C1690 Iberian 7 Stone Table Cut Emerald Bow Form Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
table cuts, where lapidaries sliced off the top of the emerald to produce a flat gem cut which is
Antique 17th Century Spanish Baroque Wedding Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold
C1690 Iberian 7 Stone Table Cut Emerald Bow Form Ring
Located in Baltimore, MD
table cuts, where lapidaries sliced off the top of the emerald to produce a flat gem cut which is
Emerald, 18k Gold
Georgian Emerald Table Cut Diamond Yellow Gold Marquise Ring
Located in London, GB
with two square emeralds and 18 table cut and rose cut diamonds foiled back. The ring is fully made in
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Unusual Georgian Table Cut Emerald and Rose Cut Diamond Gold Ring 18K Gold
Located in London, GB
before. A row of three vertically-aligned table cut emeralds line the centre. The closed-back emeralds
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Renaissance 17th Century Table Cut Rock Crystal Love Heart Ring 22K Gold
Located in London, GB
A stunning example of a Western European renaissance ring dating to around 1650! A high table-cut
Crystal, Rock Crystal, 22k Gold
Rare Antique Georgian Late 18th Century Table Cut Emerald and Diamond Ring
Located in London, GB
the late 18th century, circa 1780 and was made in Western Europe. A table cut natural emerald, likely
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
16th Century Renaissance Gold Ring with Table Cut Rock Crystal 22K Gold
Located in London, GB
A stunning example of a European renaissance ring dating to 1550-1600! A table-cut rock crystal is
Rock Crystal, 22k Gold
Georgian Table Cut Emerald Ring
Located in New York, NY
This glamorous Georgian era ring has 7 natural table cut emeralds set in 15K gold in a galleried
Emerald, 15k Gold
Georgian Emerald and Diamond Ring
Located in CA, CA
A rare Georgian foil backed table cut emerald ring with silver mounted rose cut diamonds on a
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, Silver
$10,003 / set
W 0.91 in D 0.22 in L 3.08 in
Antique Iberian (Spain) Colombian Emerald & Diamond Earrings late 18th Century
Located in OVIEDO, AS
Dazzling pair of museum quality Herring/ Chandelier earrings (collector's item), with electric foiled Emeralds. Inlaid with rose-cut and table-cut diamonds. Superbly preserved, datin...
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Silver
Georgian 18k Gold Octagonal Miniature Ring, Circa 1790, France
Located in Firenze, IT
Octagonal miniature depicting a putto under a tree and near a brazer with the inscription in French "à l'amitié" that underlines the sentimental value of such gift. The frame is in ...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 16th Century 20kt Gold Ring with Ruby and Enamel (Lithuanian-Polish)
Located in Braintree, GB
A rare surviving example from the mid-to-late 16th century, this Poland–Lithuania Commonwealth ring is crafted in high-purity 20-karat gold and features remnants of its original enam...
Ruby, Gold, 22k Gold, Enamel
Renaissance Cameo Pendant
Located in New Orleans, LA
The cameo at the center of this exceptional pendant is a stunning example of the art of gem engraving during the Renaissance. It likely dates to the early 17th century and features a...
Multi-gemstone, Pearl, 18k Gold, Enamel
Antique Gold Seljuk 12th Century Ring Carnelian Intaglio Kufic Islamic Signet
Located in London, GB
This incredible, rare gold ring dates from the 12th century Seljuk dynasty. The carnelian intaglio is set within a typical Seljuk tapered rectangular bezel with a four-pronged gold s...
Carnelian, Gold
Antique 18th Century Georgian Rare Heart Motif Diamond 14K Gold Engagement Ring
Located in New York, NY
Enchanting and romantic, large antique 18th century Georgian period heart motif rose cut diamond 14K gold and silver topped gold engagement ring Composed of a central Rose cut diamon...
Diamond, 14k Gold
Antique Ring natural 0.85ct Sapphire 0.8ctw Diamonds 18K Gold Silver Ø6.5US/4.3g
Located in SE
Nice Renaissance - styled cluster Ring with the carved band, shoulders, and parts of the crown in solid 18ct Yellow Gold holding natural Blue Sapphire stone and eight rose - cut Diam...
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
Post Medieval Sapphire Gold Fleur-de-lis Ring, circa 16th Century
Located in London, GB
Post medieval sapphire fleur-de-lis ring. An impressive and extremely rare ring, set with two kite shape rose cut natural unenhanced sapphires in closed back rubover settings with a ...
Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold
C1680 Stuart Period Paste Cluster Ring with Center Almandine Garnet
Located in Baltimore, MD
Unusual English Stuart period paste cluster ring with 8 rose cut pastes set in silver and backed in 18K with a gold bordered almandine garnet stone at center. Rings with paste stones...
Garnet, 18k Gold, Enamel
C1820 15K Emerald and Diamond Ring in Geometric Linked "t" formation
Located in Baltimore, MD
Georgian emerald and diamond ring with gemstones set in a geometric pattern of 3 linked "t"s and set in crimped collets with the lovely hand carved gold Georgian closed back that is ...
Diamond, Emerald, 15k Gold
Georgian Natural Ruby Table Cut Iberian 18 KT Ring
Located in Napoli, IT
This antique Ruby ring is Georgian period, classy Iberian example of the era in a rosette shape – hand crafted of solid 18 KT gold, tests as 18/20 KT It has a flat large crown set wi...
Ruby, 18k Gold
Rare 17th Century Late Renaissance Period Diamond Enamel Gold Snake Ring
Located in New York, NY
Fine, museum quality Late Renaissance period diamond, white and cobalt enamel gold snake ring 17th Century This beautiful ring is a remarkable example of Late Renaissance period jewe...
Diamond, Gold, Enamel
Renaissance Religious Ichthys "Fish" Band of Red Enamel and Gold
Located in Baltimore, MD
Our Renaissance era religious devotional ring has its original shank of rich high carat gold with bright enamel colors in the form of circling fish. The fish is symbolic for both Ch...
Gold, Enamel
Rare Georgian Italian Table Cut Ruby Gold Ring
Located in Firenze, IT
Late-1700s (Georgian era) Italian gold ring with table cut rubies in closed setting. This beautiful example is completely original, it features a lovely flower bow shape with decorat...
Ruby, Gold
An 18th century gold gimmel ring
Located in London, GB
An 18th century gold gimmel ring, consisting of three separate hoops linked together so they can fit together unnoticeably as one, embellished with two interlocking hands pulled apar...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
C1690 18K Iberian Bow Form Ring with Table Cut Diamonds
Located in Baltimore, MD
Rare late 17th century seven stone diamond cluster finger ring of bow form from the Iberian Peninsula. This cluster ring is set with 7 table-cut deep diamonds totaling almost 1 cara...
Diamond, 18k Gold
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 and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. 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.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.
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Accounting for just 1 percent of all diamonds, these marvels of nature are exceedingly rare and gorgeously complex.
Learn about these antique jewelry styles, then choose a design that speaks to you.