18k Gold Chain Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century British Art Deco 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century European Edwardian 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
1920s Art Deco Vintage 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century French Etruscan Revival Antique 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century French Victorian Antique 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
1880s Swedish Antique 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
2010s 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modernist 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Classical Greek 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Emerald, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s American Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artisan 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Japanese 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Pearl, Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1890s British Victorian Antique 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Garnet, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphir...
21st Century and Contemporary Singaporean Art Deco 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Italian Classical Roman 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Aquamarine, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Italian 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, White Gold
1980s French Contemporary Vintage 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Classical Greek 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Topaz, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
20th Century 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1970s Vintage 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Classical Greek 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 2000s 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Modern 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Vintage 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s French Contemporary Vintage 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1870s Victorian Antique 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century French Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Italian Modernist Vintage 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s French 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Revival 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century European Artisan 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1990s 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary 18k Gold Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Shop Vintage 18K Gold Chain Necklaces on 1stDibs
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, and when you wear an 18-karat gold chain, you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself.
Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. A glistening little flicker of gold around your neck makes an outfit feel more considered and polished, whether you’re wearing a breezy white caftan or a black cashmere sweater. For gold chain necklaces, start with must-have lengths like 16, 18 and harder to find 20 inches, and then you can start acquiring longer lengths from there. The trend is to wear several lengths at once, with some gold necklaces featuring dangling pendants and some with medallions.
The abbreviation for karat is K, as in 24K gold. Which, if you didn’t know, is pure gold or 100% gold or fine gold. Pure gold is too soft to work with and therefore it needs to be alloyed with other metals to make it harder and suitable for wear. A quick tip, an 18K gold necklace is 75 percent gold mixed with 25 percent of other metals like copper or silver, etc. Also, most gold jewelry is stamped with the 18K or, even, 750 or 0.75 in recognition of the percentage of gold. Most jewelers today in the U.S. work with either 14K or 18K gold, unless they specify that their jewelry is made of high-karat gold like 20K or 22K.
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.
Peretti's simple, sculptural jewelry spoke to the newly independent women of the 1970s. Rather than hoping for a man to buy them something from Tiffany, they treated themselves. The Diamonds by the Yard pendant, delicate and innocent-yet-sexy, nestles and glints in the clavicle. The Open Heart necklace is one of Peretti's most enduring creations for the luxury brand, which still produces it in numerous variations, from examples in gold and those decorated in diamonds to earrings, rings and bracelets. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay. 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.
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. A collection that yielded a Love necklace followed the bangle's debut.)
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.
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. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Ilias Lalaounis and Hermès. While the latter's broad range of luxury goods is still inclusive of the fine saddlery it has always produced, Hermès necklaces are also widely coveted by jewelry lovers near and far.
Finding just the right 18K gold chain is surprisingly complicated. The best way to discover your perfect fit is to zero in on a particular name and type of link. Designers have tweaked a few styles repeatedly over the years, changing their scale and proportion. Popular iterations include oval chain links, paper clip chains, mariner link chains — to which Gucci was connected for years — and snake chains.
Shop the collection of antique and vintage 18K gold chain necklaces on 1stDibs.