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.
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 15k Gold
1840s English Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Natural Pearl, Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Platinum
1890s Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Natural Pearl, Kyanite, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Thai Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Thai Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, 10k Gold, White ...
1980s Vintage Victorian Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, Pearl, Emerald, Diamond, White Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Blue Topaz, Diamond, Topaz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Victorian Cocktail Rings
Black Pearl, Yellow Gold
2010s Hong Kong Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Chinese Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Blue Sapphire, 10k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Cocktail Rings
Tanzanite, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Rose Gold
18th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Topaz, Blue Topaz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Cocktail Rings
Emerald, Garnet, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Onyx, 10k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s English Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Silver
2010s Indian Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Natural Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Thai Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Yellow Gold, 10k Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Thai Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Pearl, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Thai Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Pearl, Sapphire, 9k Gold, White Gold
1890s Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Natural Pearl, Turquoise, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 14k Gold, Platinum
Early 1900s British Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Natural Pearl, Diamond, 18k Gold
1850s Unknown Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Silver
1890s American Antique Victorian Cocktail Rings
Agate, Natural Pearl, 10k Gold, 14k Gold