Today, more than yesterday.

Inspired by a line from Rosemonde Gérard’s beloved poem, “Aujourd’hui plus qu’hier et bien moins que demain” — today more than yesterday and much less than tomorrow — French jeweler Alphonse Augis transformed a literary sentiment into one of the twentieth century’s most enduring love tokens. Rather than engraving the full phrase, Augis distilled it to its essence: + qu’hier − que demain. A promise not of perfection, but of continuation.

Crafted in 18k yellow gold, this substantial French love medal is accented with five diamonds and three calibré-cut rubies set into the symbolic plus and minus signs. The textured ground catches the light with a radiant finish, while the generous 1-inch scale gives it real presence worn alone or layered with modern chains. Collectible, deeply wearable, and unmistakably French, the Augis love medal remains one of the most recognizable expressions of devotion in vintage jewelry.

Details

• Era: c. 1950s
• Origin: France
• Maker: Augis
• Metal: 18k yellow gold
• Stones: 5 diamonds; 3 calibré-cut rubies
• Markings: Signed Augis; French eagle head mark for 18k gold
• Measurements: Approximately 1 inch diameter
• Weight: 5.86 grams
• Condition: Very good vintage condition with light evidence of wear consistent with age and use, including minor wear to the bail and a faint impression to the reverse visible only on close inspection. 
• Styling Notes: A French icon. Wear it on a fine gold chain as an everyday signature, or stack it among mixed-era favorites for a look that feels collected rather than coordinated. Equally suited to denim and a white tee as it is to life’s more meaningful occasions.

Please Note: Jewelry box, chains, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Your piece will arrive carefully packaged in RetroStarr presentation wrapping, ready for gifting, collecting, or immediate wear.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

Not everything was as straightforward as it appeared.

Long before special effects, there were objects like this. A polished sphere of rock crystal, suspended from a chain, capable of turning the world upside down with nothing more than light and physics. Victorian jewelers called them pools of light, and more than a century later they retain much of the same fascination.

Carved from a polished sphere of rock crystal and suspended within a simple antique mounting, this Victorian pendant creates the optical inversion effect that gave pool of light jewelry its name. As light passes through the crystal, objects beyond the sphere appear reversed and transformed. Unadorned by elaborate metalwork, the crystal remains the focus, allowing the remarkable properties of the stone to take center stage.

Details

• Era: Victorian, c. 1880–1900
• Materials: Rock crystal with antique metal mounting
• Size: Approximately 3/4 inch diameter
• Style: Pool of Light pendant
• Hallmarks: None observed
• Condition: Clean antique condition with light wear consistent with age. Rock crystal remains smooth and displays the characteristic optical inversion effect associated with period pool of light jewelry. Mounting shows expected age-related wear.

• Styling Notes: Striking worn alone on a fine chain, watch chain, or layered among other antique charms and talismans. The crystal’s optical effect makes it an instant conversation piece for collectors and the merely curious alike.

Please Note: Jewelry box, chains, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Your piece will arrive carefully packaged in RetroStarr presentation wrapping, ready for gifting, collecting, or immediate wear.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

The first time you see it, it doesn't quite look real.

The Cadet Chapel belongs to a short list of buildings that architecture people cannot stop talking about. The proportions. The optimism. The audacity of it. More than sixty years after its completion, it still looks like it arrived from somewhere slightly ahead of schedule.

This sterling silver charm captures the unmistakable silhouette of the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, one of the most celebrated works of American Midcentury Modern architecture. Designed by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and completed in 1962, the chapel remains a landmark of architectural optimism, engineering ambition, and sculptural design. Despite its tiny scale, the geometry is instantly recognizable. A miniature monument to one of the most iconic buildings of the modern era.

Details

• Era: Midcentury, c. 1960s–1970s

• Material: Sterling Silver

• Motif: USAF Cadet Chapel

• Size: Approximately 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch

• Hallmarks: Marked Sterling; "Cadet Chapel USAF Academy" on reverse

• Origin: United States

• Style: Architectural charm / souvenir charm

• Condition: Clean vintage condition with light surface wear consistent with age

Please Note: Jewelry box, chains, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Your piece will arrive carefully packaged in RetroStarr presentation wrapping, ready for gifting, collecting, or immediate wear.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

A more formal era for emotional complications.

By the late Victorian era, people had become remarkably skilled at disguising emotional intensity beneath good manners, structured clothing, and carefully managed social rituals. Mourning lockets and hair jewelry allowed certain attachments to remain physically close without requiring public explanation. Tiny objects, yes. Rarely small feelings.

This Victorian gold filled mourning hair locket features a softly domed center framed by intricate floral repoussé work and a delicate twisted border, all rendered at a scale small enough to feel genuinely private. The interior retains the shallow enclosed compartment typical of hair lockets from the period, designed to hold a physical remembrance rather than a photograph. Today, it reads less like overt mourning jewelry and more like evidence that people have always found elegant ways to carry emotional complications around with them.

