Gucci Amethyst Earrings
1990s Stud Earrings
Amethyst, Gold
2010s Italian Modern Chandelier Earrings
Amethyst, Blue Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Topaz, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Amethyst, White Diamond, 18k Gold
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2010s Italian Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Spinel, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Gold Plate
2010s Indian Modern Drop Earrings
Brown Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1950s American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s Choker Necklaces
Sapphire, White Gold
2010s Belgian Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pink Diamond, Tourmaline, Paraiba, 18k Gold, Ros...
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1950s French Beaded Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Early 2000s French Modern Cuff Bracelets
Crystal, Base Metal
1990s French Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1980s French Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1950s American Modernist Beaded Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Beaded Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1980s French Chain Necklaces
Vintage 1980s French Cuff Bracelets
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20th Century Italian More Earrings
Amethyst, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary More Earrings
Amethyst, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Drop Earrings
Amethyst, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary More Earrings
Amethyst, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Drop Earrings
1990s Drop Earrings
Amethyst, Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Tourmaline, Blue Topaz, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian More Jewelry
Silver
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.