Victorian 50" 14KT Belcher Watch Chain
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Beautiful Victorian 14KT Watch Chain Belcher style chain measures 50" in length.
Antique 19th Century Unknown High Victorian Chain Necklaces
14k Gold
Victorian 50" 14KT Belcher Watch Chain
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Beautiful Victorian 14KT Watch Chain Belcher style chain measures 50" in length.
14k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. Length: 36cm Chain Width: 2.5mm Weight: 6.5g
Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Victorian 15ct Yellow Gold Fancy Belcher Link Chain
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Gold Chain 15ct Gold Tested Circa 1890 Fancy Link Belcher Chain with Barrel Clasp Measures Approx Length 18 1/2 Inches & Width 2.4mm Weight 12.1g All of our items a...
15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 9ct Yellow Gold Victorian 32.5 Inch Faceted Belcher Chain
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Belcher Chain 9ct Yellow Gold Stamped Circa 1890 This stunning Victorian belcher link chain is made of 9ct yellow gold and dates back to the late 1800s.
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian 14K Gold Pocket Watch Key Belcher Rolo Chain
Located in Rotterdam, NL
A Victorian 14 karat gold long rolo link pocket watch chain.
14k Gold
15ct Rose Gold, 22 1/4 Inch Victorian Faceted Round Belcher Link with Bolt Ring
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Belcher Chain 15ct rose Gold Circa 1890 Makers Mark J M Elegant and timeless, this stunning Victorian belcher link chain is crafted from 15ct rose gold, beautifully sho...
15k Gold
Victorian Book Chain Necklace Antique Dog Clip For Locket Or Pendant circa 1870
Located in New York, NY
THIS IS A SUPERB ANTIQUE VICTORIAN BOOK BELCHER CHAIN NECKLACE IN A BRAIDED MESH DESIGN WITH TWO FABULOUS BALES INCLUDING A LARGE DOG CLIP BALE AND A LARGE CIRCLE CLIP BALE.
Gold-filled
Antique Victorian Long Silver Guard Chain Belcher Necklace, circa 1900
Located in Lancaster, Lancashire
This long antique Belcher guard chain has been beautifully preserved from the Victorian era and is extremely robust made up of interconnecting Silver links.
Silver
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 41cm Chain Width: 2mm Weight: 3g
Gold, 9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace an almost fine yet chunky look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 57cm Chain ...
9k Gold, Gold
Antique 9ct Yellow Gold Belcher Chain, Victorian Faceted Link Necklace
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Belcher Chain 9ct Gold Tagged Circa 1880 This lovely antique belcher chain is made of 9ct yellow gold and bears the tag of authenticity.
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Victorian Yellow Gold Belcher Long Guard Belcher Link Necklace
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
If you are an experienced collector or are getting to know the world of Antique jewelry, this Victorian Yellow Gold Long Guard Belcher Link Necklace, is such an iconic Victorian piece.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian 3.4g 9K Yellow Gold 16 Inch Fancy Link Belcher Chain
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
This beautiful Victorian chain is made up of circular belcher links.
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian 9 Karat Gold Long Belcher Guard Dog Clip Chain Necklace
Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.
This is an antique Victorian long belcher guard chain necklace. It features a swivel dog clip that can be used to attach a pendant or fob.
9k Gold
Antique 9ct Rose Gold, Victorian 18.5 Inch Fancy Double Link Belcher Chain
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Belcher Chain 9ct Rose Gold Stamped Circa 1880 Introducing an exquisite 9ct Rose Gold Edwardian Fancy Double Link Belcher Chain, a stunning piece that embodies the elegan...
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Victorian 9 Karat Yellow Gold Belcher Link Chain Necklace, Dog Clip
Located in NEWARK, GB
A beautiful antique, late Victorian 9kt gold Belcher or rolo link chain necklace.
9k Gold, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold
9ct Rose Gold Victorian 30 Inch Faceted Belcher Chain 3 Colour Floral Slider
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Slider Chain 9ct Rose Gold Tagged Circa 1880 This 9ct rose gold tagged Victorian faceted belcher link chain is a true gem from the past.
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 15K Gold Watch Chain
Located in Baltimore, MD
Victorian belcher link watch chain in 15K gold can be worn with a watch, pendant or fob.
15k Gold
Antique Victorian 9ct Rose Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in London, GB
Our Victorian belcher chain is set in 9ct rose gold. This stunning piece can be worn simply alone or you can hang your favourite pendant on it.
9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace an almost fine yet chunky look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 17inches Ch...
9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 43cm Chain Width: 2mm Weight:...
