English Victorian Ruby & Pearl Five Stone Ring in 15ct Gold
Located in Boston, MA
A victorian period English hallmarked 15 karat yellow gold ring set with a trio of natural pearls and a pair of Burmese rubies. Weighing approximately 0.16ctw the rubies display a be...
Pearl, Ruby, Gold
Sold|$1,900
An Amethyst Rose Cut Diamond Gold Ring
Located in Firenze, IT
The central Amethyst with a rose cut diamond surround, mounted in Silver and Gold. 1860circa Weight: 4.2 gr Size: 7
Amethyst, Diamond, 18k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold and Black Enamel Mourning Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
A superb antique victorian mourning ring. This is set with glossy black enamel around the ring. Ring Size: O or 7 1/4 Band Width: 5mm Weight: 1.3g
Yellow Gold, Gold, Enamel
Antique Black Enamel and Gold Band Ring with Inscription
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
Inscription reads ‘AEA Aldridge Died 2nd Dec 1859’ -Weight: 1.66g -Measurements: Size UK L, Width 3.8mm, Height off finger 1mm -Materials: Yellow gold -Hallmarks: none present -Con...
Gold, Enamel
Late Victorian Amethyst and Diamond 18 Carat Gold Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
The large oval shaped amethyst stone measures 1.80 carat and sits as the centre stone on this ring is a fabulous deep purple colour with a wonderful sparkle! The diamonds that sit ei...
Amethyst, Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Rare Victorian Man in the Moon Ring, Heintz Bros.
Located in Riverdale, NY
Rare Original Condition Victorian Man in the Moon Ring from the 19th Century in 14K gold. Original moonstone carved smiley face set high into pronged settings which give the appearan...
Moonstone, 14k Gold
Victorian 18 Karat Moss Agate Dendritic Signet Ring, circa 1860
Located in Baltimore, MD
This ring just happens to be one of the loveliest dencritic moss agate rings we have come across. Dendritic agate is a translucent variety of chalcedony quartz, usually whitish with ...
Agate, 18k Gold
Antique Victorian 18 Karat Five-Stone Coral and Diamond Ring c1860
Located in Baltimore, MD
18K stone coral ring accented with 8 rose cut small diamonds. Five stone rings were classic Victorian forms. Our ring has smooth polished cabochon coral stones and ten small diamonds...
Coral, 18k Gold
Victorian Pearl and Amethyst 15 Karat Gold Antique Ring
Located in Banbury, GB
This beautiful Victorian English ring features two amethysts accented with seed pearls set in 15KT gold. Amethyst is a calming stone, which promotes balance and peace. Circa Birmingh...
Amethyst, Pearl, 15k Gold
14K Gold Carnelian Intaglio Signet Ring M’Dowall Family Crest
Located in Venice, CA
Circa the 1860’s, this 14k gold carnelian intaglio ring contains a family crest with amazing details. Sitting atop a shield is a winged griffin holding a flower in its mouth. As if t...
Carnelian, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
18 Carat 5-Stone Diamond Ring HM Birmingham, 1864
Located in Baltimore, MD
Sweet Victorian 5 stone diamond ring, hallmarked Birmingham for the year 1864 and crafted of 18K gold, has 2 "S" shaped scrolls ending in a final flourish on both sides of the band. ...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Diamond Gentleman Signet Ring, 18 Carat Gold British Hallmarked 1864
Located in London, GB
A diamond signet ring for gents design as square top with diamond at the center and filigree details shoulders which fine example of Victorian jewellery. British hallmarked Birmingha...
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Victorian Emerald 18 Karat Yellow Gold Belcher Set Buttercup Antique Ring
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Centering an emerald cut emerald weighing approximately 0.21 carat total - transparent medium green in color Set with belcher-style prongs in a buttercup motif mount Flanked by groo...
Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Gold Rose Cut Diamond Ring with Platinum Floral Shoulders, C1895
Located in Baltimore, MD
Lovely 18K geodesic dome diamond ring with floral shoulders flanking the center diamond. Each floret consists of 6 heart shaped leaf forms set in platinum with a small rose diamond i...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, Platinum
Victorian Natural Diamond and 14K Yellow Gold Seven Stone Ring
Located in Derby, NY
Wear a piece of history with our Victorian Natural Diamond and 14K Yellow Gold Seven Stone Ring. This rare cocktail ring is a true statement piece. Engraved inside is "August" and wh...
