Poison Ring
21st Century and Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Opal, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Brown Diamond, Diamond, Sterling Silver, Silver...
1990s Italian Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Moonstone, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Swedish Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Hematite, 18k Gold
Antique 1830s Swedish Baroque Revival Cocktail Rings
Garnet, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s Swedish Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Green Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cufflinks
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 19th Century Unknown Fashion Rings
Mixed Metal
Mid-20th Century Victorian More Rings
Diamond, Onyx, Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Georgian Pendant Necklaces
Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century Cocktail Rings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s Victorian Cocktail Rings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Cluster Rings
Pearl, Diamond, Enamel, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
2010s European Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
2010s American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s Italian Modern Band Rings
Moonstone, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Onyx, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Cocktail Rings
14k Gold, Gold-filled, Rose Gold
2010s Fashion Rings
2010s Fashion Rings
2010s American Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century German Art Deco Signet Rings
Amber, Gold, 9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary More Rings
Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s Australian Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, Citrine, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
Antique Early 18th Century British Victorian More Rings
Agate, 10k Gold
Vintage 1950s Mexican Artisan Dome Rings
Amethyst, Sterling Silver
Antique 1880s Victorian Solitaire Rings
Spinel, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Fashion Rings
Diamond, Malachite, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1980s British More Rings
Garnet, 10k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Fashion Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold
20th Century Fashion Rings
Rhodocrosite, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
Antique 1890s American Egyptian Revival More Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, 14k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s American Signet Rings
14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Asian Dome Rings
Diamond, 22k Gold
Antique Early 19th Century English Georgian More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Sterling Silver, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Fashion Rings
Gold
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Engagement Rings
Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Fashion Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Engagement Rings
Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1930s Unknown Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Signet Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Rhodium, Gold
Late 20th Century Cocktail Rings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s French Egyptian Revival More Rings
18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Modern Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s Engagement Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Three-Stone Rings
Quartz, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, White Gold
Antique 1860s British Victorian More Rings
18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Fashion Rings
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Poison Ring For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Poison Ring?
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.
Finding the Right Rings for You
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.
- Why is it called a poison ring?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A poison ring features a small container built into the ring and concealed behind a hinged lid. It was rumored to be used to hold toxic substances to kill enemies, but could also be used to hold relics or a small amount of perfume, a lock of hair or other small treasures. On 1stDibs, find a selection of poison rings.
- How old are poison rings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Poison rings, also known as pillbox rings, grew in popularity in Europe during the 16th century. There is no known date for the introduction of the poison ring. However, it originated in the Far East and India. Today, the poison ring carries small amounts of liquids. Shop a range of antique poison rings on 1stDibs.
Read More
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Accounting for just 1 percent of all diamonds, these marvels of nature are exceedingly rare and gorgeously complex.
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Learn about these antique jewelry styles, then choose a design that speaks to you.
Talking Diamonds with the Jeweler Behind J. Lo’s Engagement Ring
Alon Ruschin, of Vivid Diamonds & Jewelry, channels his passion for gems into helping clients find just the right ring.