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Antique Diamond Pendant Watch

Antique Ruby Diamond Pendant Watch
Located in New York, NY
Antique circular pendant watch, circa 1880s Tear drop-shaped rubies surrounded by rose-cut
Category

Antique 1880s Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby

Antique Edwardian 1910s Blue Enamel Pendant Watch with Diamonds
Located in New York, NY
Finely crafted in Platinum and blue enamel with Rose cut Diamonds. Circa 1910s 2 7/8 inch pendant
Category

Vintage 1910s Edwardian Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Platinum, Enamel

Antique Pavé Set Rose-Cut Diamond Pendant Geneva Ball Watch
Located in Firenze, IT
diamonds set in spiralling lines, with rose-cut diamond pendant line. Mechanical movement with manual
Category

Antique 1880s Swiss Victorian Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Gold, Silver

Antique 14k Gold Pendant Watch, Enamel Putti Diamonds, Switzerland, C. 1870
Located in Chatham, CA
Antique Swiss 14K yellow gold pendant watch - elaborate double hunter case with hand tooling to the
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Neoclassical Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique diamond pearl 18k yellow gold enamel pendant brooch watch
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This antique 1890s pendant brooch watch combines diamonds, seed pearls, and intricate green enamel
Category

Antique 1890s Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

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

Antique Edwardian Tiffany and Co Platinum Guilloche Enamel Diamond Watch Pendant
By Tiffany Co.
Located in Great Neck, NY
Beautiful Antique Edwardian Tiffany and Co Platinum Guilloche Enamel Diamond Watch Pendant. This
Category

Vintage 1910s Edwardian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

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

Antique Gold Pocket Watch
Located in Litchfield, CT
Circa 1890s, 18k, Switzerland. This antique watch makes the perfect found object jewel. Goregeous
Category

Antique 1890s Swiss Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Antique Gold Pocket Watch
Antique Gold Pocket Watch
$2,600
W 1.13 in L 1.5 in
1880s Antique Agate Watch Fob Locket with Rose Cut Diamonds
Located in Santa Monica, CA
An antique locket watch fob crafted in 14k rose gold, circa 1881, from the antique fine jewelry
Category

Antique 1880s Unknown Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Agate, 14k Gold, Gold, 24k Gold, Rose Gold

Antique Edwardian Tiffany Co Diamond Enamel Filigree Guilloche Watch Necklace
By Tiffany Co.
Located in Great Neck, NY
Beautiful Antique Edwardian Tiffany Co Diamond Enamel Filigree Guilloche Watch Necklace. This
Category

Vintage 1910s Edwardian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

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

1880s Antique Horse Watch Fob Locket Tri-Color Gold Rose Cut Diamonds
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Antique horse and horseshoe locket fob pendant, circa 1880, with race whip motif at top. A
Category

Antique 1880s Unknown Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold

Recent Sales

Antique Art Nouveau Ladies Girard- Perragux 18K Gold Pendant Watch
By Girard Perragaux
Located in Woodland Hills, CA
This is a beautiful antique art nouveau ladies hunter case pendant watch c.1900. The watch is in
Category

Antique Early 1900s Art Nouveau Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Lady s Platinum Diamond Antique Pendant Watch
Located in Aspen, CO
Lady's pave diamond platinum and gold pendant watch, c. 1915. This is an exquisite all diamond
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Edwardian Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum

Antique Diamond and Guilloché Enamel Watch Fob Pendant
Located in London, GB
shimmering rose-cut diamonds, adding a touch of elegance. The watch is crafted from 18ct yellow gold and
Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Wrist Watches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver

Tiffany Co. Antique Platinum Ruby Diamond Pocket Watch Pendant Necklace
By Tiffany Co.
Located in New York, NY
Antique platinum Tiffany & Co pocket watch, suspended on a cord necklace. Case adorned with rubies
Category

20th Century Art Deco Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Platinum

Antique French 18k Gold 3.25ctw Rose Cut Diamond Covered Pocket Watch Pendant
Located in Montclair, NJ
Here we have an absolutely gorgeous, antique, French-made pocket watch pendant featuring a solid
Category

Antique 1870s French Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold

Antique Art Deco Platinum Longines 17j Diamond Bezel Blue Pendant Pocket Watch
By Longines
Located in Montclair, NJ
This magnificent Swiss pocket/pendant watch was made by the Longines Watch Co. during the 1920's
Category

