Christian Dior Bijoux — Pavé and Faux Pearl Clip Earrings, c. 1980s

The object under consideration is a pair of circular clip-on earrings produced under the Christian Dior bijoux license, most likely during the mid-to-late 1980s. Each earring presents a domed faux pearl center stone set within a continuous ring of pavé-set clear rhinestones, mounted in a silver-tone base metal setting. The reverse of each earring carries the signature 'Chr. Dior' — the abbreviated form of the house name used consistently across Dior's licensed costume jewelry production from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Both earrings are signed, a detail that confirms production-level quality control and distinguishes this pair from unsigned or single-signed examples that occasionally appear in the secondary market. The 'Chr. Dior' mark without an accompanying country of origin stamp or date code is characteristic of the mid-bijoux period and is consistent with European — likely German or French — licensed manufacture. During this era, Dior's primary bijoux licensee was Henkel & Grosse of Pforzheim, Germany, a relationship that had been formalized in the 1950s and continued to produce some of the most technically accomplished costume jewelry associated with any French house. Whether this specific pair originates from Grosse or from a subsequent licensee cannot be confirmed without additional documentation, but the construction quality — the weight of the base metal, the precision of the pavé setting, the engineering of the clip mechanism — is consistent with Grosse's known output.The design vocabulary of this pair is legible within a broader tradition of Dior bijoux that privileged classical motifs executed in costume materials. The faux pearl, a recurring element in Dior's accessory program from the Dior himself through the bijoux decades, carries associations with femininity, formality, and a certain studied restraint. Paired with clear rhinestone pavé in a silver-tone setting, the effect is one of controlled luminosity — the pearl anchors the composition while the rhinestones animate it under light without overwhelming the silhouette. The circular form is among the most enduring in earring design, and Dior's bijoux program returned to it repeatedly throughout the 1980s. The dome construction — raising the pearl slightly above the plane of the rhinestone surround — introduces a subtle dimensionality that prevents the piece from reading as flat or purely graphic. This is a design decision, not an accident of manufacture, and it reflects the atelier-level thinking that distinguished Dior bijoux from purely commercial costume jewelry of the same period. The 1980s context is significant. The decade's dominant aesthetic in women's fashion — structured shoulders, strong tailoring, an emphasis on presence and authority — created demand for accessories that could hold their own against substantial clothing. Dior bijoux responded with pieces that were weighty, well-finished, and designed to be seen. This pair, while relatively restrained in scale, participates in that logic: the pavé surround catches light efficiently, the clip fitting ensures stability on the ear, and the overall impression is one of deliberate, unhurried elegance.Condition is assessed as excellent vintage. The rhinestones are fully intact across both earrings — no missing stones, no chips, no evidence of foil degradation behind the settings. The faux pearl on each earring retains its original surface luster without crazing, yellowing, or surface abrasion. The silver-tone plating is even and shows no significant oxidation or loss. Both clip mechanisms are functional and hold with appropriate tension — neither loose nor so tight as to suggest deformation or repair. The signatures on each earring are clean, deeply struck, and fully legible. The consistency of the mark across both earrings — same depth, same placement, same abbreviated form — is consistent with factory-level production signing rather than aftermarket addition. No provenance documentation accompanies this pair. The absence of documentation is standard for Dior bijoux of this period, which was produced in significant volume and sold through department stores and Dior boutiques without individual certificates or receipts. The condition of the piece — the integrity of the stones, the stability of the plating, the functionality of the clips — suggests careful storage and limited wear, though the precise ownership history prior to acquisition is unknown. This pair is acquired and held by Per Se Vintage. It is routed to Vestiaire Collective for secondary market sale.Within the taxonomy of collectible Dior bijoux, this pair occupies a position of reliable significance rather than exceptional rarity. The faux pearl and rhinestone combination in silver-tone is among the most frequently encountered motifs in Dior's 1980s output, which means it is well-documented, well-understood by collectors, and consistently in demand. It is not a piece that will surprise a serious Dior bijoux collector, but it is precisely the kind of piece that a serious collector will want to hold — signed, intact, correctly dated, and representative of the house's bijoux aesthetic at its most characteristic. For the broader costume jewelry market, this pair functions as an accessible entry point into signed European bijoux. The price point is moderate relative to the house name and the condition, the wearability is high, and the authentication is straightforward. These are not qualities to be dismissed. The secondary market for Dior bijoux is active and literate, and pieces in this condition with clean signatures move reliably. The decision to route this pair to Vestiaire Collective reflects the platform's demonstrated strength in signed European costume jewelry and its audience of style-literate buyers who understand the difference between a signed and an unsigned piece, and between excellent and merely good condition. The listing price of $150 USD incorporates a 25% buffer above the $120 target price to account for the negotiation conventions of the Vestiaire platform. The piece ships from the United States.