Rolex. A Rare Gold $20 Coin Watch C1970
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A Rolex Rare Gold Pre Cellini Twenty Dollar Coin Watch, C1970.
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
Gold, 18k Gold, 24k Gold
Rolex. A Rare Gold $20 Coin Watch C1970
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A Rolex Rare Gold Pre Cellini Twenty Dollar Coin Watch, C1970.
Gold, 18k Gold, 24k Gold
Rolex. A Rare Gold and Enamel Keyless Pocket Watch C1920
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
Rolex. A Rare 18ct Yellow Gold and Enamel Keyless Lever Pocket Watch Retailed By The Alex Clarke Company London C1920.
Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
Rolex Rare Prince Yellow Gold Dress Pocket Watch 8753 C1920
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
One of the best pocket watch movements produced by Rolex. This pocket watch is truly a rare piece because of the quality, and condition, made in 18ct gold where most of the Prince p...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex. A Rare Yellow Gold Pendant Pocket Watch C1964
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
Rolex. A Rare 18ct Yellow Gold Dress Watch With Original Presentation Box C1964.
Rare Art Deco 1938 Rolex Prince 9K Solid Gold Watch Vintage
By Rolex
Located in Scotts Valley, CA
Details: Beautiful Art Deco period solid gold Rolex Prince watch from 1938. The Prince style watch is distinguished by the second dial which displays the seconds hand. This watch has...
Gold, 14k Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Rare Rolex Prince 9CT Gold Keyless Lever Pocket Watch, C1930s
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
Rolex Prince. A very rare 9ct yellow gold dress pocket watch C1930s Dial: The excellent silver rare bow tie dial with Arabic twelve and black enamel batons, outer minute track and s...
Gold, 18k Gold
Rolex Vintage Extremely Rare Ladies Yellow Gold Cocktail Watch Ref 4492
By Rolex
Located in Dallas, TX
Rolex Vintage Extremely Rare Ladies Yellow Gold Cocktail Watch Ref 4492 - Manual. 18K Yellow Gold ( 21 mm).
Rare Antique Rolex 1920s Manual Winding 26MM 15K Yellow Gold Ladies Watch
By Rolex
Located in Houston, TX
Brand: Rolex Gender: Ladies Metal Type: 15K and 14K Yellow Gold Diameter: 26.00 mm Weight: 19.19 grams One ladies 15K yellow gold ROLEX Swiss-made watch. The case metal was te...
Gold, 14k Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rare Vintage Rolex President Datejust 26 Champagne Stick Dial Gold Watch 69178
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Pre-owned in good condition. Recently serviced. The movement is calibrated and keeps time well. No original box and papers. Comes with a gift box. General Information Brand: Rolex M...
Gold
Rare Vintage Rolex Datejust 31mm 6827 14K Gold Champagne Dial Ladies Watch
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Pre-owned in good condition. Super rare model. Free polishing upon request. The watch is fully serviced and tested for water resistance, movement calibration, and time accuracy. It s...
Yellow Gold
Very Rare Rolex President Day-Date Men's 18k Gold Watch 18238
By Rolex
Located in Dallas, TX
Very Rare Rolex President Day-Date Men's 18k Gold Watch 18238 - Automatic winding; quick-set; sapphire crystal. 18k yellow gold case with fluted bezel .
Rolex 14Kt Solid Rose Gold Rare Oyster Viceroy Art Deco Watch circa 1938
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oyster Viceroy / Reference 3116 METAL / MATERIAL: 14Kt Solid Rose Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1938 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 38mm "Lug ...
14k Gold, Rose Gold
Rolex 14Kt Solid Rose Gold Rare Oyster Viceroy Art Deco Watch circa 1938
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oyster Viceroy / Reference 3116 METAL / MATERIAL: 14Kt Solid Rose Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1938 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 38mm "Lug ...
14k Gold, Rose Gold
Rolex Ladies Extremely Rare Gold Tiger Eye Dial Bark President Watch 6927
By Rolex
Located in Dallas, TX
Rolex Ladies Extremely Rare Gold Tiger Eye Dial Bark President Watch 6927 - Automatic winding, 29 jewels, Quickset, sapphire crystal.
