Hardstone Cameo
Antique 19th Century Brooches
Onyx, 18k Gold
Antique Early 19th Century Neoclassical Brooches
Diamond, White Gold
Antique 19th Century Brooches
Diamond, Ruby
Early 20th Century Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Gold, 15k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s European Victorian Brooches
Yellow Gold
Antique Early 19th Century Link Necklaces
Chrysoberyl, 18k Gold
Antique 1760s Solitaire Rings
Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Drop Earrings
Onyx, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold, 15k Gold
Antique 1850s Unknown Early Victorian More Rings
Agate, 15k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 1890s North American Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 10k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Brooches
Gold, 15k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Clip-on Earrings
Carnelian, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Onyx, Gold-filled
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Signet Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Early 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Agate, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Pendant Necklaces
Natural Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique 1890s Italian Victorian Signet Rings
Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Enamel Frames and Objects
18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Brooches
Agate, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Brooches
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Platinum
Early 20th Century Engagement Rings
Rose Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Engagement Rings
Onyx, 10k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Onyx, 10k Gold
Antique 1820s Georgian Drop Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Cocktail Rings
Agate, Gold, Yellow Gold, 10k Gold
Late 20th Century Link Bracelets
Agate, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Signet Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Artisan Signet Rings
Onyx, 14k Gold
Antique 19th Century Italian Signet Rings
Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1790s Italian Georgian Signet Rings
Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Australian Victorian Brooches
Pearl, 15k Gold
Antique 19th Century French Brooches
Antique 1870s Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique 1860s European Neoclassical Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Roman Signet Rings
Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1850s Victorian Brooches
18k Gold
Antique 1860s French Brooches
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 1850s Necklace Enhancers
Carnelian, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Retro Brooches
Cultured Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1790s Italian Artist Figurines and Sculptures
Quartz, Silver
Antique 19th Century Victorian Link Bracelets
Pearl, Gold
Antique 1880s French Drop Necklaces
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Fashion Rings
18k Gold
Antique 1870s English Victorian Signet Rings
Onyx, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Brooches
Agate, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 19th Century French Pendant Necklaces
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Carnelian, Gold, 14k Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Georgian Signet Rings
Agate, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Agate, 14k Gold
Antique 1870s Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Hardstone Cameo For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Hardstone Cameo?
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.
- What is a hardstone cameo?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021Hardstone cameos are composed of any hard gemstone material that is intended for detailed carving. A cameo is a gemstone carved in a raised relief that features landscapes, mythological figures, or most notably, portraits of women’s profiles. These hand-carved, detailed reliefs are typically set in gold or silver and used to adorn pieces of jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, pendants and rings. Find cameo jewelry on 1stDibs.