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pair of 1980 s mother of pearl and pave diamond clip-on earrin
Located in Firenze, FI
Dramatic 1980’s solid 18k yellow gold Mother Of Pearl earrings with (approximately 1.20c ) of F, VS
Category

1980s Italian Artisan Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold

Cartier Diamond Convertible Huggie to Door-Knocker Earrings in 18K Yellow Gold
By Cartier
Located in Tampa, FL
Convertible Cartier earrings with pavé diamond huggie style tops and removable gold door-knocker
Category

1960s French Retro Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Invisible Set Rubies and Diamond Half-Hoop 18K Yellow Gold Earrings
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful, square-cut, invisible-set rubies encased with pave diamonds differentiate these half
Category

Late 20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

18K Gold Diamond Clip-On Drop Earrings
Located in Great Neck Plaza, NY
pavé-set diamond clusters, the earrings feature a two-part construction with teardrop tops and swirling
Category

1980s Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

14 Karat Two-Tone Opal Ruby Diamond Clip-On Earrings
Located in Palm Desert, CA
14 Karat Two-Tone White and Yellow Gold Opal Ruby Diamond Clip-On Earrings. Three bezel-set Opals
Category

1980s American Retro Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold

0.65 Carat Emerald and 1.42 Carat Diamond and Platinum Drop Earrings Circa 1935
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
curvilinear ribbon designs to the upper portion, each accented with thirty-two pavé set eight cut diamonds
Category

1930s Unknown Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Emerald, White Gold, Platinum

18k White Gold 19 Carat Diamond Tear Drop Clip on Earrings
Located in New York, NY
Add instant elegance to your outfit when you put these wonderful teardrop pave set diamond earrings
Category

20th Century American Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold

Estate 6.28cttw Diamond 18K Quatrefoil Statement Earrings
Located in Miami, FL
clover motif design with pave set round diamonds. These earrings are secured with Omega back clip-on
Category

1990s American Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

David Webb Platinum 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel Diamond Hoop Earrings
By David Webb
Located in New York, NY
diamonds. The design of these hoop earrings illustrates the creativity of the house of David Webb. Rather
Category

20th Century American Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

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

1960 s Diamond 18 Karat Yellow Gold Door Knocker Leverback Vintage Earrings
Located in Boca Raton, FL
These striking 1960s 18 karat yellow gold pave diamond ribbed door knocker earrings exude vintage
Category

1960s American Contemporary Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique 1.04 Carat Sapphire and 1.75 Carat Diamond White Gold Clip-on Earrings
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
settings are set with a total of thirty pavé set eight-cut diamonds. The earrings secure with a 9k white
Category

1930s Unknown Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, 18k Gold, 9k Gold, White Gold

Leo Pizzo 18k White and Yellow Gold Diamonds Pair of Hoop Earrings
By Leo Pizzo
Located in Guaynabo, PR
gold hoop is embellished by pave diamonds. Each one of the earrings has 30 diamonds. Both of them are
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold

Van Cleef Arpels Diamond Yellow Gold Earrings
By Van Cleef Arpels
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Van Cleef & Arpels Elegant Ribbon Motif Diamond Pave Set Earrings Est. 2.50 cts total Diamonds D
Category

1970s French Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Gold

18K Gold Roberto Coin Nail Pois Moi Chiodo Earrings with Diamonds, circa 1990 s
By Roberto Coin
Located in Venice, CA
18k gold and diamond pave earrings are designed by Roberto Coin, one of Italy’s most renown jewelry
Category

20th Century Italian Contemporary Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Italian Vintage Diamond Button Earrings in 18k Yellow Gold
Located in La Jolla, CA
Made in Italy Modern Pave Diamond Button Earrings carat in 18K Yellow Gold Beautiful Square shaped
Category

20th Century Unknown Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Chic Bombe Diamond Clip-On 18 Karat Gold Dome Earrings
Located in Miami, FL
These fashionable bombe style earrings with pave diamonds are crafted in solid18-karat yellow gold
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold

Bulgari Diamond Burma Ruby Bombe Earrings GIA Certified in 18 Karat Gold
By Bulgari
Located in Dallas, TX
set pave diamonds forming the outermost band which gracefully curves toward back of the earrings and
Category

