Vintage Retro Earrings
Vintage 1950s Italian Retro Clip-on Earrings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Retro Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Retro Dangle Earrings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Retro Bracelets
Crystal
1990s North American Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Turquoise, White Gold
Vintage 1940s Retro Clip-on Earrings
Citrine, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Art Deco Retro Bracelets
Silver
Vintage 1980s Unknown Retro Stud Earrings
Hematite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s Retro Stud Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Drop Earrings
Aquamarine, 14k Gold
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Drop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Retro More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Retro Drop Earrings
9k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Retro Clip-on Earrings
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Retro Drop Earrings
Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s Retro Stud Earrings
Jade, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Drop Earrings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Unknown Retro Dangle Earrings
Coral, Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Retro Stud Earrings
Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Retro Stud Earrings
Citrine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Retro Stud Earrings
Citrine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Retro Clip-on Earrings
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Retro Lever-Back Earrings
Opal, 14k Gold
Vintage 1970s Retro Clip-on Earrings
Yellow Gold
20th Century American Retro Stud Earrings
Carnelian, 14k Gold, Silver, Gold
Vintage 1960s Art Deco Stud Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1950s American Retro Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s American Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century European Retro Drop Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Retro Clip-on Earrings
Amethyst, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Drop Earrings
20th Century Unknown Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Retro Chandelier Earrings
Vintage 1940s Retro Clip-on Earrings
Citrine, Rose Gold
Vintage 1950s Unknown Retro Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Opal, Platinum
Late 20th Century Retro Stud Earrings
Vintage 1950s French Retro Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Emerald
Late 20th Century French Retro Dangle Earrings
Vintage 1970s Unknown Retro Dangle Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Spanish Retro Drop Earrings
Zircon, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s French Artisan Clip-on Earrings
Gold Plate
1990s American Artist Clip-on Earrings
Coral, Diamond, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Retro Clip-on Earrings
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Retro Clip-on Earrings
Crystal
Mid-20th Century North American Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Crystal
Vintage 1980s German Art Nouveau Clip-on Earrings
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century European Retro Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1960s Unknown Retro Clip-on Earrings
Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Crystal, Gold Plate
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Vintage Retro Earrings For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Vintage Retro Earrings?
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024The difference between vintage and retro relates to age and the specificity of the terms. Vintage refers to items produced 20 or more years ago. Retro describes things either produced in the past or that resemble things produced in the past. Anything that is vintage can correctly be called retro. However, some retro pieces are actually contemporary, meaning they were made within the last 20 years. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of vintage furniture, apparel, jewelry and decorative objects.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 8, 2023To wear vintage clip-on earrings properly, first position them so that the decorative part is in front of your ear and the backing is behind it. Clip-ons feature a variety of backings, but regardless of type, the clips should generally be positioned so that the open part faces the ceiling and the hinge or closed part is near the earlobe. Once you have the earrings in place, secure the clasp. This may involve squeezing a clip or turning a screw or fastener. On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage clip-on earrings.
- Are screw back earrings vintage?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Screw back earrings were most popular during the first half of the 20th century, before clip earrings increased in popularity. However, screw back earrings have never gone out of style. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of antique screw back earrings from some of the world’s top sellers.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 27, 2023How you use vintage clip-on earrings depends on what type of backing they have. Some simply feature a hinged clip that you open, slip over your ear and then press gently to close. Others may require you to turn a screw or shift a tension bar. On 1stDibs, find a large selection of vintage clip-on earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 27, 2023Most vintage earrings are clip-ons largely due to how beliefs about piercings have changed over the years. It was only during the 1980s and ’90s that many women began piercing their ears. Prior to that, many women didn't have piercings and could only wear clip-ons, so makers produced earrings to suit their customer base. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of vintage earrings.