Old Miner Earrings
20th Century Stud Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold
Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Retro Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Late 20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
People Also Browsed
20th Century European Artisan Stud Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold
20th Century American Antique Books
Vintage 1930s Unknown Art Deco Stud Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century American Antique Books
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Stud Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Victorian Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Silver
Vintage 1950s French Retro Retro Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, Platinum
Antique Late 19th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Vintage 1920s Chinese Art Deco Drop Earrings
Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1970s Drop Earrings
Vintage 1960s American Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Art Deco Chandelier Earrings
Recent Sales
Early 20th Century Victorian Drop Earrings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, Jade, 18k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Silver
Vintage 1970s American Drop Earrings
Garnet, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
20th Century Unknown Clip-on Earrings
Coral
20th Century More Earrings
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Edwardian Stud Earrings
Diamond, Rose Gold
Antique 19th Century French Belle Époque Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique 1820s English George III Drop Earrings
Sterling Silver
Antique 1820s British George III Drop Earrings
Sterling Silver
Antique Mid-19th Century French Victorian Drop Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Antique Early 19th Century Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Drop Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Drop Earrings
Brown Diamond, Diamond, 9k Gold
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Platinum
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Stud Earrings
Diamond, Platinum, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Stud Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
French Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sterling Silver, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
French Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, Natural Pearl
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.
- Are hoop earrings old fashioned?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 14, 2023Whether hoop earrings are old-fashioned is a matter of personal opinion. Hoop earrings have been around since 2500 B.C., when African artisans first began producing them out of bronze, silver and gold. The ancient Egyptians would later wear them as well. During the 1920s, hoop earrings became a trend in the United States when the opening of King Tutankhamen's tomb sparked renewed interest in Egyptian jewelry. Since then, hoops have largely remained in style, and today they have become staples of hip-hop, Black and Latina cultures. Shop a large selection of hoop earrings.
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