1980s Italian Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

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

1980s Diamond Sapphire 18K White Gold Spring Flower Clip on Earrings
Located in Miami, FL
These Stylish 18K White Gold, Pave Diamond & Sapphire Earrings were inspired by a five-petal
Category

1980s Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold

David Webb Platinum Gold Snake Green Emerald Ruby Diamond Clip on Earrings
By David Webb
Located in New York, NY
with green cabochon cut green emeralds on the heads, ruby eyes, and diamond pave set ears. The earrings
Category

20th Century American Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

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

Christina Ferrare Pave Pink Tourmaline and Diamond White Gold Ring Earring Set
By Cristina Ferrare
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This CHRISTINA FERRARE set is 18KT white gold, pink tourmaline, and white diamonds. The earrings
Category

20th Century American Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Tourmaline, 18k Gold

Pair of Vintage HS Diamond Pave Earrings 4.52 Carats 18k
Located in Mammoth Lakes, CA
A Stunning Pair of HS Pave Diamond Earrings 4.52 Total Carats set 18K Yellow Gold. Pave set with
Category

1980s North American Contemporary Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Van Cleef Arpels Diamond Triple Hoop Earrings
By Van Cleef Arpels
Located in Dallas, TX
Large and lovely pair of Van Cleef and Arpels triple row pave diamond earrings, pierced/clip
Category

1980s American Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Pave Diamond Gold Earrings
Located in Boston, MA
18K WHITE GOLD HALF HUGGIE EARRING FEATURES PAVE DIAMONDS SET IN A HARLEQUIN PATTERN WITH LARGER
Category

20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Art Deco Onyx diamond pave Arrow Earrings
Located in London, GB
A pair of late Art Deco earrings in the form of arrows. Carved fluted onyx and pavé set with
Category

1930s American Art Deco Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Onyx, Gold, Platinum

18k White Gold Pave Diamond Hoop Earrings
Located in Surfside, FL
Stunning 18k white gold pave diamond hoop earrings with 6.90 carats in round brilliant diamonds G-H
Category

20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

White Gold

Ruby, Diamond, 14K Yellow Gold Pave Heart Earring
Located in Pleasant Hill, CA
Featuring (44) round-cut rubies, 1.30 cts., tw., surrounded by (48) full-cut diamonds, 0.80 ct. tw
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Artisan Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Pavé Diamond Set Platinum Pendant or Dangle Drop Earrings
Located in London, GB
A pair of diamond set pendant earrings. The pavé diamond set drops suspended from a line of fully
Category

1950s Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Platinum

Diamonds Pavé-Set 0.30K Rose Gold Stud Modern Earrings
Located in Firenze, FI
Andrea Macinai design a dedicated collection of linear earrings with diamonds Pavé-Set . Feminine
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Rose Gold

Inside Out Pave Diamond 18k White Gold Hoop Earrings
Located in Surfside, FL
Dazzling 18k white gold inside out pave diamond hoop earrings with 5.63 carats in round diamonds (G
Category

20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

White Gold

Pave Set Diamond Flower of Life Earrings in 18k Rose Gold
By Zahira Fine Jewellery
Located in Bangkok, TH
all living things with micro pave'd diamonds. Crafted from the finest materials it is the perfect
Category

20th Century Thai Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Rose Gold, 18k Gold

Diamond Pave 18 Karat White and Yellow Gold Heart Shape Earrings
Located in New York, NY
These beautiful domed diamond pave 18 Karat white and yellow gold heart shape earrings are
Category

1980s Italian Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

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

18k Yellow Gold Pave Diamond Three-Row Huggie Earrings TDW = 2.75 Carat
Located in Sherman Oaks, CA
Gorgeous, Unique Gold Huggie Hoop Earrings Feature Three Rows of Pave-Set Round Diamonds Total # of
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

David Yurman Cable Earrings, 18 Karat Yellow Gold, Pave Diamonds, Omega Clasp
By David Yurman
Located in Houston, TX
pave ball of 16 diamonds at the end of the curl. They have an omega clasp on the back. Each earring
Category

Late 20th Century American Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver

