You are likely to find exactly the gemstone choker you’re looking for on 1stDibs, as there is a broad range for sale. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using
Gold,
18k Gold and
Yellow Gold. In our selection of items, you can find a vintage example as well as a contemporary version. If you’re looking for a gemstone choker from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 19th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic gemstone choker over the years, but those made by
Bulgari,
The Gemstone Shop and
Alberto are often thought to be among the most beautiful. A gemstone choker of any era or style can lend versatility to your look, but a version featuring
Diamond, from our inventory of 26, is particularly popular. Today, if you’re looking for an
oval cut version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes
round cut and
brilliant cut alternatives. Finding a gemstone choker for sale for
women should be easy, but there are 11 pieces available to browse for unisex as well as
men, too.
Prices for a gemstone choker can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $280 and can go as high as $200,000, while this accessory, on average, fetches $8,777.
Vintage choker necklaces are elegant, alluring and stylish. Cameos, pearls, diamonds and other stones can decorate these necklaces, which come in single or multiple strands. Whether it is a statement piece or a delicate chain, these short necklaces always stand out and turn heads.
The history of the choker can be traced back thousands of years, with Sumerian examples discovered from 2600–2500 B.C. They endured as a popular form of adornment through the centuries, and during the French Revolution they took on a symbolic significance. Women wore ribbons around their throats to mark the passing of those killed by the guillotine. Soon, the plain ribbons were adorned with small cameos and other ornamentation.
European choker necklaces gained a salacious reputation in the 19th century when prostitutes were associated with black ribbons tied around the neck, such as the model in Édouard Manet’s Olympia (1863). Queen Alexandra, Princess of Wales, reversed the trend in the late 19th century by wearing a large pearl and diamond choker, reputedly to hide a scar.
Fashioned from gold, pearls and other precious stones and metals, chokers continued to be worn into the 20th century, alternately statements of wealth and rebellion. They experienced periods of revival in the 1920s, ’40s, ’70s and ’90s for both men and women.
Vintage chokers make a statement with an unmistakable air of femininity. On 1stDibs, find an alluring collection of vintage chokers today, including gold, sapphire and emerald chokers.