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Ruby Diamond Ring 1.66ct Original 1860's Antique Yellow Gold
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Victorian Antique from 1860's-1880's Ruby Diamond Ring 1.66ct Yellow Gold Featuring a Lab Grown 8x6mm Unique Cut Ruby Center Circa 1860's-1880's Genuine Antiq...
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian 15K Yellow Gold Garnet and Pearl Ring with Engraved Band
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
A Victorian garnet, pearl and yellow gold ring, comprising five cushion shaped garnets, and eight half seed pearls, set in 15 karat yellow gold, to a 15 karat yellow gold band. Thi...
Garnet, Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Amethyst Ring with Pearls .40ct Original 1860's -1890's Antique 14K
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Victorian Antique from 1860's -1890's Amethyst Ring with Pearls .40ct 14K Yellow Gold Featuring Genuine Natural Round Cut .40ct Amethyst Gemstone 2 Pearls Accen...
Amethyst, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Natural Pearl, Diamond and Ruby Ring in 18 Carat Yellow Gold
Located in London, GB
Beautiful pearl, ruby and diamond ring, created with passion to be cherished with love. It is based on a peculiar yellow gold band ring inscribed with intricate patterns. The yellow ...
White Diamond, Natural Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold
Antique Victorian 15K Yellow Gold Opal and Ruby Cluster Ring, with Engraved Band
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
An antique opal, ruby, and yellow gold ring, set with three round cabochon opals, and eight cushion shaped rubies, set in 15 karat yellow gold, to a 15 karat yellow gold band. This...
Opal, Ruby, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Two Stone Sapphire Ring 1.48ct Original 1850's - 1880's Antique 14K
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Victorian Antique from 1850's - 1880's Two Stone Sapphire Diamond Ring 1.40ct Oval 14K Featuring Two Horizontally Set 1.40cttw Genuine Natural Vibrant Blue Oval ...
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Diamond Old Mine Emerald Cocktail Ring .73ct Antique 14k Original 1860
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Victorian Antique from 1860-1880 Diamond Emerald Cocktail Ring .73ct Old Mine Cut 14K Featuring a Spectacular .23ct Genuine Natural Mined Old Mine Cut Diamond Cen...
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Diamond Ring .27ct F/VVS Old Mine Cushion Original 1850's Antique 14K
Located in Dearborn, MI
Genuine Original Victorian Antique from 1850's-1870's Old Mine Cushion Cut .27ct F/VVS Diamond 14K Yellow Gold Featuring a Gorgeous Genuine .27ct F/VVS Old Mine Cushion Cut Natura...
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
EGYPTIAN REVIVAL 1860 Enameled Ring In 14Kt Yellow Gold With Diamonds
Located in Miami, FL
An Egyptian revival ring. Magnificent antique 19th century ring, created in Europe in the Egyptian revival style, back in the 1860's. The outstanding ring has been crafted with clas...
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Dated 1863s 18k Yellow Gold 3.92 Ct Gray Star Sapphire Cabochon Statement Ring
Located in Addison, TX
This genuine 1863 piece has hallmarks that tell its whole history! The handcrafted 18K gold mount holds a beautiful untreated gray star sapphire, this was made in UK. This ring is tr...
Star Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian 1.04 Carats Old European Cut Diamond Turquoise 14 Karat Gold Ring
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Centering an oval shaped turquoise cabochon measuring 9.5 x 11.5 mm. Opaque light pastel greenish blue in color with subtle brown matrix. Prong set with ha halo surround of old Europ...
Diamond, White Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique French Pink Sapphire Diamond 18k Yellow Gold Silver Cocktail Ring
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
One Antique French Pink Sapphire Diamond 18k Yellow Gold Silver Cocktail Ring. Featuring one oval mixed cut pink sapphire weighing approximately 1.00 carat. Accented by seven old min...
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow ...
Antique 1.05 Carat Diamond and Yellow Gold Trilogy Ring
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A fine and impressive antique English 1.05 carat diamond, 18 karat yellow gold trilogy ring; part of our antique jewellery and estate jewelry collections. This impressive English an...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Diamond and Tourmaline 15 Carat Gold Double Heart Ring
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This gorgeous 15ct gold band holds four rose cut diamonds and two pink tourmaline in the shape of hearts. The band has intricate engraving all the way around and the inside of the ri...
