Victorian Black Opal
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Cocktail Rings
Black Opal, Opal, Gold, Rose Gold, 10k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Late Victorian Signet Rings
Opal, Black Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s European Brooches
Opal, Gold, Enamel
20th Century Unknown Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Opal, Black Opal, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Victorian Bangles
Diamond, Opal, Enamel, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Bangles
Diamond, Opal, Gold Plate, Brass, Enamel
2010s American Victorian Bangles
Diamond, Opal, Gold Plate, Brass, Enamel
2010s French Victorian Engagement Rings
Black Opal, Opal, Diamond, Sterling Silver, Silver, Yellow Gold, 14k Gol...
2010s French Victorian Engagement Rings
Black Opal, Opal, Diamond, Sterling Silver, Silver, Yellow Gold, 14k Gol...
2010s American Victorian Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Opal, Blue Sapphire
2010s British Victorian Cluster Rings
Opal, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Opal, Black Pearl, Tourmaline, Chrysophrase, 14k Gold, Gold-filled, Silver
2010s American Victorian Beaded Necklaces
White Diamond, Opal, Black Pearl, Gold-filled, Gold Plate, Silver Plate
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Opal, Black Pearl, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Gold-filled, Silver, Sterling S...
Antique 1890s Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Tourmaline, Black Pearl, Opal, Chrysophrase, Sterling Silver, Silver, Go...
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Opal, Black Pearl, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Gold-filled, Silver
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Opal, Black Pearl, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Gold-filled, Silver
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Opal, Black Pearl, Tourmaline, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Gold-filled, Silver,...
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Turquoise, Tourmaline, Black Pearl, Opal, Bronze, Silver, Gold-filled, 1...
2010s Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Cocktail Rings
Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century More Rings
Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1860s British Early Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, Pearl, Silver, 18k Gold
Antique 1890s English Victorian Cluster Rings
Opal, Natural Pearl, Pearl, Black Opal, 14k Gold, Gold
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Brooches
Opal, Black Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Victorian Necklace Enhancers
Opal, Rock Crystal, 15k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Victorian Solitaire Rings
Opal, Black Opal, 18k Gold
Antique 1880s Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Black Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century American Victorian Link Necklaces
Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1960s Victorian Engagement Rings
Black Opal, Diamond, Enamel, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Opal, 10k Gold, 9k Gold
Antique 19th Century Retro Dangle Earrings
Emerald, Opal, Pearl, Black Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 1880s Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Opal, 18k Gold
Antique 1890s Victorian Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Opal, 15k Gold, Platinum
Antique 1880s Victorian Engagement Rings
Diamond, Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Fashion Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Czech Victorian Brooches
Opal, Gilt Metal
Antique 19th Century Victorian Engagement Rings
Opal, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Late Victorian Cocktail Rings
Onyx, Fire Opal, Opal, Diamond, Silver, 18k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Victorian Brooches
Opal, Black Opal, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Indian Victorian Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Onyx, Opal, 14k Gold, Silver
2010s Victorian Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Onyx, Opal, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s English Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, 18k Gold, Silver
Vintage 1950s Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond, Opal, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Turquoise, Tourmaline, Black Pearl, Opal, 14k Gold, Bronze, Silver, Gold...
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, 14k Gold
Antique 1890s British Victorian Solitaire Rings
Opal, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Cluster Rings
Opal, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Victorian Fashion Rings
Opal, Yellow Gold
20th Century British Victorian Solitaire Rings
Opal, Gold
Antique 1890s British Late Victorian Drop Necklaces
Black Diamond, Opal, 14k Gold, Silver
20th Century British Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Chain Necklaces
Opal, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Black Opal For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Victorian Black Opal?
Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship
Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself.
Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.
Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.
For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.
Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.
In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so.
Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle.
BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.
A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in.
Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.
Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.
Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To see if your black opal is real, check the potch on the back. Double-sided opals are rare, so if there is a lack of potch and color all the way through, this could indicate a fake. Shop a collection of expertly vetted opals from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021Black fire opal can vary in worth, from $10 per carat to $10,000 per carat. Black opals are generally considered extremely valuable because of their vibrant spectrum of colors and are one of the most enchanting stones in the world. On 1stDibs, shop a range of vintage black fire opal jewelry.