Messika Move 10th

Messika jewelry is a contemporary French luxury house, founded in 2005 in Paris by Valérie Messika, daughter of diamond merchant André Messika. It creates timeless and fashionable works of art that sit perfectly on the wearer as naturally as a tattoo moves on the skin. Valérie Messika’s modern perspective on diamonds is that they should be celebrated daily, not reserved for special occasions, and give confidence to the women and men who wear them. 

From a young age, she was influenced by her father’s work. He would bring pieces home for her to play with and explain to her what made each piece of jewelry special and unique. He taught her how to see into the heart of a diamond, and as her dream of running her own design house grew, encouraged her to remain true to her vision and the legacy of the Messika name. Messika jewelry is very much a family-run business, employing several family members as well as a largely female staff. The confidentially located atelier where the pieces evolve from concept to completion is a bright and modern space that evokes the powerful feminine energy Valérie Messika has infused into the work. 

Messika jewelry seeks to step into the unknown, breaking from traditional haute couture ideals while honoring the roots of the industry and creating a fresh and female-forward path for new industry leaders. While it is a young design house, it has still captured the attention of the celebrity spotlight. American actress Mila Kunis wore Messika designs to the 94th Academy Awards. Venus Williams, Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé have also chosen Messika jewelry for red-carpet events. Supermodel Kate Moss partnered with Messika to create the collaborative collection High Jewelry, which is flamboyant with lines that complement the feminine body, inspired by natural elements, fine jewelry, Art Deco, and bohemian style. 

On 1stDibs, find a selection of Messika bracelets, rings, necklaces and more.

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.