Choker Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary European Choker Necklaces
2010s Choker Necklaces
Mid-20th Century Italian Artisan Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Unknown Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artisan Choker Necklaces
Coral, Onyx, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s Spanish Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Italian Retro Vintage Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Amethyst, Sterling Silver
1980s Unknown Vintage Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Unknown Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
1990s Spanish Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, White Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
1970s French Modernist Vintage Choker Necklaces
2010s Danish Modern Choker Necklaces
1970s American Modern Vintage Choker Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Choker Necklaces
Silver Plate
2010s Italian Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s French Modernist Vintage Choker Necklaces
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Victorian Choker Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Asian Art Nouveau Choker Necklaces
Topaz, Sterling Silver, Gold Plate, Rose Gold
1970s American Vintage Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
Late 20th Century American Modern Choker Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Choker Necklaces
1930s Anglo-Indian Vintage Choker Necklaces
Gold
20th Century French Choker Necklaces
Gilt Metal
20th Century American Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Danish Modern Choker Necklaces
2010s Unknown Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Italian Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Platinum
1990s Japanese Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
1980s French Vintage Choker Necklaces
1970s French Modernist Vintage Choker Necklaces
Steel, Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Victorian Choker Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Retro Choker Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Choker Necklaces
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Thai Art Nouveau Choker Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green ...
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Turquoise, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modernist Choker Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Steel
2010s European Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Choker Necklaces
20th Century French Choker Necklaces
Gilt Metal
2010s Italian Modern Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century French Choker Necklaces
Gold
1960s European Vintage Choker Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold
1980s Vintage Choker Necklaces
1970s Danish Modernist Vintage Choker Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage Choker Necklaces
Vintage choker necklaces are elegant, alluring and stylish. Cameos, pearls, diamonds and other stones can decorate these necklaces, which come in single or multiple strands. Whether it is a statement piece or a delicate chain, these short necklaces always stand out and turn heads.
The history of the choker can be traced back thousands of years, with Sumerian examples discovered from 2600–2500 B.C. They endured as a popular form of adornment through the centuries, and during the French Revolution they took on a symbolic significance. Women wore ribbons around their throats to mark the passing of those killed by the guillotine. Soon, the plain ribbons were adorned with small cameos and other ornamentation.
European choker necklaces gained a salacious reputation in the 19th century when prostitutes were associated with black ribbons tied around the neck, such as the model in Édouard Manet’s Olympia (1863). Queen Alexandra, Princess of Wales, reversed the trend in the late 19th century by wearing a large pearl and diamond choker, reputedly to hide a scar.
Fashioned from gold, pearls and other precious stones and metals, chokers continued to be worn into the 20th century, alternately statements of wealth and rebellion. They experienced periods of revival in the 1920s, ’40s, ’70s and ’90s for both men and women.
Vintage chokers make a statement with an unmistakable air of femininity. On 1stDibs, find an alluring collection of vintage chokers today, including gold, sapphire and emerald chokers.