It’s fitting that Ilias Lalaounis (1920–2013) is the only jeweler ever inducted into the prestigious Académie des Beaux-Arts — the Greek jeweler’s creations, such as his decorative gold necklaces and rings, are less fashion adornment and more works of art.
Lalaounis was born in Athens in 1920 to a family of goldsmiths and watchmakers with origins in Delphi. Before turning to the family business, Lalaounis studied law, economics, business and music and trained with the painter Alexandros Alexandrakis. Such a well-rounded education laid the foundation for his unique approach to jewelry.
Lalaounis took the helm of his uncle’s jewelry company in 1940. The impact of the Second World War on Greece inspired the jeweler to celebrate his country’s history by reinterpreting its artifacts into new works of art. In 1957, Lalaounis founded the Greek Jewelers’ Association and exhibited at the Thessaloniki International Fair, showcasing the first of his “collections,” as he would come to define his phases of work. This, the Archaeological Collection, was informed by classical and Hellenistic history.
Lalaounis would go on to find new ways to render historic motifs in gold and gemstones after founding his namesake house in 1969. For his 1970s-era collection, Blow Up, he displayed gold pieces inspired by Minoan art on his models’ entire bodies; after opening a store in Tokyo, he presented a collection informed by Japanese art. Later, Lalaounis introduced a collection inspired by Native Americans at his Madison Avenue store in Manhattan. One of the jeweler’s most important commissions came in 1976, when he designed a collection that drew on Persian art for Empress Farah of Iran.
In 1984, Lalaounis explored his unique creative vision with a book, Metamorphoses. By the 1990s, he had stores across Europe as well as in Tokyo, Hong Kong and New York City, and his work had been exhibited at the National Museum of American History and the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, to name a few. In 1994, he founded his own eponymous museum in Athens, with a permanent collection of pieces from 45 of his collections. Lalaounis died in 2013.
Lalaounis’s research-driven approach to jewelry design gives his pieces a depth on par with any art form.
Find an ornate assortment of Ilias Lalaounis’s yellow-gold necklaces, rings and more on 1stDibs.
Lalaounis Bull Head Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in New York, NY
Lalaounis bull head cufflinks Bull head motif with round ends, 18 karat yellow gold; marked 750, Lalaounis maker's mark Size: width 14 mm, lengt...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 18K Ilias Lalaounis Sodalite Oval Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in Winter Springs, FL
Original Ilias Lalaounis cufflinks done in 18K yellow gold applied to natural blue sodalite. Dimensions/Weight: Cufflinks measure .95” x .75” and weigh 20.9g. Condition: All ma...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Onyx Diamond Gold Horse Head Cufflinks
Located in Firenze, IT
Realistically designed as horse heads with diamond eyes. Snap closure, mounted in 18Kt yellow gold
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Alex Jona Sterling Silver Horse Head Equestrian Cufflinks
By Alex Jona
Located in Lugano, TI
Alex Jona design collection, hand crafted in Italy, rhodium plated sterling silver horse head cufflinks. Marked JONA 925. Alex Jona cuffli...
Sterling Silver
Vintage 18k Yellow Gold Red Enamel Cufflinks
Located in Hicksville, NY
Year: 1900s Item Details: Metal Type: 18K Yellow Gold [Hallmarked, and Tested] Weight: 9.2 grams Cufflink Head Measures: .6 x .5 inch Condition: Excellent
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Alex Jona Sterling Silver Horse Head Equestrian Cufflinks
By Alex Jona
Located in Lugano, TI
Alex Jona design collection, hand crafted in Italy, Ruthenium plate sterling silver horse head cufflinks. Marked JONA 925. Dimensions : W 0...
Rhodium, Sterling Silver
David Webb Emerald Enamel 18k Yellow Gold Rams Head Cufflinks
By David Webb
Located in Towson, MD
Command attention with these extraordinary estate David Webb 18-karat gold ram’s head cufflinks—an iconic example of bold American mid-century design from one of the most celebrated ...
Emerald, Yellow Gold, Enamel
$359Sale Price|20% Off
Tiffany & Co Estate Oval Cufflinks 18k YG + Sterling Silver
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Authentic Tiffany & Co Estate Oval Cufflinks 18k YG + Sterling Silver TIF369 TRUSTED SELLER SINCE 2002 PLEASE SEE OUR HUNDREDS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACKS FROM OUR CLIENTS! FREE SHI...
Sterling Silver
$4,650 / set
W 0.67 in D 0.87 in L 0.75 in
Estate Cartier 18K Gold Armorial Winged Bull Intaglio Crest Cufflinks
By Cartier
Located in New York, NY
Valor and Magnanimity are represented by the winged bull in a coat of arms on a crest or shield. Bravery, generosity, fortitude and strength are further symbolisms. The Complete guide to Heraldry lists the bull as a crest belonging to the arms of the Marquis of Abergavenny, Verelst, Blyth, Ffinden, Ridley, Sykes, de Hoghton, Earl of Shaftesbury. There is an association with the City of Oxford as well as the Worshipful Company of Butchers, a London Guild, granted in 1541, one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The company has had Royal connections dating back to James I since 1605 and continues to have strong links with the British Monarchy...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$2,450 / set
H 0.52 in W 0.75 in D 1.07 in
Estate Carlo Weingrill Cabochon Sapphire 18K Tri-Color Gold Oval Cufflinks
By Carlo Weingrill
Located in New York, NY
Estate Carlo Weingrill cabochon sapphire and 18k tri-color rose, white and yellow gold cufflinks. Classic, elegant oval form, substantial size and weight, the backs also tri-color go...
