Urchin Necklace

Find the exact urchin necklace you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from 18k gold, gold and yellow gold — can elevate any look. Our collection of these items for sale includes 4 vintage editions and 9 modern creations to choose from as well. Making the right choice when shopping for a urchin necklace may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 20th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 21st Century, both of which have proven very popular over the years. A urchin necklace from AnaKatarina, Chanel and Salvador Dalí — each of whom created a beautiful version of this treasured accessory — is worth considering. A urchin necklace of any era or style can lend versatility to your look, but a version featuring diamond, from our inventory of 4, is particularly popular. Today, if you’re looking for a brilliant cut version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes bead alternatives. When shopping for a urchin necklace, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for unisex or men today than there are for women.

Prices for a urchin necklace can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $390 and can go as high as $131,144, while this accessory, on average, fetches $2,338.

We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.

Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers. 

In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs. 

For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone. 

Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt. 

On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.