Our Vintage & Antique Jewelry Blog

We’re excited to introduce Beth Bernstein, author of the new book, If These Jewels Could Talk: The Legends Behind Celebrity Gems. Beth is a gifted writer and jewelry expert, whose passion has introduced her to a world of fabulous jewels and people.  She shares her wisdom through numerous articles, design, and jewelry consulting. Her previous two books are My Charmed Life: Rocky Romances, Precious Family Connections and Searching For a Band of Gold and Jewelry’s Shining Stars: Shaping Today’s Collectibles and Tomorrow’s Heirlooms.

We’re positively swooning over the beautiful gowns that debuted at the Bridal Week Fall 2016 shows. After obsessively poring over each collection, we identified three trends and created wedding jewelry looks to compliment them. We started by highlighting our newest cache of green rings (emeralds and demantoid garnets!) and then let the dresses lead the way.

The newest Engagement Ring of the Week is inspired by the fantastic exhibition, Elegance in an Age of Crisis: Fashions of the 1930s, currently on view at the Fashion Institute of Technology’s museum. The exhibition provides an overview of both women’s and men’s fashions of the 1930s, a pivotal decade that introduced the first truly modern clothing and accessories. Our 1930s Art Deco star sapphire and diamond ring, with its dramatic proportions and streamlined details, is a perfect compliment to the beautiful clothing on display.

Since Doyle & Doyle’s founding in 1998 by sisters Elizabeth and Irene Pamela Doyle, they’ve showcased a beautifully curated selection of vintage, antique, and estate jewelry. Led by the Doyles’ love of history and design, Doyle & Doyle also serves as a resource for the community to discover the rich history of jewelry and personal adornment. In this tradition, we are excited to introduce The Vault, an ongoing series of exhibitions of curated collections around a theme.

For the debut exhibition, we’re honored to have Lynn Yaeger co-curate an exquisite selection of vintage and antique accessories. Lynn is a celebrated fashion journalist, antique jewelry collector, and one of Doyle & Doyle’s earliest supporters. Her style, wealth of knowledge, and passion has influenced us throughout the years. In her words:

“A hundred years ago, jewelry didn’t just mean rings and brooches, earrings and bracelets. The category was flexible enough to accommodate not just gold mesh purses but diamond hair barrettes, tiny golden notebooks with miniature cabochon-topped pencils, 18 karat eyeglass frames, and crystal mystery clocks – objects so glorious, so ingenious, so desirable that even now, so many decades later, we can only gasp in wonderment at the splendor of these creations.

They may have been insanely extravagant, but at least these wondrous accessories were meant to last forever – gold belt buckles would be endlessly affixed to different leathers and ribbons, a dowager’s lorgnette could enlarge print for generations. There’s a cleverness, almost a craziness, to some of the items that found their way into pockets and atop dressing tables. We hope you enjoy this collection gathered by Doyle & Doyle – a gorgeous testament to the way the most unexpected objects can be elevated to the realm of art.”

The fashion and entertainment worlds are having an Art Deco moment! Channeling the current season of Downton Abbey, set in 1922, many stars at the Golden Globes made colorful, bold Art Deco jewelry a key part of their red carpet looks. But you don’t need to wait for a black tie event! Vintage Art Deco jewelry is easily wearable, always fashionable, and effortlessly makes a statement.

Holiday parties call for sparkling frocks, killer shoes, and of course, beautiful jewels. From all-out diamond glitz to rich gold and dramatic colors, you’ll find everything you need to make it a glamorous holiday (or any time of year) in our gift guide!

101180E Vintage diamond earrings c. 1950 platinum and 18k $2800. 096847NW Heirloom fancy basket diamond pendant 18k $2100. 100969R Edwardian diamond and pink sapphire ring Birks platinum $5900. 095719E Victorian Whitby jet earrings 9k $650. 099961N Edwardian style negligee necklace Polish c. 1930 18k and platinum $4800. 100600M Art Nouveau diamond dragon cufflinks 18k $1200. 097608R Retro diamond and ruby ring c. 1950 14k and platinum $3800. 101694E Vintage diamond sea urchin earrings 18k $2800. 101500R Victorian gold filigree and turquoise bangle bracelet c. 1900 18k $2800.

Our third holiday gift guide features some of the most spectacular pieces in our collection, including historically important jewelry from the Georgian, Victorian, and Art Deco periods and incredible colored gemstones and diamonds. Each carefully selected jewel is a once in a lifetime gift and will quickly become her favorite statement piece.

Who doesn’t love a pop of color for the holidays? For our second gift guide, we’re showcasing every beautiful hue in our jewelry collection, including antique, vintage, and Heirloom pieces. From rich red ruby to velvety green emerald and sunny yellow citrine, we’ve got all your favorites covered. And if you’re like me and you’d rather wear every color (at the same time!), we’ve included a few of our favorite multicolor pieces at the end. Have a colorful, sparkling holiday!

098199R Vintage tourmaline cocktail ring 14k white gold $3650. 097679E Heirloom fancy basket ruby studs 18k gold $450. 096910E Victorian carnelian earrings c. 1890 10k gold $1800. 101355R Antique citrine flower ring c. 1910 14k gold $1200. 100206P Victorian citrine filigree brooch c. 1890 10k gold $1200. 098940N Victorian green enamel and pearl locket 15k gold $1800. 097086P Victorian turquoise and pearl striped brooch c. 1870 14k gold $1200. HE-0009a-8P Heirloom cushion cut lapis and diamond earrings 18k rose gold $1550. 092643E Heirloom fancy basket amethyst drop earrings 18k gold $525.

Our first Gift Guide of the season is inspired by the idea of being home for the holidays, whether you’re traveling to see family, celebrating with friends, or planning a romantic getaway. We layered vintage and antique pieces with the navigational West 13th Collection to create a versatile line up of unique holiday jewels.

How do you create a sense of home during the holiday season? 

One more week to our November 15th Grand Opening at 412 West 13th Street! Inspired by the spirit of our new neighborhood, we’re showcasing a 1940s Engagement Ring of the Week that fits perfectly into the industrial, cobblestoned streets of New York’s Meatpacking District. The chunky Old Mine cut diamond is a striking contrast to the streamlined, architectural mounting, fashioned in palladium.