Victorian Earrings
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.
2010s Italian Victorian Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Rhodium, Enamel
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Onyx, Opal, 14k Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Quartz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Asian Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Silver
Early 19th Century European Antique Victorian Earrings
Gold-filled
Late 19th Century French Antique Victorian Earrings
Steel
1870s American Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
1870s British Antique Victorian Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
1950s American Vintage Victorian Earrings
Crystal, Gold Plate, Gilt Metal
19th Century Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Silver
2010s American Victorian Earrings
Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Victorian Earrings
Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Earrings
Pearl, 14k Gold
1870s American Antique Victorian Earrings
Gilt Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Kyanite, 18k Gold, Silver
1860s British Antique Victorian Earrings
Gilt Metal
2010s Victorian Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
1880s American Antique Victorian Earrings
14k Gold, Enamel
2010s Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
19th Century Antique Victorian Earrings
Crystal, Marcasite, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, Silver, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Silver
Mid-19th Century British Antique Victorian Earrings
Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Opal, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Victorian Earrings
Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s Antique Victorian Earrings
Carnelian, Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century Dutch Antique Victorian Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Victorian Earrings
Topaz, Sterling Silver
1890s British Antique Victorian Earrings
Pearl, Gold
2010s American Victorian Earrings
Sterling Silver, Brass
2010s American Victorian Earrings
Sterling Silver, Brass, Gold Plate
1890s Antique Victorian Earrings
Coral, Gold-filled
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Silver
1950s Italian Vintage Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
1870s Australian Antique Victorian Earrings
Coral, Crystal, Garnet, 14k Gold
2010s Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Kyanite, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century European Victorian Earrings
Ruby, 18k Gold
Early 1900s British Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Star Ruby, Yellow Gold, 15k Gold, 9k Gold
1940s European Vintage Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Garnet, Gold, Silver
2010s Victorian Earrings
Citrine, Topaz, Sterling Silver
1880s English Antique Victorian Earrings
Silver
2010s Victorian Earrings
Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s Victorian Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
2010s Victorian Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
2010s Victorian Earrings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 10k Gold, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
19th Century Antique Victorian Earrings
14k Gold
2010s Victorian Earrings
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s Asian Antique Victorian Earrings
Diamond, 9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Victorian Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-19th Century Austrian Antique Victorian Earrings
Gold