Vintage 1920s Swiss Art Deco Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum

1906 Tiffany Co. Nouveau Diamond 18 Karat Two-Tone Gold Antique Watch Pendant
By Tiffany Co.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Circular pocket watch features a white face with gold numerals and antique watch hands With a
Category

Antique Early 1900s Art Nouveau Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Rose Gold

Antique Cameo Diamond Gold Pendant and Old Watch Chain
Located in Boca Raton, FL
This antique cameo pendant features 40 Old European Cut Diamonds which equal approximately 2 carat
Category

Early 20th Century Late Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Cultured Pearl, White Diamond, 14k Gold

Antique Diamond 18K Yellow Gold Platinum Enamel Bow Locket Pendant Watch
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
pendant watch, featuring a manual movement, is a stunning blend of antique elegance and modern
Category

Antique 1880s Pendant Necklaces

Materials

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

Antique 2.30 carat diamond 18k yellow gold silver covered pocket watch pendant
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This exquisite antique 1870s watch pendant features 2.30 carats of shimmering rose cut diamonds
Category

Antique 1870s Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver

Antique Diamonds Rubies and Enamel Gold Watch Fob Pendant Estate Fine Jewelry
Located in Montreal, QC
Beautiful Mid-Century Diamonds Rubies and Enamel Gold Watch Fob Pendant set with with 24 old
Category

20th Century Modernist Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique Tiffany Co. Pendant Watch
By Tiffany Co.
Located in New York, NY
Antique Tiffany & Co. pendant watch, finely crafted in platinum with diamonds weighing
Category

Vintage 1930s American Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum

Antique Patek Philippe Ladies Platinum Gold Diamond Enamel Pendant Watch
By Patek Philippe
Located in Chicago, IL
guilloche, and opaque enamel pendant watch is in a pristine condition. The embellishments of the watch were
Category

Early 20th Century Edwardian Drop Necklaces

Antique 18k Gold Old Cut Diamond Plojoux Geneve Enamel Watch Pendant and Brooch
Located in Montclair, NJ
This gorgeous and unique-looking antique dangle pin and pocket watch was crafted in solid 18k
Category

Early 20th Century Swiss Art Nouveau Brooches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver, Enamel

Natural Pearl and Diamond Pendant and Brooch Lapel Watch
Located in New York, NY
Natural Pearl and Diamond Pendant and Brooch Lapel Watch Antique 14k Gold
Category

Antique 1880s Brooches

Materials

Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold

Antique Ladies Porcelain Dial Enamel Diamond Gold Watch Pendant
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
cut diamonds. The piece is accompanied by a fitted enamel bale, allowing it to be used as a pendant
Category

Antique 1890s Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique 18 Karat Yellow Gold and Diamond Watch Fob Pendant
Located in Washington Depot, CT
Antique 18 Karat Yellow Gold and Diamond Watch Fob Pendant- This unique piece features two figures
Category

20th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Gold

Art Nouveau Diamond Gold Fob Pocket Watch Pendant
Located in New York, NY
Antique Art Nouveau 18k gold pocket watch fob pendant, case of the watch is decorated with rose cut
Category

Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Gold

Antique Art Deco Movado Platinum Watch Pendant with Chain
By Movado
Located in San Francisco, CA
You don't see Antique Movado watches very often! And this one is particularly gorgeous example that
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum

Antique Diamond Ruby and Enamel Gold Masonic Pendant / Watch Fob
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
collections. This stunning, fine and impressive antique pendant / watch fob has been crafted in 12k yellow
Category

Antique Early 1900s Unknown Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique 18k Gold Natural Rose Cut Diamond Enamel Pendant Watches Necklace
Located in Fatih/İstanbul, 34
In very good condition. Total weight 16.9 grams. Totally is diamond 0.10 ct. Please contact for any
Category

Antique Early 1900s European Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

18k Gold Pocket Watch. Antique Blue enamel rose cut diamonds. Fleur de Lis WORKS
Located in Port Charlotte, FL
Antique Pocket watch. 18k Yellow Gold Hunter case. Deep Blue enamel. Rose cut diamond set in a
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces

