Tiffany Diamond Leaf Earrings
1990s Italian Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Stud Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s Drop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1960s Italian More Earrings
Diamond, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Recent Sales
Vintage 1950s More Earrings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Italian Lever-Back Earrings
White Diamond, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s American Retro More Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s French Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
American Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1980s American Clip-on Earrings
Amethyst, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1950s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold
20th Century Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
20th Century Italian Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
American Lever-Back Earrings
20th Century Unknown Stud Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Late 20th Century More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, Platinum, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Crystal, Diamond, Rock Crystal, 14k Gold, Platinum
American Dangle Earrings
1990s Unknown Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Retro Clip-on Earrings
Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s American Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Rock Crystal, Ruby, Diamond, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s American More Earrings
Diamond, Gold, Platinum
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Clip-on Earrings
Crystal, Diamond, Rock Crystal, Yellow Gold
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Vintage 1980s American Modern Hoop Earrings
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s French Hoop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modernist Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Unknown Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s North American Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Agate, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
Vintage 1960s American Hoop Earrings
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Clip-on Earrings
Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s American Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Tiffany Diamond Leaf Earrings For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Tiffany Diamond Leaf 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.
The Legacy of Diamond in Jewelry Design
Antique diamond rings, diamond tiaras and dazzling vintage diamond earrings are on the wish lists of every lover of fine jewelry. And diamonds and diamond jewelry are primarily associated with storybook engagements and red-carpet grand entrances — indeed, this ultra-cherished gemstone has a dramatic history on its hands.
From “A Diamond Is Forever” to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” pop culture has ingrained in our minds that diamonds are the most desired, the most lasting and the most valuable gemstone. But what makes the diamond so special? Each stone — whether it’s rubies, sapphires or another stone — is unique and important in its own right. April babies might claim diamonds for themselves, but just about everyone wants this kind of sparkle in their lives!
There are several factors that set diamonds apart from other stones, and these points are important to our gem education.
Diamonds are minerals. They are made up of almost entirely of carbon (carbon comprises 99.95 percent; the remainder consists of various trace elements). Diamonds are the hardest gemstones, ranking number 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Even its name, diamond, is rooted in the Greek adamas, or unconquerable. The only object that can scratch a diamond is another diamond. Diamonds are formed deep within the earth at very high temperatures (1,652–2,372 degrees Fahrenheit at depths between 90 and 120 miles beneath the earth’s surface) and are carried up by volcanic activity. Diamonds are quite rare, according to the Gemological Institute of America, and only 30 percent of all the diamonds mined in the world are gem quality.
In the 1950s, the Gemological Institute of America developed the 4Cs grading system to classify diamonds: clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Not all diamonds are created equal (there are diamonds, and then there are diamonds). The value of the diamond depends on the clarity (flawless diamonds are very rare but a diamond's value decreases if there are many blemishes or inclusions), color (the less color the higher the grade), cut (how the diamond’s facets catch the light, certain cuts of diamonds show off the stone better than others) and carat weight (the bigger, the better).
When you start shopping for a diamond engagement ring, always prioritize the cut, which plays the largest role in the diamond's beauty (taking the time to clean your diamond ring at least every six months or so plays a role in maintaining said beauty). And 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.
Shop antique and vintage diamond rings, diamond necklaces and other extraordinary diamond 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.