Surely you’ll find the exact smoky topaz pendant you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. Frequently made of
Gold,
Yellow Gold and
14k Gold, this item was constructed with great care. You can easily find a 4 antique edition and 13 modern creations to choose from as well. Making the right choice when shopping for a smoky topaz pendant may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 20th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 21st Century, both of which have proven very popular over the years. A smoky topaz pendant from
Le Vian,
Alex Soldier and
Effy — each of whom created a beautiful version of this treasured accessory — is worth considering. See these pages for a
round cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also
cushion cut cut and
oval cut cut versions available here, too. When shopping for a smoky topaz pendant, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for unisex or
men today than there are for
women.
The word “topaz” comes from Topazios, the Greek name for St. James Island on the Red Sea (presently known as Zabargad). And even though the Greeks believed that topaz protected the wearer and gave them strength, we unfortunately cannot promise that your antique and vintage topaz jewelry will give you any superhuman abilities.
Beloved by royalty, topazes were once believed to possess special powers for curing diseases and breaking magical spells. While they may not have supernatural properties, these autumnal gems are enchanting just the same.
It’s appropriate that as the temperatures cool and the leaves turn yellow, the birthstone for November is a gem found in autumnal hues. The deep browns, reds and oranges of the topaz, a stone once believed to have the power to cure fevers, is perfect for this time of year. In fact, the palette has also inspired a second birthstone for the month: citrine, which is less expensive and easier to find. Truth be told, topazes can be found in a wide variety of colors (which can get confusing since the blue topaz, along with turquoise, is a birthstone for the month of December), but it’s nice to wax poetic about the season.
The topaz can be blue, green, yellow, pink, purple and red. The colors of this allochromatic stone result from impurities in its crystal structure and are not part of its chemical composition, which is aluminum silicate fluoride hydroxide. The true color of topaz is no color at all. Isn’t it fascinating that a stone that can come in a variety of colors is colorless in its purest form?
Find a range of vintage and antique topaz rings, topaz necklaces and other accessories on 1stDibs.
Whether you’re layering multiple jewelry pieces or opting for a single strand, vintage pendant necklaces are versatile accessories that can elevate your casual wear as easily as they can add a creative flourish to your formal attire.
The earliest jewelry was less about accessorizing than it was about wearers arming themselves with amulets. In Ancient Egypt, some amulets featured a loop so that they could be strung around one’s neck. While rubies have long been one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money, members of some ancient civilizations valued the stones from the get-go, donning ruby pendants as well as other stones with the belief that these adornments would bring protection, healing powers or strength. Today, we still wear our charm bracelets and charm pendants around our necks for good luck.
Later, pendant necklaces, like most fine jewelry, were worn strictly by royalty or the upper class and conferred wealth and prestige. This changed over time, thankfully, as wearing jewelry became more widespread, a democratized means of personal expression.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, pendant necklaces evolved from their status as spiritual amulets, but the jewels still carried deep personal significance. Victorian pendants, in particular, were part of the “mourning jewelry” tradition. Wearers would embed their pendants with locks of hair from a deceased loved one as a way of grieving in the wake of a loss. In the case of cameo jewelry, some pendants were even decorated with miniature hand-carved portraits in a detailed raised relief. Today, portraiture is still a characteristic of many of the hand-carved pendant necklaces offered by Italian jewelry house Scala Gioielli.
Luxury fine jewelry brands such as Cartier, BVLGARI and David Yurman offer their own unique interpretations of the cherished accessory, embellishing platinum or gold pendant necklaces with diamonds, sapphires and other stones.
On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage pendant necklaces and other necklaces today.