Opal Art Nouveau Earring
Vintage 1940s Unknown Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Opal, Base Metal
2010s German Artisan Dangle Earrings
Opal, Black Opal, Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Aquamarine, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Freshwater Pearl, Tanzanite, Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultur...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Tanzani...
Mid-20th Century North American Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Crystal
2010s Russian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Gold
2010s Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Turquoise, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Opal, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s French Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Black Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Hong Kong Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Emerald, Opal, Diamond, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s French Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s French Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Gold Plate, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s French Art Nouveau Lever-Back Earrings
Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s French Art Nouveau Lever-Back Earrings
Opal, Black Opal, Gold, Yellow Gold, Titanium
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, T...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Freshwater Pearl, Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Y...
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Opal, Ruby, Topaz, Gold, 22k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Opal, Emerald, White Diamond, Diamond, Ci...
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Opal, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Silver
Vintage 1920s Swedish Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Turquoise, 18k Gold
Vintage 1910s European Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
18k Gold
Vintage 1920s Swedish Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
18k Gold
Early 20th Century Finnish Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1910s Austrian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
14k Gold, 24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, T...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, T...
Antique 1880s English Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, White Diamond, Diamond, Silver, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, Silver, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Coral, Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, ...
2010s British Art Nouveau More Earrings
Diamond, Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Unknown Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Opal, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Ruby, Diamond, Silver, Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Diamond, Opal, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Crystal, Gold Plate
2010s Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Opal, Quartz, Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century American Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Opal, Tourmaline, 14k Gold
20th Century American Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Coral, Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, T...
2010s Russian Art Nouveau Lever-Back Earrings
Opal, Fire Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Tanzanite, 9k Gold
2010s American Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Opal, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, T...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, T...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Amethyst, Diamond, Citrine, White Diamond, Opal, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire...
- 1
Opal Art Nouveau Earring For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Opal Art Nouveau Earring?
A Close Look at Art Nouveau Jewelry
Art Nouveau — generally considered to have begun in the late 1800s and ended with the start of World War I — was a movement in the decorative arts that drew inspiration from natural forms, such as trees, flowers and, of course, the human figure. The three main themes present in Art Nouveau jewelry and watches were flora, fauna and women.
Art Nouveau, which reached its pinnacle in the year 1900, spawned from artists who rejected the historicism of their predecessors to create an entirely new visual vocabulary. As compared to Art Deco jewelry’s geometric patterns and sharp lines, the extravagant style of antique Art Nouveau jewelry is characterized by curvilinear forms and whiplash lines, vibrant materials and dramatic imagery.
The first art and design movement of the 20th century, Art Nouveau was also a reaction against the Industrial Revolution, and took its inspiration from the theories of the Symbolists, the art of the Pre-Raphaelites, the ideas of John Ruskin and his follower William Morris and, most importantly Japanese crafts. (The country was a fertile ground for inspiration after it was opened to the West in 1854.) The Art Nouveau style touched all manners of the arts, including the most exultant jewelry.
Nature was a favorite muse for artists going back to the 18th and 19th centuries, but in the hands of 20th-century artists, it was depicted in new ways. For example, a withering flower was considered just as beautiful as one in full bloom. Winged creatures, such as insects and birds, were also a popular subject. Dragonflies and butterflies were particular favorites because they morphed so dramatically in different life stages.
This was also a reference to women, whose role in society was evolving. It was not uncommon to see a piece of jewelry that would at once reference a woman as a winged creature (think René Lalique’s famous Dragonfly brooch, circa 1897–98, at the Gulbenkian Collection in Lisbon). However, just as women’s roles were ambiguous, so was their image, as the femmes nouvelle were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized.
In addition to Lalique, vital figures in Art Nouveau jewelry included Louis Comfort Tiffany in the United States, Vladimir Soloviev, who designed jewelry for Peter Carl Fabergé in Russia, Fuset Grau of Spain, Karl Rothmuller of Germany and Philippe Wolfers of Belgium.
Art Nouveau jewelers used every “canvas” imaginable, looking beyond brooches and necklaces to belt buckles, fans, tiaras, dog collars (a type of choker necklace), pocket watches, corsages and hair combs. Multicolored gems and enamel could complete this vision better than diamonds. Jewelers also favored pearls, particularly baroque pearls, for their large size and irregular shape. However, opal was the most popular stone — its iridescence harmonized perfectly with the enamel, and it could be carved into any shape. Art Nouveau jewelry was primarily set in yellow gold.
Find a range of antique Art Nouveau jewelry today on 1stDibs.
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.