Rolex 18 Kt White Gold Queen Midas, Extremely Rare Collectors Watch, Ref 3581
By Rolex
Located in Antwerp, BE
Rolex 18 Kt Solid White Gold Queen Midas, Extremely Rare Collectors Watch !
White Gold
Rare Rolex Datejust 36 18k Gold Green Floral Dial Steel Unisex Watch 116233
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Pre-owned. Comes with the original box and papers. General Information Brand: Rolex Model: Rolex Datejust Model Number: 116233 Style: Luxury Department: Unisex Adult Vintage: No Co...
Yellow Gold, Steel
Rare Rolex Cellini Time 18k Rose Gold Black Diamond Dial Men Watch 50605RBR
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Pre-owned in mint condition. Comes with the original box and papers. Very unique beautiful watch. General Information Brand: Rolex Model: Cellini Time Model Number: 50605RBR Type: ...
Rose Gold
Rolex Ladies Art Deco Rare 14Kt Two-Tone Gold Bracelet Watch, circa 1940's
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Reference 3285 METAL / MATERIAL: 14Kt Two-Tone Yellow & Rose Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1940's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: 25mm Len...
Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Oyster Precision 34mm Two-Tone Rose Gold Steel Rare Dial 1978 Watch
By Rolex
Located in Miami, FL
Details: Item Type: Rolex Precision Watch Model: Oyster Date Precision Metal: Two-tone Rose Gold and Stainless Steel Dial: White with Brown Accents (Rare Dial) Case Diameter: 34mm (a...
Stainless Steel
Rolex Rare Oyster Perpetual Yellow Gold 6285
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare Oyster Perpetual wristwatch in yellow gold by Rolex.
Yellow Gold
Rare Rolex Datejust 26mm 18K White Gold Steel Pink Dial Ladies Watch 179174
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
General Information Brand: Rolex Model: Lady-Datejust Model Number: 179174 Department: Women Country/Region of Manufacture: Switzerland Style: Luxury Vintage: No Year Manufactured: 2...
Steel
Rolex Rare Vintage Precision Yellow Gold 36mm 8896
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A vintage 36mm Rolex Precision crafted in 18k yellow gold. Featuring a silver dial with applied dagger style hour markers and a polished yellow gold bezel. Fitted with a plexiglass, ...
18k Gold
Rolex Rare Vintage Oyster Perpetual Yellow Gold 1035
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A striking mens yellow gold Oyster Perpetual by Rolex. Featuring a rare champagne dial with applied hour markers and a textured yellow gold bezel.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Vintage Semi Bubble Back Oyster Perpetual Coin Edge Bezel Watch
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A Rare 18k Yellow Gold Semi Bubble Back Oyster Perpetual Vintage Men's Wristwatch, silver dial with applied hour markers, a fixed 18k yellow gold coin edge bezel, a very rare origina...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Datejust 26mm 179173 Two Tone Ladies Watch Rare Myriad Pearl Dial Jubilee
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The watch is powered by a mechanical automatic movement and comes with a Rolex Jubilee band in stainless steel and yellow gold.
Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel
RARE Rolex Oysterquartz Day Date 19019 18K White Gold 36mm
By Rolex
Located in San Diego, CA
Style Number: 19019 Serial: 6127*** Year: 1979 Model: Rolex President Day Date Case Material: 18K White Gold Band: 18K White Gold Bezel: 18K White Gold ...
White Gold
Rolex Cellini 18K White Gold With Rare Blue Vignette Dial 1974
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Rolex Cellini 18k White Gold Rare Blue Vignette Dial, Manual Wind, Made in Switzerland c.1974 Model: Cellini Year: c. 1974 Material: 18K White Gold Dial: Rare Blue Vignette ...
18k Gold, White Gold
Rolex Rare Date Hammered Finished 1503
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare vintage Date by Rolex, in yellow gold. Featuring a champagne dial with a smooth finish bezel. Equipped with a yellow gold bracelet and a rare hammered finish which is bound by...
