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Vintage Italy 18K YG Diamond Enamel Fish Brooch
Located in New York, NY
This is a beautifully detailed 18K yellow gold diamond green and blue enamel fish pin brooch set
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Brooches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Gem Set Sword Brooch
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A 15 carat gold sword brooch bejeweled to the hilt with rose cut diamonds, emeralds, sapphires
Category

Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Natural Pearl, 15k Gold

Neo Classic Carved Agate Eros Cameo 18k Yellow Gold Silver Brooch
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
One Neo Classic Carved Agate Eros Cameo 18k Yellow Gold Silver Brooch. Featuring one carved
Category

Antique 1860s Neoclassical Brooches

Materials

Agate, Carnelian, Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Fire Agate, Gold, 18k G...

1980 s Diamond Lapis Lazuli Carnelian Malachite Mother-Of-Pearl Onyx Diamond 14
Located in Philadelphia, PA
, carnelian, malachite, mother-of-pearl, and onyx Accented by a round brilliant cut diamond collar Weighing
Category

Vintage 1980s Modern Brooches

Materials

Carnelian, Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Onyx, Pearl, 18k Gold

Post Modern Pendant Brooch 18k
Located in Litchfield, CT
delicately iridescent Tahitian pearl and 3.0 carats of brilliant white diamonds (H color, SI1 clarity
Category

1990s Swiss Brooches

Materials

White Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold

Gaston Laffitte Art Nouveau Plique a Jour Enamel Opal Gold Pendant/Brooch
Located in New York, NY
freshwater pearl and diamond drop by Gaston Laffitte. With a removable brooch fitting. (MG Inventory
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Brooches

Materials

Cultured Pearl, Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold

Cartier 1930 Art Deco Enameled Clip In 18Kt Gold Platinum With Gems And Diamonds
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
brooch has been carefully crafted with geometric patterns in solid yellow gold of 18 karats with high
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Brooches

Materials

Citrine, Diamond, White Diamond, Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold...

Art Deco Green Onyx Bar Brooch
Located in New York, NY
An Art Deco bar brooch of carved green onyx set with alternating pearl and diamond, in platinum and
Category

Early 20th Century Brooches

Materials

Onyx, Cultured Pearl, Diamond, 14k Gold

Ilias Lalaounis Vintage Intertwined Chimeras Brooch
By Ilias Lalaounis
Located in SYDNEY, NSW
single-cut diamonds and each holding a round cultured pearl in its mouth, gross weight approximately
Category

20th Century Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Pearl, Yellow Gold

Krementz 1900 Art Nouveau Edwardian Enamel Orchid Flower Brooch in 18kt Gold
By Krementz Co
Located in Miami, FL
beautiful pin brooch has been carefully crafted in in the shape of an orchid in solid yellow gold of 18 and
Category

Antique Early 1900s North American Art Nouveau Brooches

Materials

Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Sloan Co. Sapphire Pearl Platinum-Topped 14 Karat Gold Harlequin Stickpin
By Sloan Company
Located in Philadelphia, PA
bezel set diamond accent: eye-clean and white Surrounded by round very well-matched pearls measuring
Category

Vintage 1910s Art Nouveau Brooches

Materials

White Diamond, Blue Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Gold, 14k ...

Antique Victorian 19th Century Diamond Butterfly Brooch Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1870 A silver topped gold butterfly-shaped brooch / pin is embellished with a pearl, two
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond

19th Century Antique Jeweled Butterfly Brooch Pin
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1890 The brooch is crafted in 14K gold and silver. A large pear shape pearl forms the body
Category

Antique 19th Century Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Silver

Antique Butterfly Diamond Brooch-Pendant, Circa 1880–1900
Located in Bethesda, MD
elegance. Crafted in 18kt gold with a platinum-topped design, it features a luminous 6.5mm natural pearl at
Category

Antique 1890s Unknown Brooches

Materials

Diamond

Antique Victorian Crescent and Snake Large Jeweled Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1890 This large antique diamond, ruby, emerald and pearl brooch combines the two most
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby

Unique Flower Brooch, by Kurt Wayne
By Kurt Wayne
Located in Bal Harbour, FL
This wonderful flower is composed of white pearls surrounding a central cluster of prong set
Category

20th Century American Brooches

Materials

Emerald, Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold

Georgian Pinchbeck and Multi-Gem "Regard" Brooch Designed as a Petite Lyre
Located in New York, NY
An antique Georgian period "REGARD" brooch in the form of a petite half-pearl lyre set with rubies
Category

Antique 1820s Georgian Brooches

Materials

Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Pearl, Ruby, Pinchbeck

Vhernier Sea Turtle Brooch
By Vhernier
Located in New York, NY
A sea turtle brooch set with pink mother of pearl diamonds and rock crystal on gold by Vhernier
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold

Antique Victorian 18K Yellow Gold and Silver Topped Diamond Swallow Bird Pin
Located in Great Neck, NY
Beautiful Antique Victorian 18K Yellow Gold and Silver Topped Diamond Swallow Bird Pin. This
Category

Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Natural Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Silver

Victorian Starburst Pearl Pin Pendant
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
of lustrous pearls and accented with rose cut diamonds. The pin back can be unscrewed and removed, as
Category

Antique 1880s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Pearl, 18k Gold

Whimsical Jeweled Smoking Lady Dachshund Dog Brooch Pin
Located in Montreal, QC
Featuring Anna The Lady Dachshund with charming attitude; soulful sapphire eyes; wearing a Pearl
Category

Vintage 1960s Modernist Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold

Vintage 14 Karat Yellow Solid Gold Cameo Pin/Pendant, White Natural Pearls
Located in San Diego, CA
Vintage 14kt Yellow Solid Gold Cameo Pin/Pendant, 3.5mm Small White Natural Pearls, 37mm X 31mm
Category

Vintage 1940s Unknown Brooches

Materials

Natural Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold

1890 Victorian 14 Karat Gold Krementz Winged Dragon Pearl Watch Holder Pin
By Krementz Co
Located in Lexington, KY
and a pearl accent! The design of the pin is reminiscent of a pilot’s wings pin, but featuring a
Category

Antique 1890s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany Co. Large Camel Brooch
By Tiffany Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
Diamonds, a Lapis Lazuli Hump,Pearl head adornment and a Pink Tourmaline. Very detailed, Excellent
Category

Vintage 1980s American Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Tourmaline, 18k Gold

Diamond and Gem set Fly Pendant
Located in Amsterdam, NL
diamonds, rubies, a sapphire and two natural salt water pearls on an 18 carat gold pin necklace, The
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Brooches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, Natural Pearl, Ruby, White Diamond, 14k Gold

Art Nouveau Enamel Diamond Emerald Pearl 14 Karat Gold Queen Stickpin
Located in Philadelphia, PA
European cut diamonds Stamped 14K for 14 karat gold Head measures: 18.5 x 13.5 mm. Total length: 2 1/2
Category

Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Brooches

Victorian Certified Carved Natural Jadeite Jade Rose Cut Diamonds Brooch
Located in London, GB
Created to perfection is this gorgeous Jade and diamond brooch on tarnished silver. The jade-which
Category

Antique 1880s British Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Jade, Silver

Adorable Mythic Sea Creature Brooch from the 1950s
Located in Aspen, CO
brooch is three inches in length and two inches across. His body is a large salt water baroque pearl
Category

Mid-20th Century American Retro Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum

Antique Victorian 18K Yellow Gold Pearl Old Miner Four Leaf Clover Pin Pendant
Located in Great Neck, NY
Beautiful Antique Victorian 18K Yellow Gold Pearl Old Miner Four Leaf Clover Pin Pendant. This
Category

Antique 18th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches

Materials

Pearl, Yellow Gold

18 Karat Yellow Gold and Platinum Diamond Sapphire Clip Pin
Located in Lexington, KY
the Deco period and is accented by diamond, blue sapphire and gold chevrons on both sides. At the
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum

Italy Organic Pendant in 14kt Yellow Gold with 1.22cts in Diamonds Carved Coral
Located in Miami, FL
condition of this brooch is excellent. Beside the little normal wear, there is no damage to the gold. All
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Modernist Brooches

Materials

Coral, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique Late 19th Century Jeweled Gold Insect Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1890 The body of this Victorian era antique 14K gold brooch is embellished with a cabochon
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches

Art Deco Quartz Crystal Diamond Sapphire Platinum Brooch Pin Estate Fine Jewelry
Located in Montreal, QC
Simply Fabulous Art Deco Quartz Crystal, Diamond and Sapphire Hand crafted Platinum Brooch
Category

Vintage 1920s Art Deco Brooches

Materials

Crystal, Diamond, Quartz, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum

VHERNIER Diamond Carnelian Jade Opal Rock Crystal TUCANO Brooch
By Vhernier
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
pin. Carnelian, jade, Australian opal, mother of pearl inlaid in gold, topped with rock crystal
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Brooches

Antique Art Nouveau Purple Enamel Pansy Pendant Brooch
Located in New York, NY
with a diamond or pearl in the center. This pansy pin and pendant is from that era. It happens to be
Category

