You are likely to find exactly the wide choker you’re looking for on 1stDibs, as there is a broad range for sale. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using
Gold,
18k Gold and
Yellow Gold. You can easily find a 43 antique edition and 12 modern creations to choose from as well. If you’re looking for a wide choker from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 20th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic wide choker over the years, but those made by
Marina J.,
Cartier and
Buccellati are often thought to be among the most beautiful. A wide choker of any era or style can lend versatility to your look, but a version featuring
Diamond, from our inventory of 8, is particularly popular. See these pages for a
round cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also
bead cut and
brilliant cut cut versions available here, too. When shopping for a wide choker, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for unisex or
men today than there are for
women.
Vintage choker necklaces are elegant, alluring and stylish. Cameos, pearls, diamonds and other stones can decorate these necklaces, which come in single or multiple strands. Whether it is a statement piece or a delicate chain, these short necklaces always stand out and turn heads.
The history of the choker can be traced back thousands of years, with Sumerian examples discovered from 2600–2500 B.C. They endured as a popular form of adornment through the centuries, and during the French Revolution they took on a symbolic significance. Women wore ribbons around their throats to mark the passing of those killed by the guillotine. Soon, the plain ribbons were adorned with small cameos and other ornamentation.
European choker necklaces gained a salacious reputation in the 19th century when prostitutes were associated with black ribbons tied around the neck, such as the model in Édouard Manet’s Olympia (1863). Queen Alexandra, Princess of Wales, reversed the trend in the late 19th century by wearing a large pearl and diamond choker, reputedly to hide a scar.
Fashioned from gold, pearls and other precious stones and metals, chokers continued to be worn into the 20th century, alternately statements of wealth and rebellion. They experienced periods of revival in the 1920s, ’40s, ’70s and ’90s for both men and women.
Vintage chokers make a statement with an unmistakable air of femininity. On 1stDibs, find an alluring collection of vintage chokers today, including gold, sapphire and emerald chokers.