Details

• Era: Late Victorian to Early Edwardian, c. 1890s–1910s
• Material: Gold Filled
• Hallmarks: None observed
• Size: Approx. 3/4 inch diameter
• Style Notes: Especially compelling layered alongside heavier chains where the small scale feels intentional rather than delicate
• Condition: Good antique condition with visible age wear throughout, including light impressions to the reverse side from long-term wear and use. Interior compartment and hinge remain intact and functional.

Please Note: Jewelry box, chains, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Your piece will arrive carefully packaged in RetroStarr signature wrapping, ready for gifting or keeping entirely for yourself.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

Victorian pockets were considerably more interesting.

By the 1890s, small personal objects had become part of getting dressed properly. Watch fobs, lockets, stamps, keys, coins, pencils, and little gold filled cases traveled together through coat pockets and handbags with near-constant use. The best examples weren’t overly decorative. They were simply well made, familiar to the hand, and carried often enough to earn their wear honestly.

This late Victorian gold filled watch fob locket features a softly squared silhouette with hand-etched floral engraving across the front and a warm aged finish throughout. The shape gives it a more compact, tailored feeling than many Victorian lockets from the same period, while the engraving adds just enough ornament to keep the piece feeling personal rather than formal.

Details

• Era: Late Victorian, c. 1890s
• Material: Gold Filled
• Hallmarks: None observed
• Size: Approx. 1 1/8 inches long x 1 inch across
• Style Notes: Especially strong layered with heavier chains or worn alone as a small object-like pendant with a little history behind it
• Condition: Very good antique condition with light surface wear and warm aged patina throughout. Interior and hinge remain intact and functional.

Please Note: Jewelry box, chains, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Your piece will arrive carefully packaged in RetroStarr signature wrapping, ready for gifting or keeping entirely for yourself.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

Every detail appears to have been considered carefully.

By the late Victorian era, lockets had evolved beyond mourning jewelry into something far more social and decorative. The best examples balanced sentiment with presentation. Floral engraving softened stricter silhouettes, initials and photographs became portable expressions of intimacy, and even small personal objects were expected to reflect taste, refinement, and attention to detail.

This French gold filled locket features delicate floral engraving across an elongated shield-shaped form, finished with a softly decorative bail that gives the piece an especially elegant profile in wear. Sourced in France, the proportions feel remarkably modern today, substantial enough to anchor a chain stack while still retaining the intimacy that makes antique lockets so compelling. The interior remains empty aside from a lightly scratched “85,” possibly referencing 1885.

Details

• Era: Late Victorian, c. 1880s–1890s
• Material: Gold Filled
• Hallmarks: None observed
• Size: Approx. 1.5 inches long x 1 inch across
• Origin: Sourced in France
• Interior: Retains lightly scratched “85” inscription inside
• Style Notes: Especially strong layered with longer chains where the elongated silhouette reads almost like a miniature antique perfume label
• Condition: Very good antique condition with crisp floral engraving, functional hinge closure, and light surface wear consistent with age.

Please Note: Jewelry box, chains, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Your piece will arrive carefully packaged in RetroStarr signature wrapping, ready for gifting or keeping entirely for yourself.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

Never returned.

By morning, it no longer resembled a temporary arrangement. Nobody seemed especially interested in correcting the situation.

Originally intended for a waistcoat pocket and far less interesting circumstances, this early 20th century gold filled Albert chain feels unusually modern worn at the neck. The engraved elongated links, weighty T-bar, and Hayward dog clip still carry the precision of their original purpose, though the overall effect now lands somewhere closer to tailored eveningwear than utility. It has the kind of sharpness that emerged as jewelry moved away from Victorian excess and toward the cleaner, more self-possessed lines of the Edwardian era.

Details

• Era: Edwardian / Early 20th Century
• Length: 17.5 inches
• Material: Gold Filled, T-bar is silver toned
• Hallmarks: Hayward marked dog clip; T-bar marked “OMD”
• Style: Albert watch chain with engraved elongated links and T-bar
• Closure: Original dog clip closure
• Condition: Beautiful antique condition with age-appropriate wear consistent with period gold filled jewelry. 
• Styling Notes: Wears beautifully alone at the collarbone or layered with finer chains, lockets, swivels, or charms

Your piece will arrive carefully packaged in RetroStarr presentation wrapping, ready for gifting, collecting, or immediate wear.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

Please Note: Jewelry box, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

A thin streak of bad ideas.

The handshake lasts a second too long. The second drink becomes a third. Plans improve after midnight. Slipped into a ring stack, it brings the exact hit of color that edits the whole conversation. Small, sharp, and fully aware of its effect.

Late ’80s to early ’90s in origin, and far too useful to stay there. A strong stack needs one piece that breaks the rhythm just enough. This is that piece.

Details
• Era: Late 1980s to early 1990s, c. 1988–1995
• Metal: 14k gold
• Markings: Marked 14k
• Size: 6.5
• Weight: 1.70 grams
• Stones: Rectangular red center natural rubies; small white accent diamonds
• Style: Fine jewelry stacker / estate ring
• Condition: Good vintage condition with age-appropriate surface wear consistent with estate jewelry; stones present and setting appears secure

Please Note
Jewelry box, chains, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Arrives in RetroStarr packaging, ready for gifting or keeping for yourself.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

She has the kind of hardware that makes a jewelry stack behave better.