Yellow Gold
Rare Rolex Day-Date Yellow Gold Qaboos Dial Bark Finish 1807
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare 36 mm vintage Day-Date by Rolex, in yellow gold.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Submariner Date Diamond Dial 116618LB
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A solid 18k yellow gold rare Blue Submariner Date ref. 116618LB wristwatch by Rolex. Featuring a blue dial with applied diamond hour markers and a yellow gold uni-directional rotatin...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Rare 1950s Rolex Rose Gold Chronometer Champagne Dial Precision Vintage 4134
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A 37mm 18k Rose Gold Vintage Precision Gents Wristwatch, a rare original chronometer champagne dial with applied 18k rose gold index batons and roman numerals at 3,6,9 and 12 0'clock...
Rose Gold, 18k Gold
Rolex Datejust Rare Blue Stella Dial 69178
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A 26mm yellow gold Datejust in by Rolex. Featuring a rare blue Stella dial, complemented by a yellow gold fluted bezel. Do note, the dial has "spidered" somewhat which can naturally ...
Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Day-Date NOS Omani Dial 1803
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare NOS Day-Date crafted in 18k yellow gold by Rolex.
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex GMT-Master Rare Nipple Tropical Dial 1675
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare vintage Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675, dating to circa 1978.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
$19,840Sale Price|20% Off
Rolex Ref 5030 Datejust 18k Gold Mens 1940s 36mm Rare Vintage Automatic RA700B
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
THE FINEST AND MOST VARIED SELECTION OF VINTAGE WATCHES IN THE WORLD CLASSIC PRE-OWNED COLLECTIBLE TIMEPIECES FROM BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, USA Watch Description BRAND : Rolex ...
Gold, 18k Gold
$4,480Sale Price|20% Off
Rolex 14k Solid Rose Gold Pendant Ref 3959 1930s Rare Vintage Luxury RA651
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
THE FINEST AND MOST VARIED SELECTION OF VINTAGE WATCHES IN THE WORLD CLASSIC PRE-OWNED COLLECTIBLE TIMEPIECES FROM BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, USA Watch Description BRAND : Rolex ...
Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
Rolex 14Kt. Rare "Bubble Back" with Original Dial and Rolex Signed Bracelet 1948
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oyster Perpetual "Bubble Back" / Reference 5011 METAL / MATERIAL: 14Kt. Solid Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1948 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Lengt...
14k Gold
Rolex perpetual 3372 Rose Gold SS Men Rare 1940s 32mm Bubbleback Automatic RA750
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Rare and historic Rolex Perpetual Ref.3372 with solid rose gold bezel, c.1947, unrestored dial, in excellent working condition.
Gold, Rose Gold, Stainless Steel
$31,200Sale Price|20% Off
Rolex perpetual 4134 18k Rose Gold Rare Mens Jumbo 37mm Automatic 1940s RA691
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Rare, vintage classic Rolex Perpetual Ref.4134 in luxurious solid 18k rose gold, c.1945, unrestored dial, in excellent working condition.
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage Rolex DateJust Model 69178 18 Karat Yellow Gold Rare Chevrolet Dial Box
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Rolex Model 69178 DateJust 18k Yellow Gold, 26mm Rare Chevrolet Dial made for Jubilee Anniversary, Automatic Movement, Made in Switzerland with Original Box and Booklet c.198...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Datejust Coral Stella Diamond Dial 6827
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare vintage yellow gold mid-size 31mm Datejust by Rolex. Features a coral stella diamond-set dial and a fixed yellow gold fluted bezel. Fitted with sapphire glass and a self-windi...
Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rare Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date UAE Champagne Dial 19018
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare Oysterquartz Day-Date 36mm 19018, by Rolex.
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Day-Date Octopus Diamond Set 18048
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A yellow gold 36mm rare vintage Day-Date Octopus by Rolex.
