Tiffany Starburst Earrings
20th Century Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Emerald
Vintage 1970s French Clip-on Earrings
Garnet, Quartz, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Italian Modern Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Enamel
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Early 2000s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Gold
Vintage 1950s Swiss Wrist Watches
Diamond
Vintage 1980s American Drop Earrings
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Italian More Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Unknown Modern Wrist Watches
18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Natural Pearl, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1970s American Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
2010s Indian Art Deco Link Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Artist Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1970s Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Contemporary Bangles
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Antique Late 19th Century Contemporary Link Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Link Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
20th Century Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Lever-Back Earrings
Sterling Silver
20th Century Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Emerald
Mid-20th Century American Retro Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Clip-on Earrings
Quartz, Tsavorite, 18k Gold
American Clip-on Earrings
Onyx
Vintage 1960s American Brooches
White Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Earrings
Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Stud Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
American Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1970s American Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Post-War Brooches
Aquamarine, Diamond, 18k Gold
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.