Tahitian Black Pearls
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Black Pearl, Ruby, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Ye...
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Cluster Rings
Black Pearl, Diamond, Natural Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gol...
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Wh...
Vintage 1970s Japanese Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Black Pearl, Ruby, White Diamond, Pearl, Gold, White Gold, Rhod...
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Iolite, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Quartz, Sapphire, Gold, 14k ...
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Go...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
Coral, White Diamond, Onyx, Black Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White...
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
White Diamond, Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 14k Go...
2010s Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold, Yel...
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, South Sea Pearl, White Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Drop Earrings
Coral, Diamond, Onyx, Pearl, Black Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Garnet, Pearl, Black Pearl, Tsavorite, 18k Gold,...
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Black Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Black Pearl, Pearl, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Apatite, Iolite, Cultured Pearl, Black Pearl, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Go...
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Engagement Rings
Diamond, Black Pearl, White Gold
2010s American Modern Stud Earrings
Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Italian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Black Pearl, 18k Gold, Platinum
2010s Italian Cocktail Rings
Black Pearl, White Diamond, Diamond, Platinum, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Emerald, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 10k Gold, 14k Gold, 1...
21st Century and Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Black Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
White Diamond, Black Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Pearl, Diamond...
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Hoop Earrings
Black Pearl, White Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Crystal, Black Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Whi...
1990s Thai Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s North American Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 14k Go...
2010s Australian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pe...
2010s American Cuff Bracelets
Diamond, Black Pearl, Natural Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Ye...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, Black Pearl, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Asian Beaded Necklaces
Black Pearl, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s European Dangle Earrings
Pearl, Topaz, Blue Topaz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Japanese Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, White Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold,...
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Zircon, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold,...
2010s American Drop Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rope Necklaces
Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Crystal
2010s Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Black Pearl, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Necklace Enhancers
Onyx, Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold-filled
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Dangle Earrings
Black Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Black Pearl, Platinum
2010s American Contemporary Link Bracelets
Pearl, 18k Gold
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Tahitian Black Pearls For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Tahitian Black 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.
The Legacy of Pearl in Jewelry Design
The pearl has been synonymous with ladylike elegance since the Tudor period — learn what to look for when shopping for vintage and antique pearl jewelry as well as how to tell the origin of a pearl with our handy primer.
Every woman at some point in her life desires a simple strand of pearls. They are elegant, timeless, versatile — just ask Coco Chanel or Jacqueline Kennedy — and valuable. In 1917, Pierre Cartier famously traded a double-strand of natural pearls for a Fifth Avenue mansion, the Cartier brand’s flagship store ever since. And if you were born in the beginning of summer, pearl is the June birthstone.
It is possible to tell where a pearl originated from its appearance. Akoyas are usually round and white — the classic pearl, if you will. South Sea pearls are normally larger and vary in color; orangey yellow ones are not uncommon. Tahitian pearls are mostly black but can also be gray or brown, and between the Akoya and the South Sea varieties in size. Freshwater pearls, or Orientals, run the gamut in terms of color and size, but in shape, they tend to resemble Rice Krispies. Another important distinction is a round pearl versus a baroque pearl. A round pearl is self-explanatory, but there are two types of baroque pearls: symmetrical and asymmetrical. In general, the symmetrical variation commands a higher valuation. Within a strand of pearls, uniformity is prized — the more the individual pearls resemble one another, the more valuable the strand.
According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the earliest recorded mention of a pearl was in 2206 BC by a Chinese historian. Centuries later, Christopher Columbus made it a point to visit pearl fisheries during his 15th-century exploration of the Caribbean. Since the late-19th century, the Japanese have been at the forefront of cultivating pearls, when jeweler Kokichi Mikimoto successfully cultured the world’s first pearl in 1893.
On 1stDibs, find vintage and antique pearl necklaces, pearl earrings and other accessories.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Because the dark color of tahitian black pearls makes them so exotic, they can be more valuable. Depending on quality and size a strand can cost between $500 and $25000.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021A gray, rainbow or gold hue is popular with respect to Tahitian pearls. These pearls would make a unique pendant or a charm for a bracelet. Shop a collection of vintage and modern Tahitian pearl jewelry from some of the world’s top jewelers on 1stDibs.
- Are black pearls real pearls?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertNovember 6, 2023Yes, some black pearls are real pearls. Genuine black pearls typically come from Tahiti, sourced from black-lip pearl oysters. Some jewelry features synthetic black pearls created in laboratories. Explore a selection of black pearl jewelry from some of the world's top dealers on 1stDibs.
- What do black pearls symbolize?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022What black pearls symbolize is largely a matter of personal opinion. Some people associate them with mystery due to their color. Others believe they represent mental strength, wealth or freedom. You'll find a variety of black pearl jewelry on 1stDibs.
- Is a black pearl rare?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Because black pearls only form when sand is trapped in a specific type of oyster, the Tahitian black-lipped Pinctada, they are very rare. Black pearls occur once in every 10,000 pearls.