Materials

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

Yellow Gold Diamond Pearl Edwardian Watch Pin Brooch/Pendant - 18k Euro Antique
Located in Greensboro, NC
Style: Watch Pin Brooch/Pendant Fastening Type: Hinged Pin and Whale Tail Clasp Theme: Sunray Flower
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Watch Fob Locket with Center Old European Cut Diamond
Located in Bellmore, NY
This is a Victorian watch fob locket circa 1890. Square in shape, it hangs in a diamond angle from
Category

Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold

Antique Fabergé Diamond Gold Enamel Wild Pansy Flower Pendant Lovers Watch
By Fabergé
Located in Redmond, WA
An antique Fabergé diamond-set gold Swiss pendant lovers' remembrance watch painted in pictorial
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Russian Edwardian More Objets d Art and Vertu

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold

Antique Emerald Diamond Pendant Watch Lecoultre Movement
Located in New York, NY
The case is pave-set with one central old European cut diamond and 96 rose cut diamonds and old
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Gold, Silver

Wittnauer Yellow Gold Enamel Antique Pendant Pocket Watch
By Wittnauer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
antique pendant watch features a 18 karat yellow gold griffin with red enamel and small rose cut diamonds
Category

Early 20th Century Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold

Antique 18K gold green enamel diamond monogram pocket watch pendant
Located in Versailles, FR
necks of jewelry collectors. For sale a beautiful French pocket watch pendant enameled in a comforting
Category

Antique 19th Century French High Victorian Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel

Antique French Gold Enameled Griffon Pendant Pocket Watch
Located in Boston, MA
Beacon Hill Jewelers Presents: A beautiful enameled pendant pocket watch featuring Diamonds
Category

20th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold

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Rare Historic Rose Gold Enamelled Pivoted Detente Hunter Pocket Watch, C1880
Located in Mayfair, London, London
An Historic and Rare Rose Gold Enamelled Keyless Pivoted Detente Cronometre Half Hunter Pocket Watch C1880. Dial: The excellent white enamel dial with Roman Numerals, outer minute t...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

Rose Gold, Enamel

Victorian 18 Karat Gold TW 2.50 Carat Old Mine Cut Diamond Lever-Back Earrings
Located in Vilnius, Vilniaus apskr.
This is an amazing pair of Victorian lever-back earrings. It is crafted in 18K gold. Circa 1860. The piece features 2 old mine cut diamonds: 1.20ct and 1.30ct, G-H, P1. The gems hav...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Lever-Back Earrings

Materials

Diamond, Gold

Vacheron Constantin Pocket Watch 900 Silver
By Vacheron Constantin
Located in Berlin, DE
Glass and hour hand are missing. Original case! Age-related condition. Including certificate of authenticity.
Category

20th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

Silver

Vacheron Constantin Pocket Watch 900 Silver
Vacheron Constantin Pocket Watch 900 Silver
$1,893 Sale Price
20% Off
Dm 2.01 in
Antique 14 Karat Gold 19th Century Watch Pin Brooch
Located in Mount Kisco, NY
The height of fashion in the early 19th century, this beautiful watch pin is a spectacular example of a ladies fine timepiece from the period. Crafted in fourteen karat 14K yellow go...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Brooches

Materials

Garnet, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold

1950s MGM Mme. Etoile by Irene Sharaff Couture Ball Gown in Deep Teal Silk
By Irene Scharaff
Located in Gresham, OR
1950s MGM Mme. Etoile by Irene Sharaff couture ball gown in deep mauve and teal silk tulle and horsehair : Irene Sharaff, 5-time Academy Award Winner for costume design, made this go...
Category

1950s American Ball Gowns

Gucci by Tom Ford Red Sheepskin Floor-Length Double-Breasted Coat, fw 1996
By Tom Ford for Gucci, Gucci
Located in London, GB
▪ Archival Gucci Runway Coat ▪ Creative Director: Tom Ford ▪ Fall-Winter 1996 ▪ Crafted from multiple panels of red-dyed sheepskin with a leather backing, this coat exudes luxurious ...
Category

1990s Italian Coats and Outerwear

Unworn Rolex Rainbow Daytona 116595RBOW
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
This impressive Daytona variant was first released in rose gold at Baselworld 2018 after Rolex had discontinued the yellow and white gold models. On the black lacquer dial, 11 sapphi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Wrist Watches

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green ...

