Honora Pearl Earrings
1990s American Drop Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
People Also Browsed
2010s Australian Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, South Sea Pearl
1960s American Cocktail Dresses
Vintage 1950s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
2010s Indian Modern Drop Earrings
Brown Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Australian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Moonstone, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s British Modernist Cuff Bracelets
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold
Vintage 1960s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1970s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1960s American Modern Choker Necklaces
Vintage 1960s American Egyptian Revival Pendant Necklaces
2010s American Edwardian More Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1940s American Retro Brooches
Gilt Metal, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s American Modern Brooches
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
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.