Skip to main content

Victorian Blue Enamel Locket

to
3
53
28
58
35
20
11
10
6
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
19
1
Sort By
Victorian Blue Enamel Pendant Locket with Diamond star
Located in MELBOURNE, VIC
Unique antique locket/pendant with a five-rayed diamond-set star on a cobalt blue guilloche enamel
Category

Early 20th Century European Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel

Victorian Blue Enamel Pendant Locket with Diamond star
Victorian Blue Enamel Pendant Locket with Diamond star
W 0.99 in D 0.4 in Dm 0.99 in L 0.99 in
Victorian Silver Locket with Royal Blue Enamel Monogram
Located in New York, NY
A wonderful Art Deco - Victorian Locket Pendant in Silver with a gorgeous royal blue enamel
Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Sterling Silver

Vintage Victorian 14K Yellow Gold and Blue Enamel Locket Pendant
Located in New York, NY
Showcasing this Vintage Victorian 14K Yellow Gold and Blue Enamel Locket Pendant. Gold locket
Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique Victorian Turquoise Blue Enamel, Gold, and Diamond Oval Locket Pendant
Located in New York, NY
An antique Victorian period enamel and diamond locket pendant featuring turquoise blue enamel on
Category

Antique 1880s Victorian Necklace Enhancers

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel

Antique Victorian 15k Gold Blue Enamel & Pearl Pendant Locket, circa 1880
Located in London, GB
-blue enamelling and seeded pearl lines with the opposing side being a hair locket. Underneath the
Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 15k Gold, Enamel

Victorian 18 Karat Gold Light Blue Enamel Floral Motif Oval Locket Pendant
Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.
This is a Victorian floral motif oval locket pendant crafted in 18K yellow. Circa 1880. The piece
Category

Antique 19th Century French Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, Enamel

Antique Victorian Gold, Blue Enamel, and Gemstone Snake Necklace with Locket
Located in New York, NY
diamond and blue enamel pendant with a locket back, in 18k gold. Approximately 17" long, snake head and
Category

Antique 1840s Early Victorian Drop Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel

Antique Victorian 14k Yellow Gold Rose Cut Diamond Blue Enamel Locket Bracelet
Located in Bernardsville, NJ
A stunning antique Victorian locket bracelet has been finely crafted in 14 karat yellow gold . The
Category

Antique 1870s Unknown Victorian Chain Bracelets

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold

Antique 15ct Yellow Gold, Victorian Seed Pearl & Blue Enamel Star Oval Locket
Located in Brighton, GB
exquisite Victorian locket, crafted from 15ct yellow gold, is a stunning example of timeless elegance. With
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

VICTORIAN 1890 Blue Enameled Locket Necklace In 18Kt Yellow Gold & White pearls
Located in Miami, FL
A Victorian oval locket-pendant necklace. This is a beautiful locket-pendant, created in England
Category

Antique 1890s English Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold

Antique Victorian North Star Pendant Locket Blue Enamel 14k Rose Gold Diamond
Located in Torrance, CA
pearl is set into the center. With an outline of turquoise baby blue enamel, the diamond set North
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Enamel

Vintage Blue Enamel Locket Pendant 14K Gold
Located in Montgomery, AL
original photos!!! Material: 14K Yellow Gold Era: Victorian 1840 - 1900 Length: 1 1/8 Inches Width: 1/2
Category

20th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Large Antique Victorian 9K Gold Pearl and Blue Enamel Star Engraved Oval Locket
Located in Staines-Upon-Thames, GB
An antique, seed pearl, blue enamel, and yellow gold locket, comprising nine seed pearls, within a
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Victorian Etruscan 15 Karat Gold Blue Enamel Pearl Star Motif Locket Pin Brooch
Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.
This is a Victorian Etruscan Revival locket pin brooch crafted in 15K yellow gold. The piece has
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Brooches

