Sleeper Earrings
Vintage 1980s French Modern Hoop Earrings
Mixed Metal
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Dangle Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1960s French Retro Lever-Back Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Lever-Back Earrings
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century French Romantic Dangle Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Drop Earrings
Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s Dutch Edwardian Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Recent Sales
2010s French Modern Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique Early 19th Century French Georgian Hoop Earrings
Gold
2010s British Stud Earrings
Emerald, 9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
Antique 1830s Early Victorian Dangle Earrings
Turquoise, Gold
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Dangle Earrings
Garnet, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century French Dangle Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Retro Drop Earrings
Rose Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s French Retro Drop Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Dangle Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1850s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Drop Earrings
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Go...
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Garnet, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1960s American Retro Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Ruby, Sapphire, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Pearl, Natural Pearl, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s Artisan Dangle Earrings
Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique 1870s French Egyptian Revival Dangle Earrings
18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Pearl, Diamond, White Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Vintage 1950s Italian Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Rose Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Baroque Drop Earrings
Gold, Rose Gold, Vermeil, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Baroque Drop Earrings
Gold, Rose Gold, Vermeil, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Greek Revival Dangle Earrings
Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Empire Dangle Earrings
Coral, 18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Rose Gold, Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Rose Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Dangle Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1950s French Retro Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century French Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s French Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Natural Pearl, Pearl, 18k Gold, Berlin Iron, Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, White Gold
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Drop Earrings
Natural Pearl, Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1950s French Retro Lever-Back Earrings
Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Lever-Back Earrings
Pink Sapphire, Sapphire, White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, Rose Gold, ...
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1830s Unknown Drop Earrings
Gilt Metal
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1930s French Dangle Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
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Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold
Vintage 1910s Solitaire Rings
Mid-20th Century Sri Lankan Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Drop Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s American Cocktail Rings
Pink Diamond, Platinum
Antique 1880s Cluster Rings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1920s European Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Vintage 1920s Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s Cluster Rings
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond
Vintage 1910s Dangle Earrings
Antique 1850s Victorian Dangle Earrings
Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1980s American Modern Hoop Earrings
Mixed Metal
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Lever-Back Earrings
Pearl, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Sleeper Earrings For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Sleeper Earrings?
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 Earrings for You
In the United States, ear piercing didn’t really become popular until the 1950s and ‘60s, but our desire for a dazzling pair of vintage earrings has deeper roots than that. In fact, wearing earrings actually goes back thousands of years, and you can find many tangible connections between now and then in how we continue to talk about these treasured accessories.
Women wore ornamental earrings — studs and hoops at the very least — in Ancient Egypt, which is home to mines that are among the earliest sources of emeralds in the world. Emerald earrings are highly prized today, and their quality lies in their rich, saturated color. The highest-quality emeralds are green or bluish-green. Earrings worn by the affluent in early Roman civilizations were set with precious stones such as diamonds and pearls, and a clean-looking pop of pearl on the front of the lobe is as timeless as ever. Hoop earrings are imbued with symbolism and cultural significance for many, and on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.
Today, ear piercing is very popular all over the world, and, as a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a good pair of earrings — modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings, you name it. Sure, jewelry trends and the fashion darlings of social media come and go, but earrings have a staying power that seems impenetrable: The still-strong love affair between British royals and Cartier earrings is more than a century old, glossy 1970s hoops from legacy houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef & Arpels remain the statement makers they’ve always been and although people have been stacking earrings for many moons, the allure of an expertly mismatched stack of charms and studs still feels fresh and new.
While there is no shortage of modern earring designs to choose from, the classics, like coral earrings, Art Deco–style earrings and diamond drop earrings are still heavy hitters. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique, new and vintage earrings today.
- What is a sleeper earring?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Also known as “huggies,” sleeper earrings are small hoops that don't have sharp posts with a separate backing. They're called “sleeper” earrings because you can sleep in them comfortably without a post jabbing into the back of your ear.
- What are sleeper-style earrings?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 8, 2023Sleeper-style earrings are small hoop earrings. Usually, they feature a hinged closure or a screw-down closure for security. Due to their size and secure designs, sleeper-style hoops are popular picks for everyday wear. They are highly versatile and can put just the right finishing touch on everything from jeans to little black dresses. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of hoop earrings.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 14, 2023Sleeper earrings are called by their name due to the fact that some people sleep in them. Generally, sleeper earrings range from 8 to 20 millimeters in diameter. Because they are small in size, they are less likely to get caught on pajamas, hair, pillows and bedding. However, they don't completely eliminate the risk. As a result, most experts recommend removing all earrings, including sleepers, prior to bed. Find a wide range of hoop earrings on 1stDibs.
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