Plique A Jour Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1950s Spanish Art Nouveau Link Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century British Art Nouveau Brooches
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s English Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Spanish Romantic Brooches
Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s Art Nouveau Brooches
Diamond, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Sterling Silver, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Sterling Silver, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Antique 1890s French Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Brooches
Tourmaline
Mid-20th Century Spanish Retro Brooches
Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Brooches
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Enamel
2010s Spanish Fashion Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century European Edwardian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
Antique 1850s Link Necklaces
18k Gold
Late 20th Century French Modernist Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Norwegian Art Nouveau Brooches
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s British Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 15k Gold, Rose Gold
20th Century French Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 1890s Art Nouveau Brooches
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s Austrian Art Nouveau Brooches
Opal, Quartz, Silver, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Art Nouveau Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Brooches
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Brooches
Silver, Enamel
Early 2000s North American Art Nouveau Brooches
Moonstone, Ruby, Sterling Silver
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Enamel
20th Century French Gothic Revival Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1980s American Modern Brooches
Vintage 1920s French Art Nouveau Drop Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, Silver
Early 2000s Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Ruby, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Brooches
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Art Nouveau Fashion Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Enamel
20th Century French Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century French Art Deco Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century French Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Art Nouveau Link Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel, 18k Gold
Vintage 1910s French Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Enamel
2010s Spanish Art Nouveau Fashion Rings
18k Gold, Gold, Enamel
20th Century French Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century French Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1960s Spanish Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Edwardian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum, Enamel
Antique 1890s French Enamel Frames and Objects
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Platinum
Antique Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Stud Earrings
Diamond, Peridot, Gold, Platinum
Late 20th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century Norwegian Russian Empire Models and Miniatures
Sterling Silver, Enamel
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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.
- What is cloisonné jewelry?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 8, 2024Cloisonné jewelry is jewelry that has been decorated with a distinctive enameling technique.
Cloisonné (“cell” in French) is a technique in which thin wires of fine silver or gold are used to outline a design, which is then filled with enamel. The piece is subsequently placed in a kiln where the enamel is melted. Cloisonné is distinct because the individual wires remain visible, forming an outline of the motif.
Over the years, enameling has become an art form. This is partly because of its durability: Although the colors may change during firing, once cooled, they’re set and never fade. They can also be made either opaque or translucent — just one example of the flexibility that is another reason artists are attracted to the medium.
When it comes to jewelry design and other disciplines, cloisonné enamel was popular during the Byzantine Empire (artisans living in France and Germany in the Middle Ages preferred champlevé). By the 7th century, Lombard craftsmen in northern Italy were using enamel to emulate Byzantine objects. In the 12th and 13th centuries, artisans in China imported the technique and made it so much their own that enameled objects have long been associated with Eastern aesthetics and motifs rather than Western ones.
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