Diamond, Yellow Gold
Rolex Gold Shell Oyster Perpetual Very Rare Deepsea From 1954 / 55 Original Dial
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oyster Perpetual / Reference 6332 METAL / MATERIAL: Gold Shell CIRCA / YEAR: 1954 / 55 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 41mm X Diamet...
Gold
Rolex Day-Date NOS Rare Oxblood Stella Dial 18038
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare yellow gold Day-Date by Rolex. Featuring the highly sought out and collectable oxblood Stella dial, which features emerald cut diamond hour markers and a fixed yellow gold flu...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$19,920Sale Price|20% Off
Rolex Oyster Ref 5030 18k Gold Mens 36mm 1940s Big Bubble Automatic Rare RA700
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Rare, timeless treasure 18k solid gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust ref 5030 Big Bubble automatic, c.1940s, in excellent working condition.
Gold, 18k Gold
Rolex Datejust Rare Lapis Pyramid Dial Diamond Set 69138
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A 26mm yellow gold Datejust by Rolex. Features an exceptionally rare lapis pyramid dial with diamond set hour markers, complemented by the bezel, set with 40 round brilliant cut diam...
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Day-Date Vintage Men's 18K Yellow Gold Omani Dial Bark Finish 1807
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A very rare 18k yellow gold Day-Date men's wristwatch by Rolex, produced for the Sultan of Oman.
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex 18K Yellow Gold Rare Nipple Dial Omani Crest Submariner Date B&P 1680
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A Rare 18k Yellow Gold Omani Crest Submariner Date Vintage Men's Wristwatch, original matte black nipple dial, date at 3 0'clock, an 18k yellow gold bi-directional rotating bezel wit...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Gold Shell Oyster Perpetual from 1952 Oversized Bubble Back Movement
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oyster Perpetual / Reference 6334 METAL / MATERIAL: Yellow Gold Shell CIRCA / YEAR: 1953 / 54 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 42mm...
Rolex Gold Shell Oyster Perpetual with Rare Original Black Dial from 1953
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oyster Perpetual / Reference 6334 METAL / MATERIAL: Gold Shell CIRCA / YEAR: 1953 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 42mm X Diameter 34...
Rolex Very Rare Day-Date Vintage Gents 18k Yellow Gold Champagne Omani Dial 1803
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A 36 mm Very Rare 18k Yellow Gold Oyster Perpetual Day-Date Vintage Gents Wristwatch, champagne dial with applied hour markers, day at 12 0'clock, date at 3 0'clock, Omani Crest at 6...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Very Rare Day-Date 18 Karat Yellow Gold Silver Omani Dial Bark Finish
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A Very Rare 36 mm 18k Yellow Gold Oyster Perpetual Day-Date Vintage Gents Wristwatch, silver dial with applied hour markers, day at 12 0'clock, date at 3 0'clock, Omani Crest at 6 0'...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Rolex Two Tone Datejust with Rare Polished Bezel circa, 1964
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Datejust / Reference 1600 METAL / MATERIAL: Two Tone Solid Gold & Stainless Steel CIRCA / YEAR: 1964 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length...
Gold, Stainless Steel
Rolex Zenith Movement Daytona Stainless Steel & Gold Rare Mark I Dial B&P 16523
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A Rare Stainless Steel and 18k Yellow Gold Oyster Perpetual Zenith Movement Cosmograph Daytona Men's Wristwatch, rare Mark I floating champagne dial with applied hour markers, 30 min...
Gold, 18k Gold, Steel, Stainless Steel
Rolex Steel and Rose Gold "Bubble Back" with Rare Original Dial from 1942
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
We seldom see this watch is such good condition. The example has the rare machined rose gold bezel as well as a rare dial design.
Rare Rolex NOS Day-Date Green Stella Dial Diamond Set 18048
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare NOS yellow gold Day-Date by Rolex from 1980.
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
While the rise in popularity of vintage Rolex watches is of no surprise to aficionados, collectors and industry experts, when it comes to contemporary luxury wristwatches, Rolex is also often the first brand that springs to mind. Not only is the company revered for its precision timekeeping and impeccable craftsmanship, but its name was designed to be memorable.
