Hercules Knot
20th Century Italian More Bracelets
Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Roman Wedding Rings
Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Roman Cuff Bracelets
Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Bangles
Citrine, Gold, Stainless Steel
2010s Italian Artisan Engagement Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Link Necklaces
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
2010s Greek Modern Bangles
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Greek Fashion Rings
Gold, 22k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Classical Greek Chain Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Classical Greek Bangles
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Classical Roman Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Roman Retro Bracelets
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Classical Roman Band Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century French Hoop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1970s Greek Modern Choker Necklaces
Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Modernist Band Rings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Greek Classical Greek Rope Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Byzantine Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Classical Greek Bangles
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Byzantine Chain Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Byzantine Rope Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Greek Byzantine Drop Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow ...
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Byzantine Bangles
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Greek Byzantine Drop Necklaces
Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s Greek Signet Rings
18k Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Greek Byzantine Rope Necklaces
Topaz, Blue Topaz, Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Greek Drop Necklaces
22k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Classical Greek Dangle Earrings
24k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Band Rings
18k Gold
20th Century French Bangles
Citrine, 18k Gold, Stainless Steel
20th Century French Choker Necklaces
Citrine, Stainless Steel, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Link Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Greek Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
20th Century Greek Pendant Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold
20th Century Greek Chain Necklaces
Ruby, 18k Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s European Retro Clip-on Earrings
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Retro Hoop Earrings
Citrine, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
Vintage 1980s French Modernist Band Rings
Citrine, 18k Gold, Stainless Steel, Yellow Gold, Gold
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Link Bracelets
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century French Modernist Hoop Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
20th Century French Band Rings
Citrine, 18k Gold, Stainless Steel
1990s Greek Contemporary Rope Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century French Modern Band Rings
18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Greek Greek Revival Drop Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Greek Modern Drop Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Jade, Black Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Greek Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
1990s Greek Cufflinks
18k Gold
Late 20th Century Greek Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Late 20th Century Greek Classical Greek Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Link Bracelets
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Choker Necklaces
Citrine, Gold, Stainless Steel
20th Century Greek Classical Greek Cufflinks
Sterling Silver
1990s French Bangles
Blue Topaz, Gold, Stainless Steel
Antique 15th Century and Earlier More Rings
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Byzantine Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Drop Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Greek Hellenistic Pendant Necklaces
Rock Crystal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Greek Drop Necklaces
18k Gold
20th Century Italian Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Greek More Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Cufflinks
Late 20th Century Greek Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Greek Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Greek More Necklaces
Ruby, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Italian Modernist Link Bracelets
Sterling Silver
20th Century Greek More Necklaces
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian More Earrings
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek More Necklaces
18k Gold
20th Century Greek More Bracelets
18k Gold
French More Necklaces
Italian Bangles
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Turkish Classical Greek Drop Earrings
24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Fashion Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Greek Contemporary Link Bracelets
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Classical Greek Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, 18k Gold
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Italian Classical Roman Band Rings
Carnelian, 22k Gold
2010s Australian Artist Engagement Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Vintage 1960s Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby
Vintage 1970s French Retro Fashion Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan More Rings
Diamond, Gold, 22k Gold
20th Century French Modern Bangles
Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Band Rings
Emerald, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Platinum
Antique 17th Century Unknown Band Rings
Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 16th Century Unknown Band Rings
Yellow Gold
Antique Early 17th Century Stuart Dome Rings
Rock Crystal, Crystal, Yellow Gold
Hercules Knot For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Hercules Knot?
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, 2022The Hercules knot symbolizes everlasting love and lifelong commitment. You will also see it called the love knot, marriage knot or square knot. Its association with the God Hercules comes from the fact that ancient myths describe him as being very fertile. Shop a selection of Hercules knot jewelry on 1stDibs.