Cameo Seed Pearl
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Brooches
Agate, Cultured Pearl, Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Necklace Enhancers
Pearl, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Stud Earrings
Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique 1880s Edwardian Brooches
Natural Pearl
Antique 1880s Victorian Brooches
Antique 1880s French Drop Necklaces
Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Pearl, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 15k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Australian Victorian Brooches
Pearl, 15k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Artisan Cocktail Rings
Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Artisan Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Artisan Cocktail Rings
14k Gold
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Pearl, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
Early 20th Century Brooches
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Mid-19th Century Artisan Brooches
Amethyst, Pearl, Silver, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Coral, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Drop Necklaces
Coral, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 19th Century Italian Victorian Drop Necklaces
Coral, Pearl, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 19th Century Italian Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Coral, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Unknown Brooches
Coral, Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Brooches
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s French Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Oriental Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century French High Victorian Brooches
Coral, Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Brooches
18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Citrine, Pearl, Quartz, Agate, Gold, 18k Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Fashion Rings
Coral, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s More Rings
Natural Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Vintage 1930s More Rings
Natural Pearl, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique 1880s French Brooches
Agate, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s Italian Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Victorian Cocktail Rings
Coral, Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Coral, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century More Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Drop Necklaces
Onyx, Pearl, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Pearl, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Gold
Antique Early 1900s More Bracelets
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Wrist Watches
14k Gold
Vintage 1950s Modern Brooches
Moonstone, Natural Pearl, Citrine, Diamond, Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Coral, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s Italian Brooches
Coral, Pearl, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Drop Necklaces
Multi-gemstone, Citrine, Coral, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Edwardian Brooches
Pearl, 10k Gold
20th Century Brooches
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Antique 1860s British Victorian Drop Necklaces
Agate, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s English Victorian Cocktail Rings
Agate, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century More Rings
Pearl, Rose Gold
Antique 1890s Victorian Charm Bracelets
Agate, Opal, Pearl, Turquoise, Gold-filled
20th Century Unknown Romantic Stud Earrings
Onyx, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Citrine, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s Unknown Brooches
Natural Pearl, 14k Gold
Cameo Seed Pearl For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Cameo Seed Pearl?
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Seed pearls are small pearls that get their name from their diminutive size. They’re sometimes used in jewelry today but were most popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of antique and modern seed pearl jewelry from some of the world’s top sellers.