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Essex Crystal Horse Head Reverse Painted Gold Cufflinks
Located in New York, NY
c1910 Beautifully detailed Essex Crystal reverse painted intagliol and 14K gold mounted cufflinks, featuring four horse heads of different pose and coloration. 1/2 inch diameter. Mar...
14k Gold
TIFFANY & Co. 18K Gold Atlas Groove Oval Cufflinks Cuff Links
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
TIFFANY & Co. 18K Gold Atlas Groove Oval Cufflinks Cuff Links Metal: 18K Yellow Gold Weight: 15.10 grams Hallmark: TIFFANY&CO. ©1995 750 Condition: Excellent condition, like new, ...
18k Gold
Alex Jona Sterling Silver Horse Head Equestrian Cufflinks
By Alex Jona
Located in Lugano, TI
Alex Jona design collection, hand crafted in Italy, rhodium plated sterling silver horse head cufflinks. Marked JONA 925. Dimension: W 0.55 ...
18k Gold, Sterling Silver
18 Karat Rose Gold Pig Head Cufflinks with Ruby Eyes
By E. Wolfe & Company
Located in New York, NY
Pig head cufflinks designed in an 18 karat brushed rose gold. The pigs eyes are set with cabochon rubies. They pigs are approximately 3/4" and have a bar/hin...
Ruby, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Lalaounis Gold Hercules Knot Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in New York, NY
Finely crafted in 18k yellow gold. Signed by Lalaounis Comes with its original box.
18k Gold
Ilias Lalaounis Ancient Gold Coin Motif Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in Litchfield, CT
Circa 1960s, 18k, by Lalaounis, Greece. These fabulous 18k yellow gold cufflinks by Ilias Lalaounis feature an ancient coin motif depicting Zeus. Similar to the Alexandrian Gold S...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Lalaounis Gold Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in South Pasadena, CA
Lalaounis gold cufflinks circa 1980. Designed as a set of nautical knots with matching knot motifs for the faces and toggle connectors, crafted in 18-ka...
18k Gold
Lalaounis Yellow Gold Cuff Links and Tuxedo Studs Dress Set
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1990s Ilias Lalaounis Greece 18K yellow Gold Cuff Links and Tuxedo dress shirt studs set. In the Famous Lalaounis Ancient Grecian style the Cuf...
18k Gold
Lalaounis Yellow Gold Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 2000 18K Yellow Gold Cufflinks by Ilias Lalaounis Greece, having a deep grooved design the tops measure 3/4 inch in diameter, having toggle backs for easy on and off. These com...
18k Gold
Ilias Lalaounis Gold Hercules Knot Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in Bethesda, MD
From acclaimed Greek designer Ilias Lalaounis his 18 karat gold Hercules knot cuff links. 22mm 14.3 grams The Hercules knot is a beautiful symbol to h...
18k Gold
Ilias Lalaounis Yellow Gold Textured Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in Stamford, CT
ilias Lalaounis oval detailed and textured clip back Greek cufflinks in 18k yellow gold. 18k yellow gold Top to bottom: 14.20mm or .56 inch Width: 20.86mm or .82 inch Depth: 2.66mm ...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1987 Ilias Lalaounis Gold Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive pair of 18 karat yellow gold cufflinks by Ilias Lalaounis; part of our diverse jewellery and estate jewelry collections. These exceptional, fine and impressive cufflinks have been crafted in 18k yellow gold. The cufflinks have a convex oval form embellished with an engraved scene depicting three women gardening. The cufflinks secure with a hallmarked T-shaped bar. There are two sets of hallmarks, one to each cufflink T-shaped bar. One cufflink is hallmarked with the makers mark for Ilias Lalaounis*, the 18k gold fineness mark 750 and 'GREECE'. The other cufflink T-shaped bar is hallmarked with 'LLD', the 18k gold fineness mark 750, the London import mark and the date letter for 1987 N. *NOTE Ilias Lalaounis was born in Athens in 1920, the fourth generation of a family of goldsmiths and watchmakers from Delphi. In the 1950’s, while Greece was recovering from the war years, Lalaounis’ vision became clear: he decided to breathe new life into Greek museum...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
LALALOUNIS Ram's Head Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in San Antonio, TX
18 kt. gold cufflinks with a Ram's head motif by Ilias Lalaounis, with maker's stamp, 35 750 GREECE.
LALAOUNIS 18K Gold Sun Dial Cufflinks
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in New York City, NY
Rare and unusual 18K gold sun dial themed cufflinks by Lalaounis. They feature a matte finished, hammered gold design.
Hallmarks: Greece, 750, 18K gold...
18k Gold