Victorian Cocktail Rings
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.
1850s European Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1870s English Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Emerald, Amethyst, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Silver
19th Century French Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Silver
2010s Asian Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pink Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold
1880s Dutch Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s English Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Zircon, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century English Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold
1880s Italian Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Silver
1880s Dutch Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Silver
1880s Dutch Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Gold, Enamel
1880s Dutch Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Garnet, Yellow Gold
1850s English Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Emerald, Diamond, Silver, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 1900s British Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century French Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Onyx, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century European Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century Polish Victorian Cocktail Rings
Ruby, Diamond, Silver, 14k Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Gold
19th Century French Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Scandinavian Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Gold
Early 1900s Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, Diamond, White Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century European Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century European Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pink Sapphire, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Bronze
2010s British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s German Vintage Victorian Cocktail Rings
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century European Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary English Victorian Cocktail Rings
Coral, 9k Gold
1930s Unknown Vintage Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century English Victorian Cocktail Rings
Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
19th Century North American Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold
20th Century Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Gold
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold
2010s Greek Victorian Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, White Diamond, Diamond, Rose Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Opal, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Dutch Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pearl, 14k Gold, Enamel
Mid-19th Century French Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Agate, Diamond, 18k Gold
1890s Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1880s British Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Bronze
2010s British Victorian Cocktail Rings
Blue Topaz, Topaz, Amethyst, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Platinum
Early 2000s Italian Victorian Cocktail Rings
Coral, Diamond, White Gold
1890s British Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Emerald, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Sterling Silver