South Sea Pears
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, South Sea Pearl, Silver, Gold Plate, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Cluster Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Blue Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Sapphire, Opal, Silver, Go...
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Drop Earrings
Green Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, South Sea Pearl,...
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Drop Earrings
Peridot, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Drop Earrings
Green Beryl, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Sapphi...
21st Century and Contemporary American Baroque Link Necklaces
Black Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Baroque Bangles
Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire,...
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Brown Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Chandelier Earrings
Brown Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Brown Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Hoop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Stud Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Baroque Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Fashion Rings
Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Israeli Modernist Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold
2010s American Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Artisan Engagement Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Deco Drop Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
2010s Norwegian Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Deco Drop Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Chain Necklaces
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Topaz
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Chain Necklaces
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Gold
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
South Sea Pearl, Yellow Gold
1990s French Brooches
South Sea Pearl, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Gold
2010s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Platinum
2010s Hong Kong Modern Cluster Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Rubelite, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Retro Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, South Sea Pearl, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
White Diamond, Emerald, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White...
2010s Italian Drop Necklaces
Pearl, Sapphire, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Pink Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire,...
2010s American Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Gold
2010s Dominican Modern Drop Earrings
Pearl, Aquamarine, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Cocktail Rings
South Sea Pearl, Pearl, Diamond, Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century European Modern Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Platinum
2010s Thai Clip-on Earrings
Brown Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Yellow Sapphire, White Gold, Sterling Si...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Pearl, Blue Sapphire, South Sea Pearl, White Diamond,...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Clip-on Earrings
White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold,...
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Cocktail Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Ruby, White Gold
20th Century Unknown Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Clip-on Earrings
White Diamond, Emerald, South Sea Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White...
2010s American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Emerald, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold,...
- 1
South Sea Pears For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are South Sea Pears?
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.
The Legacy of Pearl in Jewelry Design
The pearl has been synonymous with ladylike elegance since the Tudor period — learn what to look for when shopping for vintage and antique pearl jewelry as well as how to tell the origin of a pearl with our handy primer.
Every woman at some point in her life desires a simple strand of pearls. They are elegant, timeless, versatile — just ask Coco Chanel or Jacqueline Kennedy — and valuable. In 1917, Pierre Cartier famously traded a double-strand of natural pearls for a Fifth Avenue mansion, the Cartier brand’s flagship store ever since. And if you were born in the beginning of summer, pearl is the June birthstone.
It is possible to tell where a pearl originated from its appearance. Akoyas are usually round and white — the classic pearl, if you will. South Sea pearls are normally larger and vary in color; orangey yellow ones are not uncommon. Tahitian pearls are mostly black but can also be gray or brown, and between the Akoya and the South Sea varieties in size. Freshwater pearls, or Orientals, run the gamut in terms of color and size, but in shape, they tend to resemble Rice Krispies. Another important distinction is a round pearl versus a baroque pearl. A round pearl is self-explanatory, but there are two types of baroque pearls: symmetrical and asymmetrical. In general, the symmetrical variation commands a higher valuation. Within a strand of pearls, uniformity is prized — the more the individual pearls resemble one another, the more valuable the strand.
According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the earliest recorded mention of a pearl was in 2206 BC by a Chinese historian. Centuries later, Christopher Columbus made it a point to visit pearl fisheries during his 15th-century exploration of the Caribbean. Since the late-19th century, the Japanese have been at the forefront of cultivating pearls, when jeweler Kokichi Mikimoto successfully cultured the world’s first pearl in 1893.
On 1stDibs, find vintage and antique pearl necklaces, pearl earrings and other accessories.
- How can I tell South Sea pearls?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To identify South Sea pearls, you can compare their size to other pearls. Normally, ones that originate from the South Sea are much larger. Because it can be difficult to determine pearl type based on sight alone, consider using the services of a licensed jewelry appraiser. On 1stDibs, find a selection of expertly vetted South Sea pearl jewelry.