Gay Freres 18k
2010s Dutch Modern Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Hematite, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modernist Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s French Bangles
18k Gold, Silver
Vintage 1970s French Link Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Swiss Bangles
18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Modernist Link Necklaces
Emerald, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Rope Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s French Modernist Bangles
Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
1990s Swiss Retro Chain Bracelets
18k Gold, Platinum
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century Swiss Retro Retro Bracelets
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Vintage 1910s Swiss Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1920s Swiss Art Deco Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Bangles
Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Link Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Pendant Necklaces
Onyx, Ruby, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Bangles
Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Swiss Contemporary Wrist Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Link Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1950s French Post-War Choker Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Artisan Bangles
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s French Choker Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Bangles
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Link Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s French Fashion Rings
Onyx, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1980s French Bangles
18k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Chain Necklaces
Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s French Link Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1950s Swiss Link Bracelets
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Hematite, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Chain Necklaces
Ruby, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Link Bracelets
18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Bangles
18k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Chain Necklaces
French Choker Necklaces
20th Century French Collectible Jewelry
People Also Browsed
20th Century French Modern Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Art Deco Beaded Necklaces
Tanzanite, Silver
2010s Thai Artisan Stud Earrings
Chalcedony, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s French Structured Shoulder Bags
Late 20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Amethyst, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s Bangles
Yellow Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Italian Beaded Bracelets
18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Artisan Chain Necklaces
24k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modern Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s French Post-War Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Beaded Necklaces
Amber
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century American Modern Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, Coral, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s French Bangles
18k Gold
Vintage 1950s French Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
2010s Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Gay Freres 18k For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Gay Freres 18k?
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.