Gold Beads
Late 20th Century American Retro Beaded Necklaces
Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century American Beaded Bracelets
Carnelian, White Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Unknown Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Aquamarine, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Beaded Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Emerald, 22k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Morganite, Beryl, 14k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s British Retro Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Jade, Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Beaded Bracelets
Aquamarine, Diamond, Peridot, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Artist Beaded Bracelets
Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Beaded Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Beaded Bracelets
Diamond, Pink Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique 19th Century Beaded Necklaces
Amber, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s American Beaded Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Citrine, Coral, Emerald, Lapis Lazuli, 22k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Beaded Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Beaded Necklaces
Rock Crystal, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century Asian Beaded Necklaces
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Chrysophrase, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, 22k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Coral, Malachite, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Beaded Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Native American Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Gold, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century Victorian Beaded Necklaces
Diamond
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Beaded Necklaces
Jasper, Gold, 14k Gold
1990s American Modern Beaded Necklaces
Mixed Metal
20th Century Retro Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Beaded Necklaces
Agate, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Crystal, Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Modern Beaded Bracelets
Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Modern Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Modern Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Beaded Bracelets
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Beaded Bracelets
Diamond, Opal, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, Pearl, 14k Gold, Vermeil, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Beaded Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Jade, Gold
2010s Italian Art Deco Beaded Necklaces
White Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Beaded Necklaces
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Victorian Beaded Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, Gold
2010s Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Gold Plate, Vermeil, Brass, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Beaded Necklaces
Agate, Aventurine, Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1970s Modern Beaded Necklaces
Aquamarine, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique 1880s Victorian Beaded Necklaces
Onyx, Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Dutch Art Deco Beaded Necklaces
Coral, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Beaded Necklaces
Onyx, Yellow Gold, 22k Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Artisan Beaded Necklaces
Amazonite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s American Art Deco Beaded Necklaces
Gold, 14k Gold
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Gold Beads For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Gold Beads?
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024To tell if beads are real gold, you can try placing a magnet near them. If you observe an attraction, your beads are either gold-plated or crafted out of base metal, as solid gold alloys used to produce jewelry aren't usually magnetic. Hallmarks on a clasp may also help you identify real gold. Some makers will use the abbreviation “K” preceded by a number, such as “14K” or “18K,” to signify real gold. Others use a three-digit number representing the gold percentage in the alloy. For example, “585” indicates that a piece is 14-karat gold, while “750” indicates 18-karat gold. If you need further assistance identifying the material, a certified appraiser or experienced jeweler can help. Shop a wide range of gold jewelry on 1stDibs.