Old Byzantine Cross Antique Roman Design Hand Made set in 18 Karat Gold
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Old Byzantine Cross set in 18k gold Estimate antique Bronze old however cannot proof scientifically Hand Set In Italy with mat 18k Yellow Gold Approx size: 1.5' inch tall (35mm) Co...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze, Gold
Byzantine Cross and Black Onyx in Sterling Silver 925
Located in Brooklyn, NY
HAND MADE IN ITALY BYZANTINE CROSS OLD BRONZE SET IN CARVED ONYX AND WITH STERLING SILVER PLATED WITH BLACK RHODIUM SMALL SAPPHIRE IN THE MIDDLE (set in 18k gold) OVERALL CROSS APPR...
Onyx, Sterling Silver
Antique Cross Byzantine Cross set with 18 Karat Yellow Gold old Roman Cross
Located in Brooklyn, NY
With an X design of Diamonds. This Antique Bronze Cross is from the 600-900 AD Rich Patina tone as a result of aged bronze.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Bronze
Whether you’re layering multiple jewelry pieces or opting for a single strand, vintage pendant necklaces are versatile accessories that can elevate your casual wear as easily as they can add a creative flourish to your formal attire.
The earliest jewelry was less about accessorizing than it was about wearers arming themselves with amulets. In Ancient Egypt, some amulets featured a loop so that they could be strung around one’s neck. While rubies have long been one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money, members of some ancient civilizations valued the stones from the get-go, donning ruby pendants as well as other stones with the belief that these adornments would bring protection, healing powers or strength. Today, we still wear our charm bracelets and charm pendants around our necks for good luck.
Later, pendant necklaces, like most fine jewelry, were worn strictly by royalty or the upper class and conferred wealth and prestige. This changed over time, thankfully, as wearing jewelry became more widespread, a democratized means of personal expression.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, pendant necklaces evolved from their status as spiritual amulets, but the jewels still carried deep personal significance. Victorian pendants, in particular, were part of the “mourning jewelry” tradition. Wearers would embed their pendants with locks of hair from a deceased loved one as a way of grieving in the wake of a loss. In the case of cameo jewelry, some pendants were even decorated with miniature hand-carved portraits in a detailed raised relief. Today, portraiture is still a characteristic of many of the hand-carved pendant necklaces offered by Italian jewelry house Scala Gioielli.
Luxury fine jewelry brands such as Cartier, BVLGARI and David Yurman offer their own unique interpretations of the cherished accessory, embellishing platinum or gold pendant necklaces with diamonds, sapphires and other stones.
On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage pendant necklaces and other necklaces today.