Gold, 9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 61.5cm Chain Width: 2.5mm Wei...
Gold, 9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 44cm Chain Width: 2.5mm Weigh...
Gold, 9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 80cm Chain Width: 3mm Weight:...
Gold, 9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace a fine look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 47cm Chain Width: 3.5mm Weigh...
Gold, 9k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
This lovely necklace is simple and the belcher style chain gives the necklace an almost fine yet chunky look. The necklace is fastened using a bolt ring clasp. Length: 48cm Chain ...
Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Victorian 14K Gold Belcher Tassel Chain Necklace
Located in Rotterdam, NL
This is an antique Victorian gold link belcher chain necklace set with two dangling tassel pendants.
Gold, 14k Gold
Victorian 9 Carat Gold Belcher Link Chain Necklace
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
A beautiful antique chain necklace from the Victorian era, formed of superb fancy belcher links with a barrel and torpedo clasp.
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian 9kt Gold Chain Necklace, Belcher Link, Long Chain
Located in NEWARK, GB
A gorgeous antique, Victorian 9kt yellow gold longuard chain. Attractive yellow gold double oval belcher links, long length that can easily be doubled.
Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Victorian 9ct Rose Gold Double Belcher Chain
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Belcher Chain 9ct Rose Gold Stamped Circa 1880 Lovely, Victorian double belcher link chain.
9k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Victorian 9 Karat Yellow Gold Longuard Chain, Belcher Link Necklace
Located in NEWARK, GB
A beautiful antique, Victorian era, 9 karat gold longuard or muff chain.
Yellow Gold
Antique 9ct Rose Gold, Victorian 19 Inch Fancy Double Link Belcher Chain
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Belcher Chain 9ct Rose Gold Stamped & Tagged Circa 1880 Introducing an exquisite 9ct Rose Gold Victorian Fancy Double Link Belcher Chain, a stunning piece that embodies t...
9k Gold, Rose Gold
C.1860 Sterling Silver Round Belcher Link Chain
Located in Baltimore, MD
This is an original nineteenth century sterling watch chain with a round interlocking link. Close-up photos reveal the interlocking nature of the links. A great deal of ingenuity w...
Sterling Silver
9ct Gold Victorian 18 1/4 Inch Fancy Double Belcher Link Chain with Barrel Clasp
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Double Belcher Link Chain 9ct Gold Circa 1880 This 9ct gold fancy double belcher link chain is an exquisite piece of jewellery that is perfect for any occasion. The chain...
Gold, 9k Gold
Antique 15ct Yellow Gold 16 Inch, Belcher Link Chain, Circa 1900
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Yellow Gold Chain 15ct Gold Stamped Circa 1900 Belcher chain in 15ct yellow gold, measuring 16 inches in length. The chain features uniform round links with a classic belc...
15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Sold
W 0.88 in D 0.38 in Dm 0.88 in L 10.25 in
Gold Filled Victorian Locket and Belcher Chain with Pearl and Turquoise
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
The oval locket is attached to the belcher chain by a shield shaped bail. The locket itself opens from the back.
Gold-filled
Victorian Gold Belcher Link Guard Chain
Located in London, GB
A Victorian gold belcher link guard chain, the open round belcher chain, each link engraved with a chevron pattern, to a barrel push clasp, circa 1860, measuring approximately 100 x ...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian 18 Carat Gold on Silver Belcher Link Chain, circa 1900
Located in Lancaster , GB
A grand antique Victorian belcher chain made up of interlocking Sterling Silver links which have been gilded in 18ct Yellow Gold.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique Victorian Fancy-Link Gold Belcher Chain
Located in Sale, Cheshire
A fine quality antique belcher chain, with two sets of fancy ball and bar links. The belcher links measure approx. 4mm in diameter, and the outer surfaces are lightly faceted. MEASU...
9k Gold
Victorian Fancy-Link Belcher Chain Necklace, 22 Inches
Located in Sale, Cheshire
A lovely antique belcher chain dating from the late 19th Century. It features two sets of ball and bar fancy links, and has been crafted in 9 karat gold. The wearable length is 22 in...
9k Gold
Antique Victorian Flat Belcher Link Guard Chain Necklace
Located in Sale, Cheshire
A fine 10 karat gold long guard chain, 60 inches in length and modelled in bright yellow gold. Complete with original swivel clasp, its a great length and remains in excellent condit...
10k Gold
Victorian 9ct Yellow Gold Diamond Cut Belcher Guard Chain
Located in Glasgow, GB
An antique Victorian 9ct yellow gold oval belcher link guard chain.
Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early Victorian Amethyst Cross and Chain
Located in New York, NY
The pendant is paired with Victorian 9k rose gold belcher chain. The chain is marked' 9c' for 9k gold, and has an original barrel clasp.
Amethyst, 14k Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Italian Grand Tour Carved Coral Gold Necklace 19th Century Neoclassical
Located in London, GB
The pendant is attached to a barrel-clasped Victorian 9K gold belcher chain, approx 17”. Pendant measures 23mm x 15mm x 8mm, total weight 10.97g Coral jewellery has been worn as an ...
Gold
Victorian Rose Gold Chain, Faceted Belcher Links, Barrel Catch
Located in Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
An antique gold chain comprising links of faceted belcher design from the late Victorian to early Edwardian era.
9k Gold
Victorian Gold Long Chain, Faceted Belcher Links, circa 1890s
Located in Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
A Victorian yellow gold muff chain of substantail weight and size.
9k Gold
Antique Victorian Gold Long Chain, Oval Faceted Belcher Link Design
Located in Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
An antique gold long watch chain from the Victorian era. Comprising small, oval faceted, belcher links in 9ct yellow gold.
9k Gold
Antique Victorian Half Muff Chain, Rose Gold Faceted Belcher Links
Located in Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
An antique rose gold chain from the Victorian era being a portion of a repurposed guard or long chain.
9k Gold
Antique Edwardian Gold Cased Belcher Guard Chain Dated 1903
Located in Lancaster , GB
This long belcher guard chain is from the early Edwardian era, made up of faceted Gold links which have a lovely rosy hue. The piece is fitted with a secure lobster claw clasp at t...
Gold
Victorian 9ct Yellow Gold Belcher Guard Chain
Located in Glasgow, GB
An antique Victorian 9ct yellow gold diamond cut round belcher link guard chain.
Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Sold
W 1.3 in D 0.25 in L 16 in
Antique Victorian Silver Locket, Birmingham, 1884 on Old Silver Belcher Chain
Located in London, GB
Antique Victorian Silver Locket,Birmingham, 1884 On Old Silver Belcher Chain Typical buckle centre with ivy decoration in the middle and victorian bright cut engraving around the edge.
Sterling Silver
Georgian Emerald Gold Hand Necklace
Located in Sale, Cheshire
We have married a Georgian era clasp with a Victorian era belcher chain to create this elegant antique necklace.
Emerald, 15k Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
18 Karat Yellow Gold Albert Watch Link Chain Necklace
By Alex Jona
Located in Lugano, TI
Alex Jona Design Collection, hand crafted in Italy, 18 karat yellow gold 18" long Albert watch link chain necklace. Alex Jona jewels stand out, not only for their special design an...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Birthstone July Ruby Gold Bead Necklace, Handcrafted Fine Jewelry
Located in Westport, CT
A full strand of ruby with one cluster of 18K gold beads off center. The green agate at the clasp is a small surprise, you notice it when you put the necklace on. Ruby, 2mm x 3mm (I...
Ruby, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
NCR & Co Antique Victorian Gold Gilt Metal Long Guard Chain with Dog Clip
Located in London, GB
NCR & Co antique Victorian gold gilt metal long guard chain, with the original swivel dog clip that can be used to attach a pendant or fob. The dog clip was used in Victorian times t...
Antique Victorian 1880s Rose Cut Diamond Heart Pendant
Located in Cairo, EG
Antique victorian era rose cut diamond peandant in heart designe topped with a swallow bird and a ruby stone with engraved detailed work on the back estimate diamond weight 1.5 carat...
$777Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 0.48 in W 0.32 in
18k Gold Diamond Cross Necklace Cross Pendant Necklace
By Oshi Jewels
Located in Bangkok, TH
Diamond Cross Necklace is made of 18k solid gold available in three colors:- White Gold / Rose Gold / Yellow Gold. Lightweight and gorgeous natural genuine round cut diamond. Each d...
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
$3,940
Dm 0.87 in L 1.3 in
Ancient Roman Republic 1st Century BC Griffin Coin Diamond 18K Gold Pendant
By Steven Battelle
Located in Soquel, CA
An interesting, authentic, silver denarius coin from the period of the Roman Republic in 79 BCE, featuring a griffin leaping, is set in a Steven Battelle ancient inspired handmade ma...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Victorian 20K Yellow Gold 7.99 Carat Old European Diamond Drop Earrings
Located in Cape May, NJ
Era: Victorian Estate Composition: 20K Yellow Gold Primary Stone: One Old European Cut Diamond Carat Weight: 3.39 Carats Color/Clarity: Q to R / VVS2 GIA Report Number: 6233854...
