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.
Early 19th Century British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Dutch Antique Victorian Necklaces
Silver
1880s French Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s Belgian Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s British Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Rose Gold
1880s American Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century Canadian Antique Victorian Necklaces
Marcasite, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Tourmaline, Gold, Silver
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Coral, Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s German Victorian Necklaces
White Gold, Enamel
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Silver, Enamel
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1880s English Antique Victorian Necklaces
Coral, Diamond, 15k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold
1870s Antique Victorian Necklaces
Gold, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Steel
2010s European Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Turquoise
20th Century Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
20th Century Unknown Victorian Necklaces
Topaz, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Enamel
1880s European Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Victorian Necklaces
Alexandrite, Diamond, Platinum
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
14k Gold, Rose Gold
1880s Antique Victorian Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Victorian Necklaces
19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Black Pearl, Platinum
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Necklaces
Pearl, 14k Gold
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 15k Gold, Platinum, Gold
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
White Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s American Victorian Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Tourmaline
Early 20th Century Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Victorian Necklaces
Alexandrite, Diamond, White Gold
2010s Unknown Victorian Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold