Taxco Vintage Signed Sterling Earrings
Mid-20th Century Mexican Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Mexican Modernist Drop Necklaces
Amethyst, Sterling Silver
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Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Mexican Modernist More Necklaces
Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s Danish Modernist Link Bracelets
Agate, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
Antique 19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Mexican Artisan Brooches
Sterling Silver
20th Century Mexican Modernist Brooches
Silver
Vintage 1960s Peruvian Artisan Cuff Bracelets
Malachite, Quartz, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Choker Necklaces
Sapphire, White Gold
20th Century Mexican Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Mexican Baroque Revival Charm Bracelets
Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, 14k Gold, Gold
Mid-20th Century Mexican Brooches
Sterling Silver
Antique 1770s Portuguese Georgian Dangle Earrings
Quartz, Rock Crystal, Silver
Vintage 1950s British Drop Necklaces
Rhodium, Base Metal
Vintage 1950s French Brooches
Gilt Metal
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century Mexican Choker Necklaces
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1960s Mexican Modernist Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Mexican Clip-on Earrings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Mexican Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Mexican Modernist Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Mexican Modernist Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1950s Mexican Modernist Brooches
Sterling Silver, Brass, Mixed Metal
Finding the Right earrings for You
In the United States, ear piercing didn’t really become popular until the 1950s and ‘60s, but our desire for a dazzling pair of vintage earrings has deeper roots than that. In fact, wearing earrings actually goes back thousands of years, and you can find many tangible connections between now and then in how we continue to talk about these treasured accessories.
Women wore ornamental earrings — studs and hoops at the very least — in Ancient Egypt, which is home to mines that are among the earliest sources of emeralds in the world. Emerald earrings are highly prized today, and their quality lies in their rich, saturated color. The highest-quality emeralds are green or bluish-green. Earrings worn by the affluent in early Roman civilizations were set with precious stones such as diamonds and pearls, and a clean-looking pop of pearl on the front of the lobe is as timeless as ever. Hoop earrings are imbued with symbolism and cultural significance for many, and on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.
Today, ear piercing is very popular all over the world, and, as a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a good pair of earrings — modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings, you name it. Sure, jewelry trends and the fashion darlings of social media come and go, but earrings have a staying power that seems impenetrable: The still-strong love affair between British royals and Cartier earrings is more than a century old, glossy 1970s hoops from legacy houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels remain the statement makers they’ve always been and although people have been stacking earrings for many moons, the allure of an expertly mismatched stack of charms and studs still feels fresh and new.
While there is no shortage of modern earring designs to choose from, the classics, like coral earrings, Art Deco–style earrings and diamond drop earrings are still heavy hitters. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique, new and vintage earrings today.