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel Black Lace Gown
By Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Located in Sharon, CT
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel Collection Croisière '84. Black floral motif lace Evening Gown with pink satin sash, fully lined.
Category

1980s French Evening Gowns

Jules Jürgensen Copenhagen Yellow Gold Hunter Pocket Watch
By Jules Jugensen
Located in Berlin, DE
Beautiful Jules Jürgensen Copenhagen 18k gold pocket watch. Hunter. Important and beautiful collectors watch. Minimal signs of wear.
Category

Antique 19th Century Danish Pocket Watches

Materials

18k Gold

A Victorian gold and turquoise serpent necklace
Located in London, GB
A Victorian gold and turquoise serpent necklace, the flexible tapering yellow gold body formed of three rows of scale-like collets each set with a round cabochon-cut turquoise, the h...
Category

Antique 1840s British Early Victorian Link Necklaces

Materials

Turquoise, Gold

Rare Patek Philippe Nautilus 3712/1A-001
By Patek Philippe
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A Very Rare Stainless Steel Nautilus Wristwatch by Patek Philippe. Featuring a black-grey dial with applied hour markers, small seconds, date and moon phase display as well as a powe...
Category

Early 2000s Swiss Wrist Watches

Materials

Stainless Steel

New Atelier Versace S/S 1994 Collection Velvet Lace Purple Pink Dress Gown
By Atelier Versace
Located in Montgomery, TX
New Atelier Versace Velvet Lace Watercolor Purple/Pink Dress Gown S/S 1994 Collection Purple and Pink Watercolor Crushed Velvet and Lace, Corset Style, Fully Lined in Crinkle Silk, S...
Category

1990s Italian Cocktail Dresses

Thierry Mugler Couture Evening Dress Iconic Black Spider Web Anatomique Computer
By Thierry Mugler Couture, Thierry Mugler
Located in Berlin, BE
The 'TRON' Dress or 'Spiderweb-Dress' Iconic Thierry Mugler Couture, FW 2001 "Les Fauves" Collcetion. Birth of this Design was the FW 90/91 "Anatomique Computer" Collection. Extrem...
Category

Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns

Antique Empire Tiara Comb Hair Ornament Head Ornament Silver Guilt Gilt Metal
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This stunning hair comb was hand crafted in France in 1810 ca. The tiara is made out of fire gilt brass. The top of the comb is made put of polished fire gilt metal. Underneath the p...
Category

Antique 1810s Vanity Items

Materials

Silver, Gilt Metal

Roberto Cavalli 2003 Runway Cut-Out Silk Gown Showstopper Dress
By Roberto Cavalli
Located in Berlin, BE
Holy Grail Archival Cavalli Gown Thie beautiful Roberto Cavalli’s Spring/Summer 2003 gown is an exquisite statement in feminine allure, a masterpiece of fluid elegance. Well documen...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns

Mid-Victorian Rose Cut Diamond Day to Night Drop Earrings
Located in Hummelstown, PA
These romantic mid-Victorian diamond day-to-night earrings are composed of a detachable rose cut diamond top that gracefully suspends a softly shimmering rose-cut diamond frame and c...
Category

Antique 1870s English Victorian Drop Earrings

Materials

Diamond, 9k Gold, Silver

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Antique Diamond Pendant Watch For Sale on 1stDibs

You are likely to find exactly the antique diamond pendant watch 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, 14k Gold and 18k Gold. Find an antique version now, or shop for 51 vintage or 1 modern creation for a more contemporary example of these cherished accessories. You’re likely to find the perfect antique diamond pendant watch among the distinctive items we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 19th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 21st Century. For this particular piece, are consistently popular carat weights. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic antique diamond pendant watch over the years, but those made by Fabergé, Tiffany Co. and AB Jewelry NYC are often thought to be among the most beautiful. A rose cut version of this piece has appeal, but there are also old european cut and round cut versions for sale. There aren’t many items for men if you’re seeking an antique diamond pendant watch, as most of the options available are for women and unisex.

How Much is a Antique Diamond Pendant Watch?

On average, an antique diamond pendant watch at 1stDibs sells for $4,800, while they’re typically $100 on the low end and $45,000 for the highest priced versions of this item.

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 ringsvintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings

Shop antique and vintage diamond rings, diamond necklaces and other extraordinary diamond jewelry on 1stDibs.