Vintage Spiny Oyster Necklace

Find the exact vintage spiny oyster necklace you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from silver, sterling silver and 14k gold — can elevate any look. You’re likely to find the perfect vintage spiny oyster necklace among the distinctive items we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 20th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 20th Century. Creating a vintage spiny oyster necklace has been a part of the legacy of many jewelers, but those produced by Navajo, Tommy Singer and Zuni are consistently popular. Take a look at a vintage spiny oyster necklace featuring turquoise from our inventory today to add the perfect touch to your look. See these pages for a rough cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also bead cut and cabochon cut versions available here, too. When shopping for a vintage spiny oyster necklace, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for unisex or men today than there are for women.

The price for a vintage spiny oyster necklace starts at $199 and tops out at $6,700 with these necklaces, on average, selling for $2,288.

We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.

Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers. 

In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs. 

For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone. 

Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt. 

On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.