21 Carat Gold
20th Century Unknown Signet Rings
Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Solitaire Rings
Diamond, White Gold
Vintage 1970s Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Quartz, Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modernist Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, Brown Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, 2...
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, White Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Belgian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Rubelite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 18th Century Pendant Necklaces
Vintage 1970s Swedish Modern Bridal Rings
Diamond, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Fashion Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1930s Brooches
Yellow Gold, Platinum
1990s American Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1830s Brooches
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Retro Bracelets
Diamond, Ruby, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s More Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century British Late Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Cocktail Rings
Topaz, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
1990s Indonesian Retro Drop Necklaces
Amethyst, Citrine, Garnet, Cultured Pearl, Pearl, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow...
2010s Cocktail Rings
Opal, Yellow Gold, 22k Gold
Vintage 1940s Unknown Retro Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, 14k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Gold, 10k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Band Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Rose Gold, Silver
2010s American Modern Pendant Necklaces
White Diamond, Tanzanite, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern Pendant Necklaces
White Diamond, Tanzanite, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chandelier Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Wedding Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Tennis Bracelets
Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Cuff Bracelets
Diamond
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Drop Necklaces
Amethyst, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Citrine, 14k Gold, Vermeil, Mixed Metal
2010s American Beaded Necklaces
Amethyst, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Antique 19th Century Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown More Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century American Brooches
Diamond, Rose Gold
Antique 1890s Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel
2010s American Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, Gold
Antique 1890s Unknown Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century Austrian Victorian Link Bracelets
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1920s Swedish Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Gold
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21 Carat Gold For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 21 Carat Gold?
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.
- Does 21k gold tarnish?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 202221K gold does not rust or tarnish. This highly-desirable metal resists oxygen, meaning that it does not easily rust or tarnish. This is part of the reason that gold is such a popular metal for jewelry. Shop a collection of 21k jewelry from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- Is 21k gold real?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, 21K gold is real gold, but it is not pure, solid gold. Instead, the metal is 87.5 percent genuine gold. The remaining 12.5 percent of the jewelry or other object is one or more other metals. Find a variety of expertly vetted gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, 21 karat gold is real gold and is made of 21 parts gold and four parts other metals. 21 karat gold is usually mixed with copper, zinc, silver, palladium and nickel to increase durability. You’ll find a wide variety of 21 karat gold jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The term “20 carat gold” does not have a meaning. “Carat” is a unit of measurement used to describe the size of gemstones. “Karat” is the unit used to describe gold precious metal. Gold stamped as 20 karat or 20K is 83.3 percent pure gold and 16.7 percent metal alloy. You'll find a wide variety of gemstone jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 19, 2021Twenty-two karat gold denotes that more than 91 percent of the metal is gold. Other metals are present to render the texture of the gold more durable. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage gold jewelry.