Diamond, Tourmaline, Gold, 15k Gold
Antique Victorian English 22K Yellow Gold Hallmarked Classic Wedding Band
Located in Great Neck, NY
Beautiful Antique Victorian English 22K Yellow Gold Hallmarked Classic Wedding Band Circa 1860. This beautiful band is crafted in 22k yellow gold and has a darker color than its 14k ...
Yellow Gold
Early Victorian Pearl and Blue Enamel 18 Carat Gold Band
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
A stunning early Victorian ring, crafted in London in 1862. Six seed pearls are set amongst wonderful waves of blue enamel. Modelled in 18 karat yellow gold. Ring Size: L or 6 Ful...
Pearl, 18k Gold
Dated 1941's 18K Yellow Gold British Hallmarked 1865 Antique Stackable Band
Located in Addison, TX
This antique little beauty is truly unique. This dainty little band looks simple on the outside, but on the inside of the band there is a beautiful story or two. Starting with the Br...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Neo Renaissance Polychrome Enamel 18 Karat Gold Pink Topaz Square Cut
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Fantastic and rare polychrome enamelled gold ring in exquisite Neo Renaissance Style of the 1860's. The wonderful and intricate enamel work is executed on 18 karat gold. The ring is ...
Topaz, Gold, 15k Gold, Enamel
Victorian 6.20 Carats Cushion Cut No-Heat Sapphire Old Mine & European Cut Diamo
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Centering a cushion cut sapphire weighing 6.20 carats total - transparent deep royal blue. Cambodian in origin - natural with no indications of heat treatment. Set with gold beads in...
Sapphire, Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow ...
"Cat with a Ball of Yarn" Silver Plate Victorian Napkin Ring, American
By Meriden Silver Plate Co.
Located in Incline Village, NV
The company was founded by Charles Casper in 1869. This particular ring is referenced in "Napkin Rings" by Sandra Whitson on page 11, Plate #8, written in 1996.
Silver Plate
Sold|$22,909
Victorian Topaz and Diamond Cluster Ring
Located in London, GB
A Victorian topaz and diamond cluster ring, the octagonal-cut orange topaz measuring approximately 18.8 x 12.75 x 7.4mm and estimated to weigh 13.1 carats cut down set in gold collet...
Diamond, Topaz, 18k Gold, Silver
Sold|$17,096
Three-Stone Emerald and Diamond Ring
Located in London, GB
A three stone emerald and diamond ring, the central emerald-cut emerald, measuring approximately 7.0 x 6.2 x 4.2mm and weighing 1.34 carats, four claw set in gold, flanked by round b...
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Ruby, Sapphire and Diamond Harem Ring
Located in London, GB
A Victorian ruby, sapphire and diamond harem ring, consisting of three bands, the one centrally-set with a ruby, the second with an old-cut diamond and the third with a sapphire, eac...
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Silver
Sold|$2,701
Victorian Diamond and Pearl Yellow Gold Ring
Located in London, GB
A Victorian diamond and pearl yellow gold ring, the central old brilliant-cut diamond estimated to weigh 0.25ct, to pearl and diamond-set shoulders, all set in 18ct yellow gold with ...
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Pair of Antique English Pierced Sterling Silver Napkin Rings in Leather Box
By Henry Stratford Ltd. 1
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Victorian sterling silver napkin rings. Made by William & Henry Stratford in 1863. Each: Pierced tracery with solid frame (vacant). Beaded rims. In leather-bound case with fi...
Sterling Silver
Sold|$1,300
Victorian Lovers Knot Gold Ring
Located in London, GB
A VICTORIAN 18CT GOLD LOVERS KNOT RING, HALLMARKED FOR THE YEAR 1869
Sold|$4,250
Victorian Diamond Ring
Located in Austin, TX
Victorian diamond ring with 4-row of rose cut diamonds. Old mine cut diamonds surrounded by additional rose cut stones in silver and gold. Circa 1860, English in origin. Size 7, ...
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Antique 'Hare' Carnelian Intaglio Ring
Located in New York, NY
A lovely antique Victorian carnelian intaglio ring with a carved image of a leaping hare. The ring is 18k yellow gold, and has very nice rope-details. The carnelian intaglio is much ...
