18mm South Sea Pearls
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s European Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Onyx, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s European Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
South Sea Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
Coral, Crystal, Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Ru...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
Coral, Crystal, White Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Necklaces
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Ruby, Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
Pearl, White Diamond, Turquoise, Blue Sapphire, South Sea Pearl, Diamond...
Late 20th Century Dome Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, South Sea Pearl, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
Pearl, White Diamond, Ruby, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Crystal, 18k Gold,...
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Loose Gemstones
South Sea Pearl
Early 2000s Stud Earrings
South Sea Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Artisan Engagement Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
South Sea Pearl, Pearl, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Unknown Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Contemporary Drop Earrings
18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Brooches
Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Pendant Necklaces
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire,...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold, Ye...
2010s Contemporary Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Whit...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Crystal, Diamond, Sapphir...
2010s Hong Kong Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
Late 20th Century American Brooches
Labradorite, Black Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Pearl
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18mm South Sea Pearls For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are 18mm South Sea Pearls?
Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship
Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself.
Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.
Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.
For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.
Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.
In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so.
Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.
Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle.
BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.
A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in.
Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.
Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.
Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
The Legacy of Pearl in Jewelry Design
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.
- How can I tell South Sea pearls?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To identify South Sea pearls, you can compare their size to other pearls. Normally, ones that originate from the South Sea are much larger. Because it can be difficult to determine pearl type based on sight alone, consider using the services of a licensed jewelry appraiser. On 1stDibs, find a selection of expertly vetted South Sea pearl jewelry.