Seed Pearls
Antique 1880s Belle Époque Drop Earrings
Onyx, Pearl, Gold, Enamel
Vintage 1960s Unknown Retro Brooches
Multi-gemstone, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Late 19th Century Late Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Art Deco Brooches
Pearl, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Coral, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Engagement Rings
Pearl, Ruby, Gold, 15k Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Edwardian Brooches
Natural Pearl
Mid-20th Century Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold, Gold
Antique 1890s French Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s Pendant Necklaces
Aquamarine, Pearl, Yellow Gold
2010s American Brooches
Pearl, Citrine
Antique Late 19th Century European Belle Époque Vanity Items
Pearl, Platinum
Antique 19th Century Victorian Cocktail Rings
Opal, Pearl, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Victorian More Earrings
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Chain Necklaces
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Australian Edwardian Brooches
Peridot, Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold
Antique 1890s Romantic Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
20th Century Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Brooches
Pearl, Turquoise, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, 14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Brooches
Pearl, Peridot, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Brooches
Pearl, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Artisan Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Freshwater Pearl, Pearl, 18k Gold, Silver, Gold
Antique 1890s European Belle Époque Brooches
Chrysoberyl, Pearl, Silver
Early 20th Century Late Victorian Solitaire Rings
Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1910s Unknown Drop Necklaces
Aquamarine, Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Brooches
Agate, Pearl, Gold
Vintage 1970s Unknown Retro Bangles
Pearl, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Vintage 1920s Swedish Dangle Earrings
18k Gold
Antique 1890s Brooches
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century English Victorian Signet Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 19th Century Dutch Victorian Cocktail Rings
Pearl, 14k Gold, Enamel
Antique Early 19th Century British Georgian Signet Rings
Crystal, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Chain Bracelets
Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Hungarian Late Victorian Bangles
Chalcedony, Natural Pearl, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
Antique 1890s French Victorian Cluster Rings
Garnet, Pearl, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold
20th Century Wrist Watches
Pearl, 18k Gold, Enamel
Antique 1890s American Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Garnet, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s American Belle Époque Dangle Earrings
Oriental Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s Unknown Art Nouveau Drop Necklaces
Pearl, Peridot, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
20th Century Retro Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique Early 1900s Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s Late Victorian Brooches
Pearl, 18k Gold, Steel
20th Century Unknown Brooches
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s English Victorian Engagement Rings
Pearl, 15k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Victorian Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold
Vintage 1920s Unknown Drop Necklaces
Pearl, Peridot, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Enamel
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Seed Pearls For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Seed Pearls?
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 ExpertApril 5, 2022Seed pearls are small pearls that get their name from their diminutive size. They’re sometimes used in jewelry today but were most popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of antique and modern seed pearl jewelry from some of the world’s top sellers.