Shop by era
Victorian, Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro and mid-century earrings, filtered on the era recorded for the pair.
The collection
Vintage & Antique Earrings
Antique and vintage earrings date themselves through their fittings. Shepherd hooks and kidney wires belong to the nineteenth century, screw backs to the decades before piercing became common again, clips to the 1930s onward, and modern posts to the years after that. We record the fitting exactly as we find it, and we say clearly when a fitting was replaced or converted, because that is one of the few things about an antique earring that can quietly be changed.
5 pieces
One of a kindSampleView this pieceArt Deco Diamond Drop Earrings in Platinum
Diamond
$10,128
One of a kindSampleView this pieceEstate South Sea Pearl & Diamond Earrings
18K · Pearl
$7,596
One of a kindSampleView this pieceVan Cleef & Arpels 18K Yellow gold Earrings
18K
$7,279
One of a kindSampleView this pieceGeorgian Gold Cannetille Drop Earrings
$3,587
One of a kindSampleView this pieceEdwardian Diamond & Pearl Drop Earrings
Pearl
$5,697
Looking for something you saw earlier? Browse our archive of recently sold vintage jewelry to see the kind of pieces that pass through our hands.
The category covers Victorian gold drops and creoles, Art Nouveau enamel, Edwardian platinum and diamond dormeuses, Art Deco geometric drops in onyx and calibre-cut sapphire, Retro and mid-century clips in heavy gold, and estate studs and hoops in 14K and 18K with modern brilliants. Pairs are exactly that: two pieces that have stayed together, which is rarer than it sounds.
Each pair is weighed, tested and checked at our bench. Our gemologist assesses both stones, including how well they match each other in size, color and cut — a detail that matters more in earrings than anywhere else. Posts and butterflies are renewed where safety requires it. Everything ships free and fully insured to the US with import duties included.
Personal service
Nothing here yet is quite it?
Three ways to go further, all of them with a person on the other side.
01
Book a private video viewing
One of our jewelers takes any piece to daylight and shows you the hallmark, the setting and any wear, live and in your own time zone.
Book a viewing02
Tell us what you are looking for
Our buyers are with European estates and auction houses every week. Describe the piece and we write to you the moment something right comes in.
We will source it03
Have one made — Atelier
Our Atelier pieces are newly handcrafted in our own workshop, taking their cues from the vintage and antique jewelry we have spent decades restoring. New work with a vintage soul, never sold as antique.
Explore AtelierShop by metal, stone & fitting
Yellow, white and rose gold, platinum and silver, with diamond, pearl, sapphire, emerald, ruby, coral and enamel. Filter by studs, drops, hoops and clips, and check the fitting type on each product page before you buy.
What makes antique earrings special
Matched hand-cut stones, backs that were made rather than stamped, and drops articulated so they swing. Because earrings are so easily separated, a surviving original pair with its own fittings is genuinely uncommon.
Converting clips and screw backs
Our goldsmith can convert many screw backs and clips to posts for pierced ears, and can usually reverse it later. Where a conversion would damage the piece or remove a hallmark, we do not do it and the product page says why.
Buying from the Netherlands — duties included
Free insured shipping to the US with import duties already in the price, 30 days to return with free insured return shipping, and a private video viewing to see how the pair hangs before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you convert clip-on or screw back earrings to pierced?
- Usually yes, in our own atelier, and often reversibly. Ask before you order and we will confirm for that specific pair. Where a conversion would harm the piece or remove its mark, we decline and say so.
- Do the stones in an antique pair always match?
- Not perfectly. Hand-cut diamonds vary slightly in outline and weight, and one stone in an old pair may have been replaced. Our gemologist compares both and records what we see, including a replacement, in the dossier.
- How heavy are vintage drop earrings to wear?
- Every pair lists its total weight in grams, so you can judge before buying. Larger Retro and Deco drops can be substantial; on a video viewing we will hold them up and show you the scale against a hand.
- Can I see the piece before I buy it?
- Book a private video viewing. One of our specialists takes the exact piece into daylight on camera, turns it, shows you the hallmark and the back of the setting, and answers your questions live in your own time zone.
- Do you ship to the US with duties included?
- Yes. Shipping from the Netherlands to any US address is free, fully insured and tracked, and import duties and taxes are already included in the price you see. Nothing extra is collected on delivery.
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About this category
Earrings at Vintage Jewelry
Vintage and estate earrings, with fittings checked and, where needed, safely converted for pierced ears.
About vintage earrings
Earrings show their age in the fittings: shepherd hooks, screw backs, clips and early posts all belong to particular decades. We record the fitting as it is, and we say when it was replaced.
How we authenticate vintage earrings
Small pieces are often marked only on the post or the clip. Our goldsmith reads what is there and tests the metal where nothing is. Stones are checked by our gemologist, including matching between the pair.
Read before you buy
Also of interest
Guides and collections that pair with these pieces.
Types of earrings explainedThe shapes and styles, named and explained.
Read more
How much are vintage earrings worth?What drives the price of a piece like this.
Read more
New arrivalsNewly listed pieces, updated every week.
Read more
Art DecoSymmetry, contrast and platinum. Onyx against diamond, calibre cut sapphires in stepped mounts, and the clean
Read more