Victorian Necklaces
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.
Mid-19th Century British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Garnet, 18k Gold
1890s British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century Unknown Victorian Necklaces
Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 14k Gold
Early 1900s French Antique Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Gold
1860s Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Gold-filled
1870s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Ruby, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver, Mixed Metal
1870s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Coral, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Japanese Antique Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, Silver
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Enamel
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Iolite, Ruby, 10k Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Victorian Necklaces
Moonstone, Gold, 14k Gold
1860s British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s Italian Antique Victorian Necklaces
10k Gold, Rose Gold
1840s British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Black Pearl, Quartz, Gold-filled
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, Tanzanite, Gold-filled
1880s British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Garnet, Moonstone, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s Chinese Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, 14k Gold
Mid-19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
15k Gold
1850s Italian Antique Victorian Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Black Pearl, Quartz, Gold-filled
1860s British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Amethyst, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Garnet, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
1860s British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Gold-filled
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Black Pearl, Quartz, Gold-filled
2010s Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold
19th Century British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Zircon, Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
White Diamond, Ruby, Silver, Sterling Silver
1870s Antique Victorian Necklaces
14k Gold, Enamel
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, Gold-filled
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Victorian Necklaces
Alexandrite, Diamond, White Gold
2010s Chinese Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Black Pearl, Quartz, Gold-filled
2010s Indonesian Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Black Pearl, Quartz, Gold-filled
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Early 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Ruby, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Gold-filled
1890s Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Opal, Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold-filled, Silver, Sterling Silver, Bronze
1960s Unknown Vintage Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
1870s Antique Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold, Enamel, Gold