Vintage 1910s American Art Nouveau Brooches

Materials

Pearl, 14k Gold

Cartier Paris 1905 Edwardian Arrow Jabot 18Kt Gold Platinum Diamonds And Rubies
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
in the 1905. Carefully crafted in two parts made up of solid platinum and yellow gold of 18 karats
Category

Antique Early 1900s French Edwardian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum

Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany Company Camel brooch
By Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
Figural Camel Brooch set with Diamonds, Ruby, Pearl and further decorated in Green Guilloche Enamel
Category

American Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold

Austrian Art Nouveau Jeweled Butterfly Brooch
Located in New York, NY
An Austrian Art Nouveau 18 karat gold brooch with diamond, sapphires, rubies, emerald, garnet and
Category

Antique Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Brooches

Materials

White Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold

Van Cleef Arpels Rose de Noel 18K Yellow Gold 0.46 Ct Diamond and Mother
By Van Cleef Arpels
Located in Southampton, PA
gold setting. But it’s the 0.46 carats of diamonds with E color and VVS1 clarity at the center that
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Gold

Chanel Guitar Brooch
By Chanel
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Iconic Chanel guitar brooch circa 2020. Featuring a gold Chanel logo, a cobalt accent, and pearl
Category

2010s Brooches

Gold and Silver Gloved Black Enamel Hand Stickpin Holding a Rose Cut Diamond
Located in Amsterdam, NL
with gold seams. The thumb and index finger hold a small rose-cut diamond, from which dangles a pear
Category

Antique Late 19th Century British Renaissance Revival Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Gold, Silver, Enamel

Art Deco Style Gem set Brooch by Erte
By Erté
Located in Chicago, IL
This is a Signed and numbered Brooch by Erte set with Sapphires and Diamonds and having a Carved
Category

Vintage 1980s American Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold

Gold-Mounted Agate Cameo Brooch, Second Part of the 19th Century, Napoleon III
Located in Paris, FR
19th century oval agate brooch. It depicts the profile of a woman wearing a necklace and diamond
Category

Antique 1850s French Napoleon III Brooches

Materials

Agate, Gold

Askew London Christmas Tree Holiday Brooch Pin
By Askew London
Located in Montreal, QC
Signed Askew London Cone shaped Christmas Tree Brooch set with Sparkling Faux Diamonds and Pearl
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Brooches

Materials

Gold Plate

Pair of 19th Century Oversized Gemset Birds of Paradise Brooches
Located in New York, NY
A superb antique brooch in the form of a pair of birds of paradise with diamond bodies and emerald
Category

Antique 1890s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver

Art Nouveau Enamel Bird Brooch
By Krementz Co
Located in Los Angeles, CA
bunting, perched on a flowering branch decorated with a small diamond and 3 pearls, made in 14 Karat Gold
Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Art Nouveau Brooches

ERTE CIRCLE GALLERY Mother of Pearl Yellow Gold Pin/Enhancer
Located in Boca Raton, FL
Style: Erte Circle Gallery Pin with Enhancer Material: Sterling Silver and 14K Yellow Gold Diamonds
Category

Late 20th Century American Brooches

Colibri Enamel and 18k gold brooche on soutache and feather nest
Located in Neguri, Vizcaya
Delicate vintage Colibri pin brooch in 18k gold and beautifully and multicolored enameled, the
Category

Vintage 1940s Spanish Artisan Brooches

Materials

White Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Ruby Diamond Silver-Topped 14 Karat Gold Honeymoon Stickpin
Located in Philadelphia, PA
white pearl with moderate iridescence and excellent luster Coupled with an old cushion cut ruby
Category

Antique 1860s Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, 14k Gold

Kappa Alpha Psi Life Membership Badge and Enhancer 10k Gold Fraternity Gemstones
Located in Greensboro, NC
Gold as tested and stamped (with base metal clutch) Stone Information: Genuine Seed Pearls - Diameter
Category

20th Century Unknown Brooches

Materials

Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold

Pendant with Scarab Beetle Gold Mounted, Art Deco Period 1920-1930
Located in Paris, FR
Rectangular gold and silver pendant depicting a winged beetle in a fine pearl frame, the corners of
Category

Vintage 1920s Unknown Art Deco Brooches

Materials

Emerald, Natural Pearl, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Gold, Silver

GIA Certified 12 Carat Gemstone Antique Brooch Playing Card Suit Poker
Located in Santa Barbara, CA
Gemstones: Natural Near Round Pearl 51 Old Mine Diamonds, 6 Rose Cut Diamonds = 6.52 Total Carats Cushion
Category

