Roberto Coin Earrings Silk
Vintage 1970s Brazilian Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Vintage 1980s Brazilian Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Early 2000s Italian Dangle Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modernist Modern Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Link Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, 24k Gold
2010s American Modern Modern Bracelets
Rose Gold
2010s American Bangles
White Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s French Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1780s English George IV Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Retro Clip-on Earrings
Amethyst, Pearl, Topaz, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Belgian Modernist Cocktail Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Modernist Choker Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1970s American Link Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s American Bangles
Coral, Black Jade, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Hoop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Hoop Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Italian Contemporary Chandelier Earrings
Gold, 18k 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.