Carnelian, 18k Gold
Sold|$1,590
Victorian Blue Enamel and Opal Ring
Located in New York, NY
C.1860. A Victorian blue enamel and opal ring. The ring features a starburst motif and a lovely opal cabochon at its center with the open-back set. Extra engraved details are added t...
Opal, 18k Gold
Sold|$3,200
Victorian Banded Agate Gold Ring
Located in London, GB
The round brown/black Cabochon Agate set in an attractive triple beaded circular mount with closed back, to a plain and unmarked shank, all testing for 18k Gold. Dimensions: 14/16...
Agate, 18k Gold
Sold|$2,400
Victorian Blue Enamel Diamond Star Ring
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This unusual mid Victorian ring is modeled in 15k yellow gold with robin's egg blue enamel. The face of the ring sparkles with a flower-come-starburst design rendered in old mine and...
Diamond, 15k Gold
Large Antique Gold and Amethyst Intaglio Ring
Located in London, GB
This wonderful looking Ring is set with a fine Amethyst engraved with an Armorial Crest, the shield with an armoured breast plate and helmet with a surround of trophies. Above the sh...
Amethyst, 14k Gold
Sold|$3,200
1860s Victorian Ruby Diamond Gold Ring
Located in New York, NY
Victorian ruby & diamond ring centering five graduating oval brilliant cut rubies weighing approx 1.14ctw, framed by twenty round mixed cut diamonds weighing approx 0.40ctw. Cluster ...
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
Victorian 1.55 Carat Diamond Rare Cluster Ring
Located in Napoli, IT
A traditional Victorian period Diamond cluster ring Exquisitely set with a centre old mine cushion cut of .65 Ct rated as G/VS with a surrounding circle of rose cut Diamonds compleme...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Sold|$1,500
Victorian Dearest Gemstone Acrostic Ring
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Acrostic rings like this one were beloved by the private and sentimental Victorians. The style first appeared in the early 19th century, and remained popular throughout the Civil War...
Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, 15k Gold
1860s Victorian Opal Emerald Garnet Fede Ring
Located in Sale, Cheshire
A sweet mid Victorian period gem set cluster ring, the central opal surrounded by emeralds and garnets, with the shoulders modelled as two hands as if they were holding the central f...
Emerald, Garnet, Opal, Yellow Gold
Victorian Old Mine Cut Diamond Gold Solitaire Engagement Ring
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Braddock is an intriguing authentic Early Victorian era (circa 1860) 14k rose gold solitaire ring centering a eight-prong set 0.44ct EGL certified Old Mine Cut diamond graded H color...
Diamond, Rose Gold
Antique Victorian Silver Gold Green Paste Ring, circa 1860
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
This fabulous 18ct Yellow Gold and Silver ring boasts a 3.5ct rich green Paste Stone, Circa 1860. The colour of the green Paste is of a Columbian Emerald, it is truly stunning. Pas...
18k Gold, Silver
Antique Diamond and Ruby Double Headed Snake Ring
Located in London, GB
This Victorian Snake Ring is set with an old European Cut Diamond and a beautiful Ruby, which may be of Burma origin. Both serpents have closed mouths and a sleepy expression and the...
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Victorian Gold Rose Cut Diamond Garnet Ladybird Ring
Located in Boston, Lincolnshire
A Lovely Victorian Garnet and Rose cut Diamond Ladybird ring. Stones in Silver topped gold setting. A very unique and rare ring. English origin. Size R UK, 9 US can be sized. Height...
Diamond, Garnet, Ruby, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique Large Gold Locket Faced Ring with Hair Work, Engraved 1860
Located in Danvers, MA
Dating to 1860, this lovely Victorian hair work ring was likely once a sentimental or mourning brooch or pendant. At some point in the Victorian period it was converted into the love...
Gold
Antique Georgian Garnet Rose Cut Diamond Ring 18 Carat Gold
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
This fabulous 18ct Gold Georgian Garnet and Rose cut Diamond ring is simply stunning, Circa 1830. Each of the Rose cut Diamonds is approx. 0.05ct totalling up to 1.20ct of Rose cut ...
Diamond, Garnet, 18k Gold
The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.
Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.
The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.
Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs.
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.
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.
Learn about these antique jewelry styles, then choose a design that speaks to you.
Will your beloved be enchanted by an Edwardian ring or a trendy Art Deco piece? We clue you into period styles and tips for finding the perfect ring.