Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1800s Italian Retro Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s French Late Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jasper, 14k Gold
1870s Italian Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s English Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1860s Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Chalcedony, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century French Belle Époque Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
Early 19th Century British Georgian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Crystal, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
1920s French Art Deco Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
18th Century British Georgian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1920s American Art Deco Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 1900s Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, 18k Gold
1880s French Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold
1910s Unknown Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, Moonstone, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1790s Italian Neoclassical Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Amber, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, Gold
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
1850s French Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold
1860s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
15k Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold
1880s English Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, 18k Gold
1920s British Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, 18k Gold
1920s British Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, 18k Gold
19th Century French Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Onyx, 18k Gold
1870s British Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
1860s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century European Classical Roman Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Bronze
15th Century and Earlier Greek Greek Revival Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century German Art Deco Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, Gold
1890s French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s Unknown Late Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1870s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, 18k Gold
1880s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
1890s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1800s Neoclassical Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Amethyst, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1910s Art Nouveau Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
1880s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s British Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, 18k Gold
1850s French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Hematite, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1890s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, White Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jade, 18k Gold
1880s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1870s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1870s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Peridot, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s Art Deco Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s Art Deco Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s Art Deco Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1870s Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s British Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century British Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Unknown Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century European Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Belle Époque Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 1900s English Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1890s English Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Agate, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Amethyst, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s English Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s Unknown Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Chalcedony, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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21st Century and Contemporary Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Burmese Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Star Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
1990s British Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
1870s French Victorian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
15k Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold
Early 1900s British Edwardian Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, Ruby, Gold
1890s Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Contemporary Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Onyx, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Indian Art Deco Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s American Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, Sapphire, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold
1990s French Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Retro Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Swedish Aesthetic Movement Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Onyx, 18k Gold
15th Century and Earlier European Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring
Carnelian, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Antique 18 Karat Gold Signet Ring?
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.
Finding the Right Signet-rings for You
Traditionally considered a ring for men, a vintage signet ring is a popular gift today for anyone who desires an expressive, timeless piece of jewelry that can feature all manner of engraved motifs, gemstones, specific symbols or monograms.
Whether it's an antique gold signet ring, diamond signet ring or some other classic iteration, signet rings get their name from signus, which means “sign” in Latin.
These rings, which may historically be referred to as “seal rings,” date back thousands of years and were used as a form of signature. Whatever may have been engraved on the ring — a married couple’s initials, a family crest — identified ownership for the purposes of authenticating documents and more when impressed on soft wax. During the Middle Ages, signet rings were symbols of power and prestige and common accessories for nobility. Later, during the 19th century, precious and semiprecious stones such as rubies and diamonds were added to gold signet rings as they took on a more ornate appearance than they had previously.
In recent years, fashion has been primarily about individuality, and nothing is more personal than a jewel bearing a name or monogram. That is the reason jewelers have revived traditional signet rings, custom-engraving their designs with customers’ preferred words or symbols. Those who prefer the thrill of the hunt have a range of vintage letter charms and pendants to sift through.
And it isn't all about men's signet rings anymore, either — the accessory is for everyone. Princess Diana wore a signet ring that was a gift from Charles before their wedding, and we all know that the royals are top-tier fashion influencers, especially when it comes to rings.
Find vintage diamond signet rings, onyx signet rings and other types of rings on 1stDibs.
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