Sterle Pin

Surely you’ll find the exact sterle pin you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. Frequently made of Gold, 18k Gold and Yellow Gold, this item was constructed with great care. As it relates to this specific piece, our collection includes designs that are universally popular, but carat weights, specifically, are sought with frequency. Finding an appealing sterle pin — no matter the origin — is easy, but Pierre Sterlé and Chaumet each produced a popular version that is worth a look. While most can agree that any sterle pin from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a Diamond version from the 9 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. Most of our sterle pin for sale are for women, but there are 2 pieces available to browse for men.

On average, a sterle pin at 1stDibs sells for $7,000, while they’re typically $4,900 on the low end and $60,000 for the highest priced versions of this item.

The loss of his father in World War I led to Pierre Sterlé’s mentorship under his uncle, who supported his ascension into the jewelry design world. At the height of his success, Sterlé designed for jewelry titans Boucheron, Chaumet and Ostertag. He won the De Beers Diamond Award three years in a row and operated out of an exclusive boutique in Paris that served the elite and royal families by appointment only.

His uncle was a Parisian jeweler on the rue de Castiglione. Sterlé started his own workshop at the age of 29 and spent five years designing for eminent Parisian jewelry houses on rue Sainte-Anne. By the mid-1940s, Sterlé had moved his atelier closer to the Place Vendôme to better serve his wealthy patrons, who included French author Colette, King Farouk of Egypt, the Maharani of Baroda and the Begum Aga Khan.

Sterlé had a remarkable ability to “knit gold” into woven masterpieces. His technical prowess was unmatched by anyone in Paris, and arguably the world. His “angel wire” technique, considered his signature style, incorporated gold into fine ropes that became link bracelets, cocktail rings and accents on decorative pins and brooches. The effect gave a sense of movement and life to the pieces, something Sterlé strived for in his attempts to make metal and precious gemstones less rigid and cold. 

Two misfortunes derailed his business. The first was a failed venture into perfume, which resulted in having to sell many of his designs to Chaumet and New York jeweler Montreaux. Sterlé rebounded with a successful display at the 1966 Biennale in Paris, where he was the first modern jeweler ever invited. His second misstep was more damaging. He opened an exclusive shop on the rue Saint-Honoré in 1969. It was unsuccessful, and he was forced to declare bankruptcy, selling most of his stock to Chaumet in 1976.

Sterlé stayed on with the company as a consultant until his death two years later in 1978. 

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Pierre Sterlé rings, earrings, bracelets and more.

Vintage brooches, which refer to decorative jewelry traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.

While jewelry trends come and go, brooches are indeed back on the radar thanks to fashion houses like Gucci, Versace, Dior and Saint Laurent, all of which feature fun pinnable designs in their current collections. Whether a dazzlingly naturalistic Art Nouveau dragonfly, a whimsical David Webb animal, a gem-studded bloom or a streamlined abstract design, these jewels add color and sparkle to your look and a spring to your step. 

Given their long history, brooches have expectedly taken on a variety of different shapes and forms over time, with jewelers turning to assorted methods of ornamentation for these accessories, including enameling and the integration of pearls and gemstones. Cameo brooches that originated during the Victorian age are characterized by a shell carved in raised relief that feature portraits of a woman’s profile, while 19th-century micromosaic brooches, comprising innumerable individually placed glass fragments, sometimes feature miniature depictions of a pastoral scene in daily Roman life.

At one time, brooches were symbols of wealth, made primarily from the finest metals and showcasing exquisite precious gemstones. Today, these jewels are inclusive and universal, and you don’t have to travel very far to find an admirer of brooches. They can be richly geometric in form, such as the ornate diamond pins dating from the Art Deco era, or designer-specific, such as the celebrated naturalistic works created by Tiffany & Co., the milk glass and gold confections crafted by Trifari or handmade vintage Chanel brooches of silk or laminated sheer fabric. Chanel, of course, has never abandoned this style, producing gorgeously baroque CC examples since the 1980s.

Brooches are versatile and adaptable. These decorative accessories can be worn in your hair, on hats, scarves and on the lower point of V-neck clothing. Pin a dazzling brooch to the lapel of your blazer-and-tee combo or add a cluster of smaller pins to your overcoat. And while brooches have their place in “mourning jewelry,” in that a mourning brooch is representative of your connection to a lost loved one, they’re widely seen as romantic and symbolic of love, so much so that a hardcore brooch enthusiast might advocate for brooches to be worn over the heart.

Today, find a wide variety of antique and vintage brooches for sale on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.