Choker Necklaces
1980s American Modern Vintage Choker Necklaces
1960s Modernist Vintage Choker Necklaces
Copper
1960s Mexican Modernist Vintage Choker Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Silver Plate
1990s Modernist Choker Necklaces
Agate, Brass
2010s Italian Choker Necklaces
1950s American Vintage Choker Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Late 20th Century French Modern Choker Necklaces
Mixed Metal
1970s Unknown Modern Vintage Choker Necklaces
15", 1...
1960s Italian Vintage Choker Necklaces
2010s Choker Necklaces
Stainless Steel
2010s American Modern Choker Necklaces
Brass
1960s American Vintage Choker Necklaces
Gilt Metal
19th Century British Georgian Antique Choker Necklaces
9k Gold, Rose Gold
19th Century British Georgian Antique Choker Necklaces
Citrine, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Choker Necklaces
Sterling Silver
1950s Italian Artisan Vintage Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1950s American Modern Vintage Choker Necklaces
Late 20th Century American Modernist Choker Necklaces
Pearl, Crystal, Silver Plate
2010s American Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Choker Necklaces
Topaz, Diamond, Blue Topaz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Artisan Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Gold
2010s American Artisan Choker Necklaces
Moonstone, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Art Nouveau Choker Necklaces
18k Gold
1990s Italian Art Nouveau Choker Necklaces
18k Gold
20th Century French Choker Necklaces
Late 20th Century French Romantic Choker Necklaces
1910s American Art Nouveau Vintage Choker Necklaces
Early 20th Century Austrian Neoclassical Choker Necklaces
Garnet, Pearl, Sterling Silver
1950s Vintage Choker Necklaces
2010s Italian Choker Necklaces
1950s Unknown Vintage Choker Necklaces
Vintage Choker Necklaces
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.