5 Karat
Vintage 1980s Italian Contemporary Link Bracelets
Vintage 1970s Modernist Clip-on Earrings
Late 20th Century Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1970s Italian Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Stud Earrings
Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Bangles
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Ruby, Sapphire, Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Contemporary Band Rings
18k Gold
Early 20th Century American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century Unknown Link Bracelets
Rose Gold
Vintage 1950s Modern Cufflinks
Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century English Late Victorian Cluster Rings
Opal, 18k Gold
2010s British Modern Band Rings
18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Tennis Bracelets
White Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Contemporary Dome Rings
Diamond, Zircon, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Fashion Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches
Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Armenian Modern Solitaire Rings
Tourmaline, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Contemporary Dome Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Armenian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tsavorite, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yel...
2010s Charm Bracelets
White Gold
20th Century Solitaire Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Modern Fashion Rings
Opal, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Desk Accessories
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Desk Accessories
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Armenian Modern Drop Earrings
Spinel, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Band Rings
Vintage 1920s English Art Deco Engagement Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Armenian Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold, R...
2010s British Contemporary Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Tourmaline, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 10k Gold
2010s Spanish Contemporary Drop Earrings
Citrine, 18k Gold
2010s Spanish Contemporary Drop Earrings
Citrine, Morganite, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Contemporary Wrist Watches
21st Century and Contemporary Armenian Modern Solitaire Rings
Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Apatite, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold,...
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Wrist Watches
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Armenian Modern Drop Earrings
Aquamarine, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s American Modern Engagement Rings
Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Armenian Egyptian Revival Drop Earrings
Tsavorite, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s American Late Victorian Chain Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s French Retro Dome Rings
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Art Nouveau Fashion Rings
18k Gold
Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches
18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s French Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
14k Gold, Gold, Sterling Silver, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cuff Bracelets
Onyx, 14k Gold, Gold, Sterling Silver, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Quartz, Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Fashion Rings
14k Gold, Gold, Sterling Silver, Yellow Gold
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5 Karat For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a 5 Karat?
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.