Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
1970s Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Tanzanite, Platinum, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Tanzanite, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
White Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Pink Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1980s American Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
1980s Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Tourmaline, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Sapphire, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Spinel, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Spinel, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Spinel, Rose Gold
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
22k Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Citrine, Peridot, Topaz, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Turkish Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Multi-gemstone, Citrine, Garnet, Quartz, Ruby, Spinel, Tiger s Eye, 10k ...
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Peridot, Topa...
1980s American Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
20th Century Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Citrine, Pearl, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Canadian Modernist Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Emerald, Garnet, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Tourmaline...
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Carnelian, Chrysophrase, Garnet, Jade, Moonstone, Cultured Pea...
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Citrine, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Hematite, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Turquoise, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Peridot, Topaz, Tourmaline, Blue Topaz, Gold, 14...
Mid-20th Century Unknown Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Emerald, Ruby, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Diamond, White Diamond, Topaz, Tourmaline, Blue Topaz, Gold, 1...
20th Century Artisan Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Ruby, 14k Gold
1970s Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
1980s Modernist Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
1970s Art Deco Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Platinum
Late 20th Century Italian Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Citrine, Topaz, Tourmaline, Multi-gemstone, 18k Gold, Gold
1970s Unknown Byzantine Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Peridot, Topaz, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Garnet, Peridot, Topaz, Tourmaline, 18k G...
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, Garnet, Peridot, Topaz, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Citrine, Garnet, Peridot, Topaz, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow ...
20th Century Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s American Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Emerald, Pearl, Topaz, Tourmaline, 14k Go...
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Aquamarine, Citrine, White Diamond, Peridot, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, White...
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Amethyst, Garnet, Iolite, Topaz, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Art Deco Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Emerald, Multi-gemstone, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1940s Art Deco Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
1970s Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Retro Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
People Also Browsed
Early 2000s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Agate, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Moonstone, Rainbow Moonstone, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Garnet, 14k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Pink Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, White Gold
20th Century American Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s Art Deco Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Garnet, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Tsavorite, Gold, 18k Gold, Ros...
1990s Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Aquamarine, Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Vintage Gemstone Rings Estate?
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.
Finding the Right Rings for You
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 23, 2024The difference between vintage, antique and estate engagement rings comes down to age and history. Rings that are over 100 years old are antiques, while those produced 20 to 99 years ago are vintage. Estate engagement rings are any rings that have had a previous owner. They can include antique, vintage and even contemporary rings produced during the last 20 years. Shop a large selection of engagement rings on 1stDibs.
Read More
This Absinthe-Hued Peridot Cocktail Ring Is Positively Intoxicating
Ancient Egyptians referred to the vibrant stone as the “gem of the sun.”
Our Guide to Engagement Ring Settings – And How to Choose One
There are many ways to showcase a diamond, from traditional prongs to a smooth, streamlined bezel. Here’s everything you need to consider.
Nothing Says Summer Heat Like This Ruby-Red Cartier Stunner
The vintage bombé ring is bursting with color and timeless style.
Zircon Rings: Our Guide to a Uniquely Colorful Natural Gemstone
Zircon is a magnificent and underrated natural gemstone that has been worn and adored for centuries.
[Survey] Two-Thirds of Jewelry Gift Recipients Don’t Want to Be Surprised
Givers of fine gems enjoy surprise more than receivers, and women more than men. Find out what else our survey of 3,000 Americans revealed.
Colorful Gemstones Are a Brilliant Choice for Engagement Rings
If diamonds don’t seem right, what about a magnificent sapphire, ruby or emerald?
Our Guide to Fancy-Colored Diamond Engagement Rings
Accounting for just 1 percent of all diamonds, these marvels of nature are exceedingly rare and gorgeously complex.
Our Guide to Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco Engagement Rings
Learn about these antique jewelry styles, then choose a design that speaks to you.