From $8,855Sale Price / item|20% Off
Cherry Red Heart Balloon Ring
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
A bold declaration of passion and artistry, the Cherry Red Heart Balloon Ring is a statement piece that captures the lightness of love in full bloom. Its striking cherry-red balloon,...
White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
$3,771Sale Price / item|20% Off
Gold Heart Balloon Pendant
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
A radiant symbol of love and longing, the Gold Heart Balloon Pendant from the Love is in the Air Collection brings romance to life through impeccable craftsmanship and artistry. Insp...
White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Silver
From $10,605Sale Price / item|20% Off
Classic Cherry Red Balloon Ring in 18K White Gold
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
A bold declaration of passion and artistry, the Classic Cherry Red Balloon Ring is a statement piece that captures the lightness of love in full bloom. Its striking cherry-red balloo...
White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Silver
$4,099Sale Price / item|20% Off
Classic Black Piano Mono Balloon Earring 18K
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Elevate your style with this artfully designed earring, crafted in 18K yellow gold and polished silver. Inspired by the emotion and symbolism of street art, its sculptural form blend...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
From $11,534Sale Price / item|20% Off
Classic Gold Balloon Ring in 18K White Gold
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
A bold declaration of passion and artistry, the Classic Gold Balloon Ring is a statement piece that captures the lightness of love in full bloom. Its striking gold balloon, polished ...
White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
$8,910Sale Price / item|20% Off
Classic Gold Balloon Ring in 18K White Gold
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
A bold declaration of passion and artistry, the Classic Gold Balloon Ring is a statement piece that captures the lightness of love in full bloom. Its striking gold balloon, polished ...
White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
$2,766Sale Price / item|20% Off
Fortune Rainbow Green Band Ring
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Making unique and complex jewellery, like Merry-go-round or our ballerinas, we saw how intrigued and pleased our customers are in our jewellery. We wanted to give people the opportun...
White Diamond, Green Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$2,787Sale Price / item|20% Off
Fortune Rainbow Band Ring Yellow
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Make your own luck with our Fortune Rainbow band ring. This playful Fortune Rainbow Band ring with mirror-polished 18ct gold base and colourful sapphires adds a striking radiance to ...
White Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
$1,298Sale Price / item|50% Off
Yellow Gold E Letter Pendant with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
This exquisite yellow gold pendant charm showcases the letter "E" adorned with a dazzling arrangement of diamonds, adding a personal and luxurious touch to your jewelry collection. T...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$1,298Sale Price / item|50% Off
Yellow Gold D Letter Pendant with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
This exquisite yellow gold pendant charm showcases the letter "D" adorned with a dazzling arrangement of diamonds, adding a personal and luxurious touch to your jewelry collection. T...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$2,077Sale Price / item|20% Off
Plain Yellow Ball with Diamond Thread
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
This elegant yellow gold pendant charm exudes timeless sophistication and modern allure. Featuring a sleek spherical design, the charm is adorned with a radiant row of shimmering dia...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$2,420Sale Price|30% Off
Fortune Rainbow Band Ring Navy Blue
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Making unique and complex jewellery, like Merry-go-round or our ballerinas, we saw how intrigued and pleased our customers are in our jewellery. We wanted to give people the opportun...
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$12,026Sale Price / item|20% Off
She’s an Alien Earrings in 18ct Yellow Gold with Emeralds & Diamond Star
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Enchanting 18ct yellow gold earrings with 1.86ct lg emeralds and 0.09ct white diamonds. Balanced, secure, and boldly individual. Towards the Stars Collection Celebrate bold individua...
White Diamond, Emerald, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$38,113Sale Price / item|20% Off
She’s an Alien Necklace in 18ct Yellow Gold with Diamonds & Sapphires
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Part of Sybarite’s celestial Towards the Stars Collection, the She’s an Alien Necklace is a whimsical, sculptural piece handcrafted from 18ct yellow gold, weighing 20.69 grams. This ...
White Diamond, Emerald, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, Green Sapphire...
$13,666Sale Price / item|20% Off
Fortune Triad Asymmetric Earrings Pendant
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Coming together in a modern and asymmetric design, these contemporary earrings contain all the best distinctive features of the Triad collection. Crafted in 18ct white, yellow & ...
White Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
$5,903Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Crown Cluster Ring in Yellow Gold with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Part of our Little Treasures collection, the Sybarite Crown Cluster Ring injects an everyday staple with a touch of regality. Taking a classic ring silhouette and elevating it with s...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Mixed Metal
$2,869Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Jewellery Dangle Ring 0.12 Carats Rubies 0.63 Carats Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former archite...
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Mixed Metal
$16,181Sale Price|20% Off
L 14 in
Sybarite Jewellery Rocket Pendant Necklace 3.09 Carat Diamond 18 Karat Gold
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a brand and ethos inspired by that single, creased rose petal. We create jewellery that is incomparable in both design and accomplishment. Our customers seek ex...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Mixed Metal, ...
