“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”

An iconic woman in so many ways, Coco Chanel’s words and influence continue to shape every aspect of style and fashion for women worldwide, especially when it comes to jewelry and accessories. Classic Chanel pieces are always in fashion. One of the revolutionary designer’s most famous quotes is all about accessories. Sometimes less is more, sometimes more is a bit much, but one thing is for sure… earrings are rarely left behind.

“Costume jewelry is not made to give women an aura of wealth, but to make them beautiful.”

Coco Chanel believed that if women could afford to choose from a selection of beautiful jewelry, not all precious stones, they would have the freedom to accessorize every outfit they have. She herself was rarely seen without her signature oversized earrings and ropes of pearls. A pioneer of costume jewelry, she created fabulous yet affordable baubles made of chains, beads, and glass to complement her casual daytime collection dating back to the 1930s. The tradition of Chanel earrings endures to this day, offering elegant configurations of cultured pearls, plated metals and rhinestones.

“It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure.”

Earrings often set the tone of other accessories, chosen based on a woman’s neckline, hairstyle and mood on any given day. We rarely leave home without them, however casual the look. As essential to a woman’s signature look as shoes and lipstick, the “Double C” Chanel earrings are iconic and timeless.

Here are a few favorites from our extensive selection of Chanel earrings to finish your holiday party look.

These classic Double C earrings are vintage Chanel, made in France. Black clip on earrings detailed in gold are the perfect complement to another Coco creation…the Little Black Dress.

Chanel gold tone logo hoop earrings are perfect with a strapless gown and an updo. These gorgeous hoops are oversized at 3” and flawlessly pair with an eye catching cocktail ring. Regally engraved with iconic imagery, these recognizably Chanel earrings are at once bold and elegant.

This pair of Chanel 18K yellow gold Comete Diamond Star Earrings is a luxury worth having, Not ALL jewelry needs to be costume, of course. This rare and exquisite pair of Chanel earrings will wow your friends and family for years to come. Created of 18-karat gold with an elegant shooting star design, accented with diamonds.

While Coco Chanel’s ready-to-wear designs (labeled under the House of Chanel) were understated, her jewelry was bold, flashy and highly ornate. We explore the history of Chanel jewelry, the most influential jewelry designers behind the Chanel brand, and how they, alongside Coco Chanel, revolutionized the costume jewelry industry.

The 1920s Perception of Fine vs. Costume Jewelry 

Until Chanel arrived on the fashion scene in the later 1920s, only the wealthy could afford jewelry as it was made nearly exclusively with precious stones and fine metals, and even still, the high cost of jewelry meant women could only wear one to two pieces. Meanwhile, costume jewelry was a sort of style faux-pas and looked-down upon as being only for women who couldn’t afford the real thing. Although Chanel had an impressive fine jewelry collection of her own, bestowed to her by her adoring suitors, she preferred mixing fine pieces with costume jewelry. Chanel was notorious for layering on ropes of faux-pearls and necklaces that contrasted beautifully against her minimalist designs.

The Introduction of the Chanel Maltese Cross Cuff

For her own line of costume jewelry, Chanel turned to Duke Fulco di Vedura. In 1927, Fulco was working for Chanel as a textile designer but Chanel quickly noticed his talented eye and asked him to update the settings of her own fine jewelry. Soon after, Chanel made Fulco the head designer of Chanel jewelry, a post he would hold for eight years.

Together, Chanel and Fulco designed the now iconic Chanel Maltese Cross motif. The cross design (also known as the Almalfi cross) was loosely inspired by the star of the Knights of Malta. In Fulco’s interpretation, the Maltese cross was filled with multi-color semiprecious stones and set upon a mismatched pair of white enamel bracelets. Chanel adored these bracelets, added them to her personal wardrobe and wore them constantly. The Chanel Maltese Cross cuffs became commercially available around 1930 and have remained a mainstay of the Chanel jewelry collection since.

Chanel, Fine Jewelry, and the Bijoux de Diamants

In 1932, Chanel began experimenting with her first and only fine jewelry collection, dubbed the Bijoux de Diamants. The traditional fine jewelry designers largely scoffed at her foray, criticizing her designs and dismissing her as a simple dressmaker and costume-jewelry designer. The Chanel house did not dabble in fine jewelry until 1993 when the brand opened a fine jewelry and watch boutique in Paris’s Palace Vendome. To commemorate the event, Chanel released the original Bijoux de Diamants designs alongside their latest collection.

Rebuilding After World War II with Robert Goossens

In 1939, World War II was already underway and Chanel closed up her shop for the duration of the war. Chanel reopened her store at 31 Rue Cambon in 1954 and resumed production of her ready-to-wear and jewelry collections.

She turned to the French jeweler Robert Goossens to design her collection. Goossens’s father was a metal foundry worker and he had trained as an apprentice in jewelry making in his youth. Before collaborating with Chanel, Goossens was already well-known in the couture jewelry space, having designed for Rochas, Balenciaga, and even Chanel’s rival Elsa Schiaparelli, after being tapped by Cristóbal Balenciaga to design a Byzantine-style cross necklace for Balenciaga’s presentation.

Goossens shared Chanel’s love of mixing faux and semi-precious stones in his designs. He is best-known for designing a gold brooch with three pearls and a diamond which Chanel wore herself and replicated in her collection. Goossens would continue designing for the Chanel brand, even after Coco Chanel passed away in 1971.

Chanel Jewelry Today

Today, the Chanel brand still honors its costume jewelry origins and Coco Chanel’s fundamental beliefs that jewelry should be a healthy (if not playful) mix of fine and costume jewelry so the wearer can pile up inexpensive jewels that pair perfectly with their ensemble. Chanel herself was a pioneer in the trend of costume jewelry and the iconic designs are as popular today as they were when they debuted.