Paloma Picasso Graffiti Earrings
20th Century Spanish Stud Earrings
Diamond, Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modernist Hoop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Unknown Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Late 20th Century Brooches
18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Stud Earrings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Stud Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
People Also Browsed
Late 20th Century Contemporary Link Bracelets
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s American Dangle Earrings
18k Gold
1990s French Wrist Watches
Silver, Stainless Steel
Antique 18th Century Italian Victorian More Jewelry
18k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1960s French Modernist Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold
Late 20th Century Chain Necklaces
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Stud Earrings
Yellow Gold
2010s American Stud Earrings
18k Gold
2010s Italian Chain Bracelets
Pearl, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
Vintage 1970s British Retro Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Tennis Bracelets
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Chain Bracelets
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
1990s American Bangles
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Chain Bracelets
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
20th Century Lever-Back Earrings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Stud Earrings
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Stud Earrings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary European Stud Earrings
Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Stud Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Modern Stud Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Stud Earrings
Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Stud Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Stud Earrings
Yellow 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.