrysoberyl Pendant

Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet and Chrysoberyl Pendant

Located in London, GB

A Victorian Holbeinesque garnet and chrysoberyl pendant, to the centre an oval cabochon garnet measuring 18 x 14mm, surrounded by polychrome champlevé enamel frame, encrusted with si...

Category

Antique 1870s British Holbeinesque Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Chrysoberyl, Garnet, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold, Enamel

Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet and Chrysoberyl Pendant
Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet and Chrysoberyl Pendant

Victorian Holbeinesque Garnet and Chrysoberyl Pendant

Located in London, GB

A Victorian Holbeinesque garnet and chrysoberyl pendant, to the centre an oval cabochon garnet measuring 14 x 11mm, surrounded by polychrome champlevé enamel frame, encrusted with si...

Category

Antique 1870s British Holbeinesque Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Chrysoberyl, Garnet, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold, Enamel

A pair of late 19th century garnet and diamond cufflinks
A pair of late 19th century garnet and diamond cufflinks

A pair of late 19th century garnet and diamond cufflinks

Located in London, GB

An attractive pair of Victorian garnet and diamond cufflinks. The cufflinks feature two oxblood-red garnets with shining diamond-set stars in a yellow gold mount border.

Category

Antique 19th Century European Victorian Cufflinks

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, 18k Gold

Victorian Holbeinesque Pendant
Victorian Holbeinesque Pendant

Victorian Holbeinesque Pendant

Located in London, GB

Holbein himself produced sketches of the jewellery worn at the Tudor court, and the sketches were used as reference points by Victorian jewellery designers and craftsmen. This pendan...

Category

Antique 1870s British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Garnet, Yellow Gold, Enamel, Gold, 18k Gold

Victorian Turquoise and Gold Serpent Chain Necklace
Victorian Turquoise and Gold Serpent Chain Necklace

Victorian Turquoise and Gold Serpent Chain Necklace

Located in London, GB

A Victorian turquoise and gold serpent chain necklace, a yellow gold muff chain set with nine turquoise beads within a yellow gold square, leading to an ornate serpent head set with ...

Category

Antique 1860s British Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

Garnet, Turquoise, Gold

Victorian Gem-Set Gold Holbeinesque Pendant
Victorian Gem-Set Gold Holbeinesque Pendant

Victorian Gem-Set Gold Holbeinesque Pendant

Located in London, GB

A Victorian gem-set Holbeinesque pendant, to the centre a cabochon emerald set between four octagonal-cut garnets surrounded by an oval yellow gold mount set with four pear-shaped em...

Category

Antique 19th Century British Holbeinesque Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Emerald, Garnet, Gold

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Garnet Cabochon Victorian For Sale on 1stDibs

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate garnet cabochon victorian for your needs in our varied inventory. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from Gold, Yellow Gold and 18k Gold — can elevate any look. You can easily find a 105 antique edition and 4 modern creations to choose from as well. If you’re looking for a garnet cabochon victorian from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 18th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. For this particular accessory, there are many different carat weights to choose from, but 2 Carat and 2.5 Carat versions are of considerable interest. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic garnet cabochon victorian over the years, but those made by DGI, Hunt & Roskell and Jay Rawat are often thought to be among the most beautiful. See these pages for a cabochon iteration of this accessory, while there are also rose cut cut and old mine cut cut versions available here, too. Most of our garnet cabochon victorian for sale are for women, but there are 49 pieces available to browse for men.

How Much is a Garnet Cabochon Victorian?

On average, a garnet cabochon victorian at 1stDibs sells for $4,175, while they’re typically $396 on the low end and $35,079 for the highest priced versions of this item.

A Close Look at Victorian Jewelry

The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.

Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.

The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.

Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.

Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of 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.

The Legacy of Garnet in Jewelry Design

Vintage and antique garnet jewelry has been around for a long time.

Garnets have been used for adornment going all the way back to the Bronze Age. While we will never know if garnets can be used to prevent plagues or heal warriors, as has been suggested, we do know that both the Egyptians and the Romans felt that it was a worthy stone to set in gold for their nobility. In more “recent” times, garnets were ubiquitous in Victorian jewelry. The “G” in REGARD rings, the equivalent of the modern-day engagement ring, implied garnet.

Garnets were also highly valued in the region of Bohemia. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History has in its collection an antique hairpin with Bohemian pyrope garnets from the Czech Republic. Bohemian pyrope got its name from Bohuslav Balbín, sometimes referred to as the “Czech Pliny,” in 1679. Abundant in the region, it was used often in jewelry during this time. In fact, it became so popular that in 1762, Empress Marie Terezie forbade its export. Stonecutting workshops opened in several regions across Bohemia, and pyrope became the country’s mineralogical symbol. While there was never a decline in its popularity, it was only in the mid-20th century that garnets enjoyed a revival.

Garnets can come in many shapes and sizes — one of the largest ever discovered is a 68.82-carat Tsavorite garnet. This stone is also in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

According to the Gemological Institute of America, Brazil’s mines are rich in garnets, including spessartine, which can also be found in the Myanmar area, recognized for a specific shade of reddish-orange. While red garnets are the most popular, garnets actually come in a medley of colors.

Find a collection of antique and vintage garnet rings, necklaces and other jewelry today on 1stDibs.