Materials

Pearl, 15k Gold, Enamel

Antique Cobalt Blue Enamel & 9ct Gold Locket
Located in London, GB
Exquisite Antique Victorian 9ct Gold Cobalt Blue enamel Mourning Locket with three pearls to the
Category

Antique Late 19th Century European Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, 9k Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant Necklace - 18k Yellow Gold - Blue Enamel - 1 Sapphire
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Oval locket pendant necklace, 18k yellow gold, Victoria Collection by Victor Mayer, petrol blue
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant - 18k Yellow Gold - Blue Enamel with Paillons - 1 Sapphire
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Oval locket pendant, 18k yellow gold, Victoria Collection by Victor Mayer, petrol blue vitreous
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant 18k Yellow Gold Green Vitreous Enamel Blue Sapphire Cabochon
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer oval locket pendant 18k yellow gold, translucent emerald green vitreous enamel
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold

Round Locket Pendant White Gold Petrol Blue Fire Enamel over Scroll Engraving
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Round Locket Pendant White Gold Blue Fire Enamel over Scroll Engraving, Lobster Bail About the
Category

2010s German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

White Gold, Enamel

Round Locket Pendant Necklace White Gold Blue Fire Enamel over Scroll Engraving
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Round Locket Pendant Necklace White Gold Blue Fire Enamel over Scroll Engraving, Lobster Bail
Category

2010s German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

White Gold, Enamel

Antique Mid-19th Century Blue Enamel, Rose Diamond, and Gold Locket Pendant
Located in New York, NY
An antique Victorian period blue enamel, diamond, and gold locket pendant centered by an oval
Category

Antique 1850s Victorian Necklace Enhancers

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Silver, Enamel

Round Pendant Locket - 18k Yellow Gold - Blue Guilloche Enamel Diameter 21.0 mm
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer round pendant locket 18k yellow gold with pale blue and dark blue vitreous guilloche
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Round Pendant Locket Necklace - 18k Yellow Gold - Blue Enamel Diameter 21.0 mm
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer round pendant locket necklace 18k yellow gold with pale blue and dark blue vitreous
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant Necklace 18k Yellow Gold Blue Enamel 37 Diamonds 0.29ct
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer oval pendant locket necklace 18k yellow gold, Victoria collection, peacock blue
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant 18k Yellow Gold Blue Enamel 25 Diamonds 0.19 ct
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer oval locket pendant 18k yellow gold, electric blue vitreous enamel, 25 diamonds, total
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant Necklace 18k Yellow Gold Blue Enamel 37 Diamonds 0.29ct
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer oval pendant locket necklace 18k yellow gold, Victoria collection, peacock blue
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant - 18k Yellow Gold - Blue Enamel Guilloche 13 Diamonds 0.22ct
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Collection, translucent petrol blue vitreous enamel, guilloche, gold paillons, 13 diamonds, total 0.22 ct, G
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique 9K Gold Blue Enamel Pendant Necklace Locket with Seed Pearls c.1900
Located in London, GB
We are delighted to offer this splendid late Victorian/early Edwardian blue enamel pendant necklace
Category

Antique Early 1900s Late Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant 18k Yellow Gold Blue Vitreous Enamel 9 Diamonds 1 Sapphire
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer customizable oval locket pendant, 18k Yellow gold, translucent royal blue vitreous
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold

Oval Locket Pendant Necklace 18k Yellow Gold Blue Enamel 25 Diamonds 0.19 Carat
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer oval locket pendant neckalce 18k yellow gold, electric blue vitreous enamel, 25
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant - 18k Yellow Gold - Blue Vitreous Enamel 15 Diamonds 0.16 ct
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer oval locket pendant 18k yellow gold, Hallmark collection, translucent electric blue
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Pendant Necklace - 18k Yellow Gold - Blue Enamel 15 Diamonds 0.16 ct
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
electric blue vitreous enamel, guilloche, 15 diamonds, total 0.16 ct, H VS, brilliant cut, measurements app
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Round Locket Pendant Necklace 18k Yellow Gold Blue Enamel Diamond 0.03 ct 21.0mm
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer round locket pendant necklace 18k yellow gold, Hallmark collection, blue and turquoise
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Oval Locket Necklace 18k YG Blue Vitreous Guilloche Enamel Sapphire 27 x 17 mm
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer customizable oval locket pendant necklace, 18k Yellow gold, translucent royal blue
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold

