Pearl Jewelry
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
South Sea Pearl, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Coral, Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Onyx, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Unknown Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Victorian Antique Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Yellow Gold, White Gold
Early 1900s Antique Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Pearl, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Italian Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
20th Century Italian Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
South Sea Pearl, Sapphire, Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Gold, 18k Gold
Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique Pearl Jewelry
Amethyst, Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Gold, Platinum, Silver
2010s Unknown Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Onyx, Pearl, Sapphire, White Gold
1910s Unknown Edwardian Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Platinum
20th Century Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Onyx, Cultured Pearl, Gold
20th Century American Modern Pearl Jewelry
Amethyst, Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
1990s American Modern Pearl Jewelry
Cultured Pearl, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold
1940s Unknown Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, White Gold
2010s Modern Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Black Pearl, Natural Pearl, Platinum
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise
2010s American Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Citrine, South Sea Pearl, Rubelite, 18k ...
2010s Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Italian Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Gold
2010s Australian Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Freshwater Pearl, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Rho...
2010s British Modern Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Diamond, White Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold, G...
20th Century Unknown Modern Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, South Sea Pearl, Ruby, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Modern Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s Art Deco Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Natural Pearl, Onyx, Tourmaline, White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Cultured Pearl, Tourmaline, Pearl, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 2000s Japanese Pearl Jewelry
Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Retro Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Pearl, Emerald, Diamond, White Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
1980s Unknown Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Coral, 18k Gold, White Gold
1980s Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Onyx, Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s American Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Modern Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
1960s Unknown Retro Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 2000s Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
1980s American Contemporary Vintage Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Pearl Jewelry
White Diamond, Black Pearl, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
1860s American Antique Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl
2010s Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold, Yel...
19th Century Neoclassical Antique Pearl Jewelry
Agate, Pearl
Late 19th Century Unknown Late Victorian Antique Pearl Jewelry
Pearl, Amethyst, Gold
2010s Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Freshwater Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century American Modern Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Yellow Gold, Platinum, 18k Gold
2010s Unknown Pearl Jewelry
South Sea Pearl
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Pearl Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Pink Sapphire, White Gold, 18k 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.