Meditation Kinetic Pendant
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Our Fortune Collection is a playful take on the Wheel of Fortune, a symbol worldwide for the euphoria that one stroke of luck can bring. We have captured this spirit of magic and luc...
White Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
$1,674Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Fortune Band Ring in White Gold and Round Cut Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Making unique and complex jewellery, like Merry-go-round or our iconic ballerinas, we saw how intrigued our customers are. We wanted to give them the opportunity to bring this sense ...
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
$18,258Sale Price|20% Off
W 0.79 in L 1.97 in
Sybarite Jewellery Rocket Pendant 18K White Gold 3.09 Carats White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Fly me to the moon… An otherworldly piece for the stylish savant and space enthusiast alike. This playful Sybarite Rocket pendant crafted elegantly in white gold and briolette cut d...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
$1,434Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Classic Band Ring in Blackened Gold with Black Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, Black Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
$7,981Sale Price / set|20% Off
L 1.97 in
Sybarite Royal Jubilee Earrings in Yellow Gold with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Yellow Gold
$9,511Sale Price / item|20% Off
L 2.96 in
Sybarite Doll Pendant Necklace in White Gold with White Diamonds & Pearl
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Inspired by Serge Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes—perhaps one of the most influential ballet companies of all time—this Dancing Doll pendant is Sybarite’s tribute to its enduring legend. ...
Diamond, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold, Mixed Met...
$2,487Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Classic Band Ring in Blackened Gold with Emeralds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, Black Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$35,423Sale Price|42% Off
Sybarite Leda Ring
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Pink Sapphire, Black Diamond, Pink Diamond, White Diamond, Diamond, 18k ...
$18,036Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Horny Tiara
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
A devilish, playful piece, this Horny Tiara is exemplar of our unique Sybarite spirit. Designed for the brave at heart, this striking piece is crafted by expert metalworkers before b...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
$1,721Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Spare Key Ring
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Yellow Sapphire, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
$13,010Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Safety Pin Ring in Yellow Gold with Rainbow Gemstones and a Charm Ball
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Multi-gemstone, Emerald, Ruby, Green Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$30,612Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Heritage Ring in Blackened Gold with Black Diamonds Rubies
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
The Sybarite Heritage Collection draws on centuries of tradition and sovereign imagery. Crafted from the finest blackened gold, this piece is set alight with round-cut black diamonds...
Sapphire, Ruby, Black Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Mixed Metal
Sybarite Clockwork Bracelet
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
White Diamond, Yellow Gold
$2,295Sale Price|20% Off
Smiley Happy Ring in 18ct Yellow Gold with Diamonds Sybarite Jewellery
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Celebrate joy with the Sybarite Smiley Happy Ring in yellow gold and white diamonds. A playful luxury piece designed to spin and shine. Sybarite Smiley "Happy" Ring in 18ct Yellow Go...
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Black Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow ...
Sybarite Plie Necklace
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, Black Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Sybarite Plie Earrings
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and execution. Part of the Dancing Doll collection, these Sybarite Plie e...
Diamond, Black Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
$2,869Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Crown Ring in Yellow Gold with White Diamonds (Zig Zag)
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Add a touch of Sybarite spirit to your everyday essentials. A classic silhouette is reimagined here with expert craftsmanship and whimsical design, injecting a touch of regal symboli...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
$1,434Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Classic Band Ring in 18K Blackened Gold with Black Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Sybarite, a former archi...
Diamond, Black Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
$1,858Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Cross Ring in Blackened Gold with Black Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, Black Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
$3,717Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Cross Ring in White Gold with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
$2,842Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Crown Ring in White Gold with White Diamonds (Zig Zag)
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Add a touch of Sybarite spirit to your everyday essentials. A classic silhouette is reimagined here with expert craftsmanship and whimsical design, injecting a touch of regal symboli...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
$6,122Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Jewellery Cross Ring 18 Karat Yellow Gold 1.69 Carats White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Part of Sybarite’s Little Treasures collection, this ring—set with white diamonds and available in yellow or white gold—has been designed with the gift of giving in mind. From time t...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Mixed Metal, Gold
$19,679Sale Price|20% Off
W 0.91 in L 2.49 in
Sybarite Nelson Pendant in White Gold with White Diamonds & South Sea Pearl
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Inspired by the life of the legendary British Royal Navy officer, the Nelson pendant reimagines the glory and heritage of naval life here in 18k white gold, set with dazzling diamond...
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Topaz, White Diamond, Blue Diamond, 18k...
Sybarite Cross Bangle in White Gold & Diamond
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
$30,612Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Heritage Ring in White Gold with White Diamonds & Sapphires
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
The Sybarite Heritage Collection draws on centuries of tradition and sovereign imagery. Crafted from the finest white gold, this piece is set alight with diamonds and vibrant sapphir...