Oval Pendant Locket Necklace 18k White Gold Blue Enamel 85 Diamonds 0.88ct G VS
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer oval pendant locket necklace, Brilliant Star collection, 18k white gold, dark blue
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Enamel

Round Locket Pendant 18k Yellow Gold Blue/Turquoise Enamel Diamond 0.03 ct 21 mm
By Victor Mayer
Located in Pforzheim, DE
Victor Mayer round locket pendant 18k yellow gold, Hallmark collection, blue and turquoise vitreous
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Victorian Blue Enamel Locket and Earrings
Located in London, GB
A Victorian blue enamel pair of earrings and locket, the oval drop set with pearl and diamond-set
Category

Antique 1860s British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Early Victorian Blue Enamel and Pearl Locket
Located in London, GB
An early Victorian blue enamel pendant with pearl star motif and locket back, the pendant oval
Category

Antique 1840s British High Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Enamel

Early Victorian Blue Enamel, Pearl and Diamond Locket
Located in London, GB
An early Victorian blue enamel, pearl and diamond locket, to the centre a 18th century miniature
Category

Antique 1840s English Early Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Enamel, Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Starburst Blue Enamel Seed Pearl Gold Locket
Located in New York, NY
C.1880. A classic Victorian 'Starburst' motif locket with blue enamel and seed pearls. This
Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian More Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 15k Gold

Victorian Blue Enamel, Seed Pearl, and Gold Locket
Located in Madison area, WI
lovely and very classic French blue enamel Victorian locket with natural seed pearls accenting a bow
Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Drop Necklaces

Materials

Natural Pearl, 14k Gold

Antique Victorian 18 Carat Gold Gilt Blue Enamel circa 1880 Locket
Located in Lancaster , GB
This wonderful antique 18ct Gold Gilt locket is from the Victorian era, Circa 1880. The piece
Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

18k Gold, Silver, Enamel

Antique Late Victorian Edwardian Blue Guilloche Enamel Gold Locket Pendant
Located in Dusseldorf, NRW
Antique Late Victorian Edwardian Blue Guilloche Enamel Gold Locket 14k yellow gold, guilloche
Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Late Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

14k Gold

Antique Victorian Locket Blue Enamel 10 Karat Gold Vintage Pendant Jewelry
Located in Torrance, CA
Elegant and finely detailed antique Victorian blue enamel locket (circa 1880s to 1900s), crafted in
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Blue Enamel Oval Locket
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Beautiful 1920s 10k yellow Gold oval locket set with Blue Enamel and etched with an Art Nouveau
Category

Vintage 1920s Unknown Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Enamel

Antique 18ct Gold & Blue Enamel Victorian Belt Buckle Locket
Located in Brighton, GB
Antique Belt Buckle Locket 18ct Gold Tested Circa 1880 Lovely, Victorian oval shaped locket
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel

Heart Shaped Pearl and Blue Enamel Victorian Locket
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A 15 carat gold large blue enamel and pearl heart shaped Victorian locket, circa 1880, England
Category

Antique 1880s English Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Natural Pearl, 15k Gold

Victorian 18 Carat Gold Blue Enamel Cross Locket
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
An exquisite antique locket from the Victorian Era. The cross motif is set with glossy light blue
Category

Antique 1860s Unknown High Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Enamel Blue Topaz Prehnite Vinaigrette Locket Necklace
By Karen Sugarman Designs
Located in Colleyville, TX
locket (circa 1900), is suspended from a linked chain of bezel set heart shaped and faceted blue topaz
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Victorian Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Topaz, Vermeil, Sterling Silver, Gilt Metal

