John Hardy Diamond Pendant

After John Hardy left his home country of Canada to travel the world, he settled down in Bali, Indonesia, and became one of the world’s most-lauded designers of bracelets, necklaces, rings and other jewelry.

Hardy had studied at the Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto before he set out globetrotting. In Indonesia, he became so smitten with the people, culture and landscape that he decided to stay, and in 1975 he started selling artisan jewelry and eventually designing his own pieces through his studies of local silversmithing. From the start, the focus was on time-honored jewelry-making traditions and details of craftsmanship.

In 1983, Hardy met an American named Cynthia Boesk who also had a small jewelry business. After they married, they merged their businesses and officially started John Hardy, making a name for themselves designing elegant and eclectic bracelets that reflected centuries-old Balinese techniques. In 1998, Italian-born French jewelry designer Guy Bedarida became the creative director of the company, staying on for 16 years and leading the brand in innovative new directions. Its Bamboo collection, with designs reminiscent of bamboo stalks, directs its sales toward planting bamboo seedlings in Indonesia, while the Kali collection takes its design cues from the distinctive pebbles found in Bali.

After learning about the harmful effects that silver mining has on the environment, Hardy became extremely committed to sustainable luxury business practices, promising that every piece is conflict-free and ethically produced during each step of the design process.

In 2017, the brand was among the jewelers challenged by Vogue Italia to craft pieces from the tagua nut in lieu of using elephant ivory and has used recycled sterling silver in its designs. Its first diamond-centered collection in 2019 concentrated on ethical sourcing and mines where workers are paid fairly. Although Hardy sold his business in 2007, it continues to operate with his name and adhere to the artisanal practices he promoted, including under jewelry designer Hollie Bonneville Barden, who served as creative director from 2016 to 2020. Along with online and global retail sales, the John Hardy Workshop and flagship Kapal Bamboo Boutique in Bali also offer the brand’s enduring designs from an open-air sustainable bamboo building.

Find a collection of John Hardy earrings, cuff bracelets and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Antique diamond rings, diamond tiaras and dazzling vintage diamond earrings are on the wish lists of every lover of fine jewelry. And diamonds and diamond jewelry are primarily associated with storybook engagements and red-carpet grand entrances — indeed, this ultra-cherished gemstone has a dramatic history on its hands.

From “A Diamond Is Forever” to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” pop culture has ingrained in our minds that diamonds are the most desired, the most lasting and the most valuable gemstone. But what makes the diamond so special? Each stone — whether it’s rubies, sapphires or another stone — is unique and important in its own right. April babies might claim diamonds for themselves, but just about everyone wants this kind of sparkle in their lives!

There are several factors that set diamonds apart from other stones, and these points are important to our gem education.

Diamonds are minerals. They are made up of almost entirely of carbon (carbon comprises 99.95 percent; the remainder consists of various trace elements). Diamonds are the hardest gemstones, ranking number 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Even its name, diamond, is rooted in the Greek adamas, or unconquerable. The only object that can scratch a diamond is another diamond. Diamonds are formed deep within the earth at very high temperatures (1,652–2,372 degrees Fahrenheit at depths between 90 and 120 miles beneath the earth’s surface) and are carried up by volcanic activity. Diamonds are quite rare, according to the Gemological Institute of America, and only 30 percent of all the diamonds mined in the world are gem quality.

In the 1950s, the Gemological Institute of America developed the 4Cs grading system to classify diamonds: clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Not all diamonds are created equal (there are diamonds, and then there are diamonds). The value of the diamond depends on the clarity (flawless diamonds are very rare but a diamond's value decreases if there are many blemishes or inclusions), color (the less color the higher the grade), cut (how the diamond’s facets catch the light, certain cuts of diamonds show off the stone better than others) and carat weight (the bigger, the better).

When you start shopping for a diamond engagement ring, always prioritize the cut, which plays the largest role in the diamond's beauty (taking the time to clean your diamond ring at least every six months or so plays a role in maintaining said beauty). And on 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings. 

Shop antique and vintage diamond rings, diamond necklaces and other extraordinary diamond jewelry on 1stDibs.  

Whether you’re layering multiple jewelry pieces or opting for a single strand, vintage pendant necklaces are versatile accessories that can elevate your casual wear as easily as they can add a creative flourish to your formal attire.

The earliest jewelry was less about accessorizing than it was about wearers arming themselves with amulets. In Ancient Egypt, some amulets featured a loop so that they could be strung around one’s neck. While rubies have long been one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money, members of some ancient civilizations valued the stones from the get-go, donning ruby pendants as well as other stones with the belief that these adornments would bring protection, healing powers or strength. Today, we still wear our charm bracelets and charm pendants around our necks for good luck.

Later, pendant necklaces, like most fine jewelry, were worn strictly by royalty or the upper class and conferred wealth and prestige. This changed over time, thankfully, as wearing jewelry became more widespread, a democratized means of personal expression.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, pendant necklaces evolved from their status as spiritual amulets, but the jewels still carried deep personal significance. Victorian pendants, in particular, were part of the “mourning jewelry” tradition. Wearers would embed their pendants with locks of hair from a deceased loved one as a way of grieving in the wake of a loss. In the case of cameo jewelry, some pendants were even decorated with miniature hand-carved portraits in a detailed raised relief. Today, portraiture is still a characteristic of many of the hand-carved pendant necklaces offered by Italian jewelry house Scala Gioielli.

Luxury fine jewelry brands such as Cartier, BVLGARI and David Yurman offer their own unique interpretations of the cherished accessory, embellishing platinum or gold pendant necklaces with diamonds, sapphires and other stones.

On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage pendant necklaces and other necklaces today.