Pearl Jewelry
1950s American Post-War Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Natural Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, Diamond, Platinum, Yellow Gold, 18k...
1950s Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Freshwater Pearl, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1950s American Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
1960s American Retro Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
20th Century Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, Gold
1950s Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Natural Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold
1950s Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow ...
19th Century Victorian Antique Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Silver
Late 20th Century Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, Enamel, Yellow Gold, Gold
1960s American Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Romantic Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Pearl Jewelry
Freshwater Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold Plate
19th Century Italian Victorian Antique Pearl Jewelry
Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Pearl Jewelry
Citrine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Japanese Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Pearl Jewelry
White Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Pearl Jewelry
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow ...
1960s American Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
1950s American Modernist Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Platinum
1960s Contemporary Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Jade, Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k ...
1960s Contemporary Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Jade, Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Go...
1950s American Retro Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold
1950s American Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Sapphire, Gold
1960s American Retro Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s American Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Onyx, Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, Platinum
20th Century Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Gold
1950s American Modern Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Diamond, 14k Gold, Platinum
1960s American Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold
Vintage and Antique Pearl Jewelry
The pearl has been synonymous with ladylike elegance since the Tudor period — learn what to look for when shopping for vintage and antique pearl jewelry as well as how to tell the origin of a pearl with our handy primer.
Every woman at some point in her life desires a simple strand of pearls. They are elegant, timeless, versatile — just ask Coco Chanel or Jacqueline Kennedy — and valuable. In 1917, Pierre Cartier famously traded a double-strand of natural pearls for a Fifth Avenue mansion, the Cartier brand’s flagship store ever since. And if you were born in the beginning of summer, pearl is the June birthstone.
It is possible to tell where a pearl originated from its appearance. Akoyas are usually round and white — the classic pearl, if you will. South Sea pearls are normally larger and vary in color; orangey yellow ones are not uncommon. Tahitian pearls are mostly black but can also be gray or brown, and between the Akoya and the South Sea varieties in size. Freshwater pearls, or Orientals, run the gamut in terms of color and size, but in shape, they tend to resemble Rice Krispies. Another important distinction is a round pearl versus a baroque pearl. A round pearl is self-explanatory, but there are two types of baroque pearls: symmetrical and asymmetrical. In general, the symmetrical variation commands a higher valuation. Within a strand of pearls, uniformity is prized — the more the individual pearls resemble one another, the more valuable the strand.
According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the earliest recorded mention of a pearl was in 2206 BC by a Chinese historian. Centuries later, Christopher Columbus made it a point to visit pearl fisheries during his 15th-century exploration of the Caribbean. Since the late-19th century, the Japanese have been at the forefront of cultivating pearls, when jeweler Kokichi Mikimoto successfully cultured the world’s first pearl in 1893.
On 1stDibs, find vintage and antique pearl necklaces, pearl earrings and other accessories.