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
$30,612Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Heritage Ring in White Gold with White Diamonds & Rubies
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
The Sybarite Heritage Collection draws on centuries of tradition and sovereign imagery. Crafted from the finest white gold, this piece is set alight with diamonds and blazing rubies....
Diamond, Ruby, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
$3,252Sale Price|30% Off
Sybarite Cross Ring in Yellow Gold with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
$11,261Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Crown Cluster Ring in White Gold with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Part of our Little Treasures collection, the Sybarite Crown Cluster Ring injects an everyday staple with a touch of regality. Taking a classic ring silhouette and elevating it with s...
Diamond, White Diamond, White Gold
$2,623Sale Price|20% Off
Sybarite Classic Band Ring in White Gold with White Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
$16,727Sale Price|20% Off
L 2.05 in
Sybarite Pocket Rocket Pendant in Blackened Gold with Black Diamonds
By Sybarite Jewellery
Located in London, GB
Sybarite Jewellery is a London-based luxury brand crafting outstanding pieces, incomparable both in design and in execution. Spearheaded by founder Margarita Prykhodko, a former arch...
Diamond, Black Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Mixed Metal, Gold
Contemporary jewelry is inextricably linked with the moment in which it is created, frequently reflecting current social, cultural and political issues such as environmental consciousness, identity and sustainability. It’s informed by fashion trends, from the chokers of the 1990s to the large chain necklaces of the early 2000s.
Jewelry is one of the oldest forms of adornment. Lockets made of silver or gold have been treasured gifts for hundreds of years, for example, and charm bracelets, which have existed since prehistoric times, didn’t become especially popular until the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. For many centuries, fine jewelry was used primarily to express wealth or status through lavish materials. Then, in the 1960s, a concept known as the “critique of preciousness” emerged, with jewelers creating pieces that did not get their value from gemstones or precious metals. Instead, it was the jeweler’s artistic vision that was prized and elevated.
This shift still informs Contemporary jewelry being made by artists today. Whether they are using cheap, found materials and working with provocative geometric shapes or seeking out the rarest stones, they are imbuing their work with meaning through their skills, techniques and ideas. Innovative designers such as Elsa Peretti, who popularized sculptural sterling-silver jewelry for Tiffany & Co., and David Yurman, who twisted metal into the simple yet striking Cable bracelet, have also influenced the direction of Contemporary jewelry’s forms and aesthetics.
Meanwhile, technological advancements like metal alloys and laser engraving have led to new possibilities in jewelry design. Now, edgy makers and brands as well as minimalist designers are pushing Contemporary jewelry forward into the 21st century.
Find a collection of Contemporary rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry 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 diamond rings, diamond tiaras and dazzling vintage diamond earrings are on the wish lists of every lover of fine jewelry. And diamonds and diamond jewelry are primarily associated with storybook engagements and red-carpet grand entrances — indeed, this ultra-cherished gemstone has a dramatic history on its hands.
From “A Diamond Is Forever” to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” pop culture has ingrained in our minds that diamonds are the most desired, the most lasting and the most valuable gemstone. But what makes the diamond so special? Each stone — whether it’s rubies, sapphires or another stone — is unique and important in its own right. April babies might claim diamonds for themselves, but just about everyone wants this kind of sparkle in their lives!
There are several factors that set diamonds apart from other stones, and these points are important to our gem education.
Diamonds are minerals. They are made up of almost entirely of carbon (carbon comprises 99.95 percent; the remainder consists of various trace elements). Diamonds are the hardest gemstones, ranking number 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Even its name, diamond, is rooted in the Greek adamas, or unconquerable. The only object that can scratch a diamond is another diamond. Diamonds are formed deep within the earth at very high temperatures (1,652–2,372 degrees Fahrenheit at depths between 90 and 120 miles beneath the earth’s surface) and are carried up by volcanic activity. Diamonds are quite rare, according to the Gemological Institute of America, and only 30 percent of all the diamonds mined in the world are gem quality.
In the 1950s, the Gemological Institute of America developed the 4Cs grading system to classify diamonds: clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Not all diamonds are created equal (there are diamonds, and then there are diamonds). The value of the diamond depends on the clarity (flawless diamonds are very rare but a diamond's value decreases if there are many blemishes or inclusions), color (the less color the higher the grade), cut (how the diamond’s facets catch the light, certain cuts of diamonds show off the stone better than others) and carat weight (the bigger, the better).
When you start shopping for a diamond engagement ring, always prioritize the cut, which plays the largest role in the diamond's beauty (taking the time to clean your diamond ring at least every six months or so plays a role in maintaining said beauty). And 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.
Shop antique and vintage diamond rings, diamond necklaces and other extraordinary diamond jewelry on 1stDibs.