Vintage 1920s Art Deco Brooches

Materials

Chrysoberyl, White Diamond, Garnet, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Silver

Whimsical Victorian Ruby Rose Cut Diamond Silver Gold Bee
Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
over yellow gold, rose cut diamonds, cabochon ruby eyes and a pearl body, complete with anatomically
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches

Materials

Ruby, Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver

1915 Art Deco Sloan Co French Cut Black Onyx Pearl 14 Karat Bar Pin
Located in Lexington, KY
french cut black onyx, seed pearls, and 14k yellow gold. The dramatic combo of geometric, faceted black
Category

Vintage 1910s Art Deco Brooches

Materials

Onyx, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef Arpels Rose de Noël 18K Yellow Gold 1.54 ct Diamond
By Van Cleef Arpels
Located in Southampton, PA
an 18K Yellow Gold center adorned with 1.54 carats of diamonds with E color and VVS clarity. This
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Gold

Antique Victorian French 18 Karat Yellow Gold Silver Top Diamond Feather Pin
Located in Great Neck, NY
Magnificent Victorian 'feather' Brooch with chunky rose cut diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver

1970 s La Triomphe GIA Turquoise Diamond Enamel 18k Gold Pin
By La Triomphe
Located in Miami, FL
This Stylish 1960's La Triomphe Turquoise diamond is crafted in 18k yellow gold and platinum. It is
Category

Vintage 1960s Unknown Modern Brooches

Materials

Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Enamel

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Gold Brooch With Pearls And Diamonds For Sale on 1stDibs

There is a broad range of gold brooch with pearls and diamonds for sale on 1stDibs. All of the items for sale were constructed with extraordinary care, often using Gold, 18k Gold and Yellow Gold. Our selection of items includes 119 vintage examples as well as 29 contemporary versions. Our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and pieces in stock date back to the 18th Century while others were produced as recently as the 21st Century. Our collection of gold brooch with pearls and diamonds includes designs that are universally popular, but Contemporary and Victorian styles, specifically, are sought with frequency. Many examples in our inventory of these items are appealing no matter their origins, but Cellini, Robert Guyon and David Webb produced popular versions that are worth a look. There are many round cut, brilliant cut and rose cut gold brooch with pearls and diamonds for sale. When shopping our range of gold brooch with pearls and diamonds, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for men today than there are for women.

How Much are Gold Brooch With Pearls And Diamonds?

Prices for gold brooch with pearls and diamonds start at $232 and top out at $86,500 with these brooches, on average, selling for $4,065.

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.  

Finding the Right Brooches for You

Vintage brooches, which refer to decorative jewelry traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.

While jewelry trends come and go, brooches are indeed back on the radar thanks to fashion houses like GucciVersaceDior and Saint Laurent, all of which feature fun pinnable designs in their current collections. Whether a dazzlingly naturalistic Art Nouveau dragonfly, a whimsical David Webb animal, a gem-studded bloom or a streamlined abstract design, these jewels add color and sparkle to your look and a spring to your step. 

Given their long history, brooches have expectedly taken on a variety of different shapes and forms over time, with jewelers turning to assorted methods of ornamentation for these accessories, including enameling and the integration of pearls and gemstones. Cameo brooches that originated during the Victorian age are characterized by a shell carved in raised relief that feature portraits of a woman’s profile, while 19th-century micromosaic brooches, comprising innumerable individually placed glass fragments, sometimes feature miniature depictions of a pastoral scene in daily Roman life.

At one time, brooches were symbols of wealth, made primarily from the finest metals and showcasing exquisite precious gemstones. Today, these jewels are inclusive and universal, and you don’t have to travel very far to find an admirer of brooches. They can be richly geometric in form, such as the ornate diamond pins dating from the Art Deco era, or designer-specific, such as the celebrated naturalistic works created by Tiffany Co., the milk glass and gold confections crafted by Trifari or handmade vintage Chanel brooches of silk or laminated sheer fabric. Chanel, of course, has never abandoned this style, producing gorgeously baroque CC examples since the 1980s.

Brooches are versatile and adaptable. These decorative accessories can be worn in your hair, on hats, scarves and on the lower point of V-neck clothing. Pin a dazzling brooch to the lapel of your blazer-and-tee combo or add a cluster of smaller pins to your overcoat. And while brooches have their place in “mourning jewelry,” in that a mourning brooch is representative of your connection to a lost loved one, they’re widely seen as romantic and symbolic of love, so much so that a hardcore brooch enthusiast might advocate for brooches to be worn over the heart.

Today, find a wide variety of antique and vintage brooches for sale on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.