Victorian Blue Enamel, Pearl and Gold Heart Locket, circa 1850
Located in London, GB
A Victorian, blue enamel heart locket, with a central cluster and heart shape surround set with
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Victorian Pearl Locket With Blue Enamel in 18K Yellow Gold
Located in Fairfield, CT
This Victorian 18k Gold and Enamel Pearl Locket Necklace is a true treasure from the past, dating
Category

Antique 1870s Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique 14k Gold Engraved and White and Blue Enamel Victorian Locket
Located in New York, NY
This large engraved and enameled 14k yellow gold Victorian Locket is designed in the style of a
Category

Antique 1880s European Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Enamel, 14k Gold

Victorian Blue Enamel, Pearl and Gold Locket, Dated 1874
Located in London, GB
A Victorian blue enamel, seed pearl and gold locket, with a natural half pearl set star, with rose
Category

Antique 1870s British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Gold

Victorian 9kt Gold, Blue Enamel and Split Pearl Star Locket, Pendant
Located in NEWARK, GB
A beautiful antique Victorian 9 karat yellow gold and blue enamel star locket pendant. Made from
Category

Antique 19th Century British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique 15ct Gold Victorian Blue Enamel, Diamond & Pearl Locket Flower Pendant
Located in Brighton, GB
excellent condition for its age & the bright blue enamel is in perfect condition. The pendant is set with a
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 15k Gold, Enamel

Victorian Gold and Blue Enamel Pearl Mourning Locket with Portrait
Located in Chipping Campden, GB
bed of glossy blue enamel topped with leaf motifs. Elegantly bordered twisted gold. The glazed locket
Category

Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Yellow Gold, 9k Gold

Early Victorian Blue and White Enamel Gold Heart Padlock with Locket
Located in Houston, TX
An early Victorian 14K gold heart padlock decorated with white enamel scrolls on a cobalt blue
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Early Victorian More Jewelry

Victorian 15 Karat Yellow Gold Blue Enamel, Diamond, and Emerald Star Locket
Located in New York, NY
Victorian 15 Karat Yellow Gold Blue Enamel, Diamond, and Emerald Star Locket c.1880s
Category

Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, 15k Gold

15 Karat Yellow Gold and Blue Enamel and Pearl Locket
Located in New York, NY
Antique 15 Karat Yellow Gold and Blue Enamel and Pearl Locket c.1880
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 15k Gold

Antique Blue Enamel Pearl and Gold Snake Necklace with Heart Locket, circa 1850
Located in London, GB
half pearls, with diamond eyes, with a blue enamel heart drop suspended from its mouth, with a locket
Category

Antique 1850s British Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Enamel, Gold

  • 1
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Victorian Blue Enamel Locket", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Victorian Blue Enamel Locket For Sale on 1stDibs

You are likely to find exactly the victorian blue enamel locket you’re looking for on 1stDibs, as there is a broad range for sale. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using gold, enamel and 18k gold. Our collection of these items for sale includes 228 vintage editions and 29 modern creations to choose from as well. If you’re looking for a victorian blue enamel locket from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 18th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. A victorian blue enamel locket from Victor Mayer, Karen Sugarman Designs and Carlo Giuliano — each of whom created a beautiful version of this treasured accessory — is worth considering. A victorian blue enamel locket of any era or style can lend versatility to your look, but a version featuring diamond, from our inventory of 98, is particularly popular. See these pages for a rose cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also cabochon cut and round cut cut versions available here, too. Most of our victorian blue enamel locket for sale are for women, but there are 106 pieces available to browse for men.

How Much is a Victorian Blue Enamel Locket?

The price for a victorian blue enamel locket starts at $156 and tops out at $75,600 with these necklaces, on average, selling for $3,249.

A Close Look at Victorian Jewelry

The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.

Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.

The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.

Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.

Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs. 

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.