Large Brutalist Earrings
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Stud Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Sterling Silver, Bronze
Vintage 1980s French Modernist Dangle Earrings
Gold Plate, Brass, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1980s French Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Silver Plate, Base Metal, Gilt Metal
Antique 19th Century Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Silver
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Vintage 1970s American Native American Drop Necklaces
Coral, Onyx, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
20th Century Clip-on Earrings
2010s Turkish Modern Stud Earrings
Ruby, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Stud Earrings
Coral, Yellow Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Modernist Pendant Necklaces
Brass
Vintage 1970s Italian Modernist Cocktail Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s German Modernist Stud Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s French Clip-on Earrings
1950s French Aesthetic Day Dresses
20th Century French More Rings
Vintage 1960s More Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold, Yellow ...
Vintage 1960s Unknown Dome Rings
Pinchbeck, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s Canadian Modernist Brooches
Pearl, Sterling Silver
20th Century Dangle Earrings
Amethyst, Marcasite, Onyx, Sterling Silver
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s Greek Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Amethyst, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modernist Chandelier Earrings
Silver Plate
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modernist Chandelier Earrings
20th Century Unknown Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Amethyst, 14k 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.