Rolex's enviable worldwide recognition can be credited in part to the genius of company founder Hans Wilsdorf. When the German-born watch dealer and his brother-in-law, Alfred Davis, set up their London enterprise, in 1905, they called it Wilsdorf & Davis, according to the traditional formula.
But Wilsdorf was determined to come up with another name that was short, would look good on a watch dial and was easy to say and remember in several languages. In 1908, he trademarked the name Rolex, and by 1920, he had moved the company to Geneva and redubbed it as Montres Rolex S.A.
But the main reasons for the brand’s success are its aforementioned commitment to precision and unflagging pursuit of innovation. In 1926, the company introduced the aptly named Oyster model. With a screw-down crown and case back, both fitted with rubber gaskets, this was the first truly waterproof watch.
Five years later, Rolex upped the ante with the Oyster Perpetual. That model’s patented Perpetual movement contained a rotor mechanism enabling it to self-wind. In another trendsetting move, in 1945, the brand debuted the Datejust, with a date window prominently displayed on the dial.
The company’s two most iconic models are sports watches. Although the Submariner, which debuted in 1953, was developed as a dive watch, its waterproof case, solid construction and good looks made it a favorite of adventurers and urbanites alike, including James Bond, who wore it in classics like Dr. No and Goldfinger. The Daytona, the racing chronograph made famous by Paul Newman, is especially sought after by collectors. Newman’s personal Daytona, which hit the auction block in 2017, sold for $17.8 million.
Find vintage Rolex watches, bracelets and more 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, vintage and luxury wristwatches have captured the hearts and minds of all manner of watch collectors as well as the watchmakers themselves — it's time you found your own.
Certain vintage watches for men and iconic watch designs for women are sought after not only because of their graceful proportions or innovative materials but also because of the illustrious histories of the houses that created them, histories that they stylishly embody.
Bulgari’s legendary Serpenti watch was on everyone’s list after the collection’s bold bracelet, which technically debuted after the timepiece, graced the wrist of actress Elizabeth Taylor. If anything, elaborately crafted timepieces — the unmistakably boxy silhouette of Cartier Tank watches, the elegant and minimal Calatrava designed by legendary Swiss house Patek Philippe — are even more effective than the shape we associate with traditional wristwatches.
Form watches — the all-encompassing moniker bestowed upon non-round watches — are making headlines and completing contemporary fashionable ensembles the world over. At the same time, both casual fans and careful collectors are drawn to the unbeatable charm of vintage styles, such as the icons designed by Omega that even James Bond can’t resist.
In the early days of watchmaking, watches were fragile enough that they necessitated protection from the elements. Now, wristwatches made of gold and steel can withstand the harshest climates — even 100 meters underwater, in the case of Rolex’s Submariner. Designer Gérald Genta, whose range of clients included Rolex, created for Audemars Piguet the first luxury sports timepiece to be made from stainless steel. First introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was a perfect choice for blending the form and function that are now synonymous with sports watches.
Are you shopping for a wristwatch? It’s good to keep your needs as well as your specific personal style in mind: A smaller, subtle timepiece is a good fit for small wrists. When will you be wearing your new accessory? There’s a versatile model out there for everyday wear, while a rugged, feature-heavy watch is a safe bet if you’re prone to embarking on all-weather activities in the great outdoors.
Find antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches for sale on 1stDibs.
A fresh palette of dial colors and technological advances have elevated this classic watch model.
The watch has transformed several times over, but it’s still undeniably a classic.
This is perhaps the least subtle version of the Submariner.
If you think this looks like the Rolex Kermit, you're correct.
This model was designed for lefties.
Learn the devious techniques that counterfeiters use to sell inauthentic pieces at authentic prices. Of course, you don't have to worry about that on 1stDibs, where every seller of Rolex watches is highly vetted.
From understanding the models to choosing among vintage, pre-owned and new watches, here’s our expert advice on finding the best Rolex for you.
As the cache goes on display at London’s Design Museum, we speak to its enigmatic owner about some of his rarest acquisitions.