Diamond, Yellow Gold
$945
W 1.58 in D 0.32 in L 1.97 in
Antique C.1898 Sapphire and Pearl Bangle Bracelet in 9 Carat Yellow Gold
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
Antique C.1898 Sapphire and Pearl Bangle Bracelet in 9ct Yellow Gold delightful sapphire and pearl bangle, so sweet! The item comes without the box in the photos but will be pres...
Pearl, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
1960s 14 Karat Yellow Gold Wide Link Bracelet with Rope Edge
Located in Boston, MA
Vintage 1960s 14 Karat Yellow Gold Wide Link Bracelet with Rope Edge - The bracelet measure 7.15 inches long and 3/4 inch wide and features a hidden clasp with a figure 8 safety. The...
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 9k Yellow Gold Albert Chain Necklace Circa 1910
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A fine and impressive, antique 9 karat yellow gold Albert chain; part of our diverse antique gold chain collections. This exceptional, fine and impressive antique chain has been cra...
Yellow Gold
Antique 15 Carat White & Yellow Gold Fancy Link Two Tone Albert Chain, c.1920's
Located in London, GB
Made famous by Prince Albert of England in the late 20th century, the Albert chains are one of the most versatile and loved pieces of jewellery. This particular model is a very rare...
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, 15k Gold
$15,860Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Victorian Style Apx 3.25 Carat Rose Cut Diamond Ring
Located in BEVERLY HILLS, CA
Vintage Victorian style rose cut diamond ring. Center round rose cut diamond, approximately 3.25ct but faces up like a 4ct diamond. Approximately I/J color and VS clarity. Compliment...
Diamond, Silver
Snake Motif Adjustable Lariat Bolo Necklace 14 Karat Yellow Gold 5.6 Grams
By Harbor Diamonds
Located in New York, NY
This necklace features a snake motif making the lariat adjustable, in 14 karat yellow gold. Can be worn as a choker or longer. Available in three different sizes & gold color....
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
$34,800Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Victorian Style Apx 4.50 Carat Rose Cut Diamond Ring
Located in BEVERLY HILLS, CA
Vintage Victorian style rose cut diamond high jewelry ring. Center round rose cut diamond, approximately 4.50ct but faces up like a 5ct diamond. Approximately I/J color and VS clarit...
Diamond, Silver
Victorian 15ct Gold Albert Chain, c.1900s
Located in London, GB
Dating back to the Victorian era, this traditional albert chain necklace has been crafted from rare 15 carat yellow gold. Featuring a T bar on the drop and a plate on the stating Ste...
Gold, 15k Gold
$1,069
W 0.79 in D 0.03 in L 0.63 in
Vintage 18k Gold Augis Heart Medal – “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain”
By A. Augis
Located in BÉZIERS, FR
Charming two-tone 18k gold heart-shaped Augis medal featuring the iconic inscription “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain,” inspired by Rosemonde Gérard’s famous love poem. This delicate ...
Gold, 18k Gold
The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.
Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.
The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.
Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — 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.
Vintage chain necklaces can make a statement on their own. What’s better than eye-catching chains of yellow gold or subtle silver to accessorize with everything from a designer evening dress to a comfortable sweatshirt?
Personal ornament in general has been around for eons. Ancient Egyptians designed jewelry and wore necklaces, rings and other accessories, and the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber in 1922 had the greatest impact on Art Deco jewelry. When chain necklaces first took on some visibility in ancient civilizations, these items weren’t exactly democratic.
Chain necklaces were accessories that were relegated strictly to royal families and the upper class. In ancient times, pendant necklaces conferred prestige, for example. Wealthy Greeks and Romans opted for gold and silver necklaces that featured ornate pendants and semiprecious stones. By the Renaissance period, the pendant had replaced the brooch as the most worn type of jewelry. Pendant necklaces were commonplace, or pendants were simply strung on long gold chains.
Thankfully, jewelry became more accessible over time. And trends have come and gone, but the popularity of chain necklaces today owes in part to hip-hop culture. Big, chunky gold chains and diamond necklaces were the order of the day in publicity shoots and on album covers for rappers in the early 1980s onward, and a gold chain is still a mainstay in the ever-evolving and broadening hip-hop culture as we know it.
In our modern era, a number of chain-link necklaces are trending, worn alone or layered. The stylish links that have passed the test of time include oval links, paper-clip chains and more. The best way to discover your perfect fit is to zero in on a particular name and type of link.
While it was once key to accessorizing for a formal event, a vintage chain necklace now adds a fresh dynamic to any outfit at any time of day. Find yours on 1stDibs.