Retro Diamond Cascade Earrings
Vintage 1970s Italian Retro Hoop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Tsavorite, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Retro Dangle Earrings
Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1950s American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
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Late 20th Century Italian Art Deco Cuff Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s Retro Cluster Rings
Blue Sapphire, Pearl, Emerald, Diamond, White Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century American Modern Bangles
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Aesthetic Movement Brooches
Diamond
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Link Bracelets
Iolite, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Unknown High Victorian Bangles
White Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Jade, Ruby, Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
Antique 1870s British Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Artisan Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, White Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1930s English Edwardian Boxes and Cases
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Vintage 1970s Brazilian Retro Cluster Rings
Aquamarine, 18k Gold
Vintage 1930s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Dangle Earrings
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Vintage 1950s Retro Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Italian Retro Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Italian Retro Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Retro More Earrings
Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Dangle Earrings
18k Gold
Vintage 1950s Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, 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.