Vintage Pearl Opal
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
1940s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Rubelite, 18k Gold, Silver
1950s Finnish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Spinel, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1950s Norwegian Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Silver, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1940s Swedish Art Nouveau Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Emerald, Diamond, Silver, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
1980s Russian Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
1980s Finnish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
1980s Russian Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century German Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
1930s Czech Renaissance Revival Vintage Pearl Opal
Garnet, Gold-filled, Silver
1930s European Art Nouveau Vintage Pearl Opal
Sterling Silver
1930s American Art Nouveau Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
1930s Finnish Jugendstil Vintage Pearl Opal
Hematite, Quartz, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Spinel, 18k Gold
1950s Turkish Art Nouveau Vintage Pearl Opal
14k Gold, 22k Gold, Rose Gold
1960s European Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
1930s Georgian Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
1930s German Baroque Revival Vintage Pearl Opal
Garnet, Marcasite, 18k Gold, Silver
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
1930s European Jugendstil Vintage Pearl Opal
18k Gold
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Amethyst, 18k Gold
1960s Swedish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
1930s Finnish Jugendstil Vintage Pearl Opal
Hematite, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Silver
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
1930s Swedish Jugendstil Vintage Pearl Opal
18k Gold
1950s Danish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Garnet, 18k Gold, 14k Gold
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Emerald, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1970s Georgian Russian Revival Vintage Pearl Opal
Ruby, 14k Gold
1930s Swedish Empire Vintage Pearl Opal
18k Gold
1930s German Art Nouveau Vintage Pearl Opal
Aquamarine, 18k Gold
1960s European Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, Silver
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Silver
1950s Swedish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Rock Crystal, 18k Gold
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Silver
1940s German Art Nouveau Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Emerald, Diamond, 18k Gold
1930s Russian Aesthetic Movement Vintage Pearl Opal
Silver, 18k Gold, Enamel
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Chalcedony, Diamond, 18k Gold
1930s German Art Nouveau Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Platinum
1950s Swedish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Chalcedony, 18k Gold
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s English Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
1950s Swedish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Rubelite, 18k Gold
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
1960s Swedish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Platinum
1940s Finnish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Spinel, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Finnish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Emerald, 14k Gold
1980s Swedish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s Swedish Retro Vintage Pearl Opal
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
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Vintage Pearl Opal For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Vintage Pearl Opal?
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, 2022To determine whether a pearl necklace is modern or vintage, first look for signs of wear, such as blunted edges on the prongs. The pearls will likely have dull spots where they came into contact with skin. The clasp can clue you in, too. Lobster clasps appeared in the 1970s, while early 20th century clasps were generally safety-pin style or C-clasps. Modern necklaces typically have a spring-loaded clasp. Shop a selection of vintage pearl jewelry on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Vintage Mikimoto pearls are set with cream or white pearls. Colored pearls are a modern addition. All Mikimoto pearl jewelry includes marks on the back or inside of the piece that is either the Mikimoto name, an “M” logo or the outline of an oyster. In addition, strands of pearls will have a dangling “M” charm. Mikimoto stores and authorized retailers will also appraise and issue a certificate of valuation for any Mikimoto piece. Find a variety of expertly vetted Mikimoto pearl jewelry on 1stDibs.