Eight inches of French curb chain confidence, finished with a dog clip and oversized round clasp that can turn one necklace into several possibilities. Add a locket. Add length. Add a pendant with opinions. Wear it where the outfit needs authority.

Marked Murat Déposé, this antique watch chain began in the pocket-watch world and now lives a far better second life at the neckline. The warm gold filled finish, substantial curb links, and useful scale give it that collected-over-time look buyers spend years trying to find.

Details
• Era: Edwardian, c. 1910s
• Origin: France
• Maker: Murat
• Markings: Murat Déposé
• Material: Gold filled
• Length: 8 1/4 in.
• Chain Style: Curb watch chain / fob chain
• Hardware: Dog clip and oversized round spring clasp
• Condition: Good antique condition with age-appropriate surface wear and patina; fixed dog clip opens and closes securely; round oversized clasp functions but sticks slightly at times

Please Note
Jewelry box, styling props, and any additional items shown in photos are for display purposes only unless specifically listed as included.

Arrives in RetroStarr packaging, ready for gifting or keeping for yourself.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

Signed after hours.

In the midcentury moment, engraving carried intent. Names in silver marked ownership, independence, and arrival. This sculptural sterling ring leans into that confidence, pairing a bold rectangular plaque with rounded, atomic-era forms that feel deliberate and self-possessed. The engraving anchors the design, turning modernist geometry into something personal and unmistakably present. A piece made for late nights, decisive choices, and women who understood that being seen was part of the point.

Produced during the height of American modernist jewelry design, this ring reflects the era’s fascination with form, balance, and industrial clarity. Crafted in sterling silver by Napier, one of the most respected American jewelry houses of the mid-20th century, the design favors structure over ornament and confidence over delicacy. The open shank and sculptural elements give the piece visual weight while remaining comfortable and wearable, a hallmark of well-executed modernist design. It stands as an example of how midcentury jewelry blurred the line between personal adornment and wearable architecture.

DETAILS

• Era: Midcentury Modern, circa late 1950s–early 1960s

• Origin: United States

• Metal: Sterling Silver

• Hallmarks: Napier, Sterling

• Size: 8 1/2

• Style: Modernist, Nameplate, Sculptural

• Condition: Light surface marks are present, primarily visible under magnification, and align with the ring’s midcentury history. The engraving remains crisp and legible, and the structure is sound with no issues affecting wear or longevity.

Presented in a RetroStarr branded gift box, ready for wear or collection. This piece carries its history forward without apology, offering presence, design, and personal narrative in equal measure.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA-trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where every jewel is selected for bold design, cultural significance, and a story worth carrying forward.

She didn’t need to explain where she came from. It showed.

This piece speaks in recognition, not romance. Designed for an audience that understood status without performance, she carries authority through discipline and control. Victorian taste expressed with precision. Jewelry as signal, not sentiment.

Sourced in France, this ring centers a row of pearls anchored by deep garnets, arranged with deliberate restraint. Crafted in 900 coin silver and finished in gold plating, it reflects French Victorian priorities where balance mattered more than excess. Garnets were chosen for resolve and protection. Pearls carried lineage and continuity. Together, they formed compositions meant to be read instantly by the right eye.

The original French hallmark confirms its origin. On the hand today, it wears with clarity and assurance. Collected. Considered. Entirely uninterested in explanation.

Details

• Era: Victorian (c. 1880s–1890s)

• Origin: France

• Metal: Gold plated over 900 coin silver (vermeil)

• Gemstones: Garnets, seed pearls

• Size: 6.75

• Style: French Victorian cluster

• Hallmarks: 900 silver with French maker’s mark

• Condition: Clean antique condition with light, age-appropriate wear to the gold plating

Your piece ships in RetroStarr’s branded packaging with care instructions included.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.

Everything sits exactly where it’s meant to.

A gold filled watch chain designed for modern wear, finished with a classic dog clip and an adjustable slider that invites reconfiguration. The length works easily as a necklace, while the clip and slider allow the piece to shift and adapt without losing its line. A round locket-style medallion charm hangs with balanced weight, giving the composition a clear focal point.

Produced during the Retro era, this chain reflects a time when jewelry was built with flexibility in mind. The gold filled construction is paired with a traditional dog clip clasp and a slider element, both prized today for their styling range and ease of use. The round medallion charm features red paste stones set into a linear motif, with one stone missing and initials engraved on the reverse, marking a past life without interrupting the design.

Details

• Era: Retro, 1940s

• Metal: Gold filled

• Gemstones: Red paste stones (one missing)

• Size: Charm 3/4 inch diameter; chain 17 1/2 inches

• Style: Watch chain with dog clip, slider, and matching locket-style medallion charm

• Condition: Good vintage condition with surface wear consistent with age. One red paste stone missing, light abrasions present, and initials engraved on the back.

Your piece ships in RetroStarr’s branded packaging with care instructions included.

Curated by Dana Sednek, GIA trained jewelry professional and founder of RetroStarr, where each jewel is hand selected for its past lives and future attitude.