18 Carat Yellow Gold Fan Shaped Earrings with Pave Diamonds
Located in London, GB
18 Carat Yellow Gold Fan Shaped Earrings With Row Of Pave Diamonds (GV -S1) 0.5 Carat
Category

20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Yellow Gold

South Sea, 14 Karat Retro Diamond Pave Earrings 3.95 Carat, VS F-G
Located in Aliso Viejo, CA
Stunning, 11-11.25 millimeter Pearls surrounded with diamond in a pave setting. These Reto and
Category

Late 20th Century American Retro Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold

18k rose gold pave hoop earrings with 6.90 carats in round brilliant cut diamond
Located in Surfside, FL
18k rose gold pave diamond hoop earrings with 6.90 carats in round brilliant G-H color, VS-SI
Category

20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Rose Gold

18k Rose Gold Pave Hoop Earrings with 6.90 Carats in Round Brilliant Cut Diamond
Located in Surfside, FL
18k rose gold pave diamond hoop earrings with 6.90 carats in round brilliant G-H color, VS-SI
Category

20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Rose Gold

Pave Diamond 18 Karat Gold Hoops 4 Carat
Located in Aliso Viejo, CA
color and clarity diamonds set in 18k white gold. The earrings have a gorgeous hinged system that is
Category

1990s American Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Earrings in 18 Karat Gold Pave Set Diamonds Coloured Stones, French circa 1980
Located in London, GB
A fine quality pair of 1980’s vintage bombe shaped, pave set cluster earrings, set with bright
Category

1980s French Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

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

Pavé Set Diamonds Gold Camelia Earclips
Located in Madrid, ES
A pair of 18K white - yellow gold earrings designed as a pave set diamond flowerhead. They are Set
Category

Late 20th Century Spanish Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Black Onyx Caged in 18kt Gold Pave Set Diamond Zebra Striped Clip On Earrings
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
These one of a kind hand made Black Onyx Caged 18kt Gold Pave Set Diamond Zebra Striped Clip On
Category

20th Century American Contemporary Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Diamond Pearl Gold Drop Earrings
Located in Boston, MA
18K WHITE GOLD PAVE DIAMOND BUTTERFLY/BOW EARRINGS CONTAINING MAUVE PEARL DROP.
Category

20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold

18 Karat Diamond Leaf Earrings
Located in Chappaqua, NY
18K White Gold with Pave Diamonds .85 Carat Leaf Huggie Earrings Stamped 750 821AL
Category

20th Century Italian Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold

Black Enamel, Diamond and Platinum Dangle Earrings with 2.50 Carat Total Weight
Located in Naples, FL
A Pair Of Platinum And Pave Set Diamond Ball Drop Dangle Earrings With Black Enamel Accents. The
Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Art Deco Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, Platinum

Platinum Pave Diamond Earrings
Located in Dallas, TX
Platinum Pave Diamond Earrings - Approximately .3 cts of Pave diamonds on a platinum setting. Total
Category

Late 20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond

Groovy Large Hoop Pave Diamond Earrings in 18k Yellow Gold
Located in Wailea, HI
Groovy Large Hoop Pave' Diamond Earrings in 18k Yellow Gold 378 Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

H. Stern 18 Karat Yellow Gold 4.75 Carat Pave Diamond Earrings
By H. Stern
Located in New York, NY
H. Stern Vintage 18K Yellow Gold 4.75 carat Pave Diamond Earrings. Completed by posts and omega
Category

20th Century Brazilian Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

David Yurman Yellow Gold Pave Diamond Earrings with White and Chocolate Diamonds
By David Yurman
Located in Dallas, TX
These stunning 18k yellow gold pave diamond earrings feature apx. 0.9 ct. chocolate diamonds and
Category

20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

5 Carat Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage Platinum Clip on Large Oval Estate Jewelry
Located in Torrance, CA
Stylish pave diamond earrings crafted in 900 platinum (circa 1990s). Round brilliant total an
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum

Magnificent Cartier Pave Diamond Earrings in White Gold
By Cartier
Located in Feasterville, PA
The perfect earclips by Cartier featuring Vvs1 E-F Color Round Brilliant Cut Pave diamonds set in
Category

1990s French Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

18k Gold, White Gold

Estate 18 Karat Rose Gold Crescent Pave Diamond Earrings
Located in New York, NY
. Incorporating round cut diamonds of approx. 4.00cts weight the earrings present a nice shimmer and luster. These
Category

20th Century American Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold

18 Karat Yellow and White Gold Crossover Pave Diamond Earrings
Located in Palm Desert, CA
18 karat yellow and white gold in a crossover pattern with 62 round brilliant cut diamonds weighing
Category

Late 20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Tiffany Co. 4 Carat Total Pave Diamond Earrings in 18 Karat White Gold
By Tiffany Co.
Located in Hicksville, NY
Item Details: This pair of earrings by Tiffany & Co. have pave diamonds totaling 4 carats. They are
Category

1980s Modern Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold

14 Karat White Gold Pave Diamond Drop Earrings
Located in Coral Gables, FL
14 Karat White Gold Pave Diamond Earrings Featuring 42 Single Cut Diamonds Of VS Clarity & G/H
Category

Mid-20th Century Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold

Yellow Gold Pave Diamond Triad Earrings
Located in New York, NY
18kt Yellow Gold and Pave Diamonds Earrings. Gold Hoops with a Pave Diamond Hoop making up an
Category

1960s American Contemporary Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Henry Dunay Pave Diamond Gold Clip Earrings
By Henry Dunay
Located in Chevy Chase, MD
A pair of Henry Dunay Pave diamond earrings in 18k yellow gold with a brushed finish. There is an
Category

20th Century American Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Cartier Pave Diamond Huggy Earrings
By Cartier
Located in Feasterville, PA
these 18k White Gold Pave Diamond Earrings by Cartier: Astounding! A veritable bounty of Vvs1 Clarity E
Category

1990s Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold

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Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage For Sale on 1stDibs

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate pave diamond earrings vintage for your needs in our varied inventory. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using Gold, 18k Gold and Yellow Gold. Our collection of these items for sale includes 19 vintage editions and 1 modern creations to choose from as well. You’re likely to find the perfect pave diamond earrings vintage among the distinctive items we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 20th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 21st Century. As it relates to this specific piece, our collection includes designs that are universally popular, but carat weights, specifically, are sought with frequency. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic pave diamond earrings vintage over the years, but those made by Van Cleef Arpels and Cartier are often thought to be among the most beautiful. Today, if you’re looking for a round cut version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes brilliant cut and mixed cut alternatives. If you’re browsing our inventory for a pave diamond earrings vintage, you’ll find that many are available today for women, but there are still pieces to choose from for unisex and men.

How Much is a Pave Diamond Earrings Vintage?

On average, a pave diamond earrings vintage at 1stDibs sells for $6,900, while they’re typically $985 on the low end and $65,000 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.  

Finding the Right Earrings for You

In the United States, ear piercing didn’t really become popular until the 1950s and ‘60s, but our desire for a dazzling pair of vintage earrings has deeper roots than that. In fact, wearing earrings actually goes back thousands of years, and you can find many tangible connections between now and then in how we continue to talk about these treasured accessories.

Women wore ornamental earrings — studs and hoops at the very least — in Ancient Egypt, which is home to mines that are among the earliest sources of emeralds in the world. Emerald earrings are highly prized today, and their quality lies in their rich, saturated color. The highest-quality emeralds are green or bluish-green. Earrings worn by the affluent in early Roman civilizations were set with precious stones such as diamonds and pearls, and a clean-looking pop of pearl on the front of the lobe is as timeless as ever. Hoop earrings are imbued with symbolism and cultural significance for many, and on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to between 2600 and 2500 B.C.

Today, ear piercing is very popular all over the world, and, as a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a good pair of earrings — modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings, you name it. Sure, jewelry trends and the fashion darlings of social media come and go, but earrings have a staying power that seems impenetrable: The still-strong love affair between British royals and Cartier earrings is more than a century old, glossy 1970s hoops from legacy houses such as Bulgari and Van Cleef Arpels remain the statement makers they’ve always been and although people have been stacking earrings for many moons, the allure of an expertly mismatched stack of charms and studs still feels fresh and new.

While there is no shortage of modern earring designs to choose from, the classics, like coral earrings, Art Deco–style earrings and diamond drop earrings are still heavy hitters. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of antique, new and vintage earrings today.