19 Karat
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Chain Necklaces
Yellow Gold
20th Century Portuguese Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Choker Necklaces
Yellow Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s Portuguese Art Deco Fashion Rings
Ruby, Turquoise, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chain Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Early 2000s American More Earrings
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Artisan Engagement Rings
White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Chain Necklaces
Yellow Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Engagement Rings
White Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
20th Century French Revival Brooches
Citrine, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Portuguese Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold
Early 20th Century Portuguese Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Garnet, Zircon, Yellow Gold, Gold, White Gold
2010s American Egyptian Revival Solitaire Rings
Quartz, Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Link Bracelets
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Coral, Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Central American Link Bracelets
Sapphire
Late 20th Century American Brooches
Labradorite, Black Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Pearl
Vintage 1950s Portuguese Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Artist Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1930s Art Deco Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, White Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Peridot, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Antique 1820s Unknown Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Italian Baroque Revival Cocktail Rings
Iolite, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Lever-Back Earrings
Citrine, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Early 1900s English Edwardian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 1860s Austrian Neoclassical Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Portuguese Artisan Dangle Earrings
Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s English Etruscan Revival Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
2010s American Clip-on Earrings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Portuguese Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Zircon, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Chain Necklaces
Yellow Gold
2010s Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Multi-gemstone, White Diamond, Diamond, Aquamarine, Gold, Yellow Gold, 1...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century Stud Earrings
Diamond, Rubelite, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Retro Link Necklaces
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s German Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Onyx, 14k Gold
2010s Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, White Gold
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Bangles
White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century American Pocket Watches
14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s English Late Victorian Rope Necklaces
Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 1860s English Holbeinesque Pendant Necklaces
Fire Opal, Natural Pearl, Pearl, Opal, 18k Gold, Enamel, Yellow Gold, Gold
Antique 1870s English Etruscan Revival Pendant Necklaces
Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 1880s Italian Etruscan Revival Bangles
Citrine, Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Jasper, Gold, Yellow Gold, 22k Gold
Antique 1870s French Etruscan Revival More Jewelry
Natural Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Artisan Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Artisan Cuff Bracelets
Coral, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 9k Gold
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19 Karat For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 19 Karat?
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.