Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
TrendsMar 31, 2016
The History Behind … The Choker
Long before they encircled the necks of goth girls in the 1990s or were popularized by a princess in the late 1800s, chokers were donned by women in ancient civilizations to protect their throats.
Fine pearl and diamond chokers, like this Edwardian era one owned by William Noble Rare Jewels in Dallas, were popularized in the late 19th century by Alexandra of Denmark during her time as part of the British nobility.
New York--Choker necklaces have been falling in out and fashion for thousands of years, literally.
Long before they encircled the necks of goth girls in the 1990s or were made popular by the Princess of Wales in the late 1800s, chokers were donned by women in ancient civilizations, worn to protect what even back then they understood to be a very important part of the body, the neck.
They are a style that cuts across many cultures--African, Indian and Western among them--and class lines.
With chokers on the rise once again, Yvonne Markowitz, the Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan Curator Emerita of Jewelry Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, recently took the time to talk with National Jeweler about the history behind this tight-to-the-neck piece in the fine jewelry world.
Who were the first people to wear chokers? The history of the choker dates back thousands of years, to the world’s earliest civilizations, the Sumer empire in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.
Markowitz said women in both these ancient worlds wore chokers, often pairing them with other necklaces, for the same reason they wore all jewelry--to protect them and give them power.
“A lot of ancient jewelry,” she observed, “is protective and amuletic.”
They put jewelry on parts of the body they felt needed protection--the throat, head, arms and ankles--and believed it infused them with special powers. This was especially true of gold jewelry, which ancient peoples associated with the sun, and lapis, which people in Egypt connected with the life-giving powers of the Nile River.
Markowitz said that women in Egypt also donned chokers comprised of four to six stands of beads held together by a vertical, zig-zagged shaped spacers. This Ancient Egyptian choker in the MFA’s collection is made of gold, with black and green beads and the wavy spacers.
When, after that, were choker necklaces really “in” again? In Western culture, high jewelry chokers are visible here and again throughout history, including during the Renaissance, with portraits from that time showing necklaces being worn high on the throat.
“It was a style that had fleeting moments,” Markowitz said, “and I guess the next big moment was at the end of the 19th century.”
As happens so often in fashion and jewelry, the affinity of a very public figure aided the choker’s reemergence.
Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925) was on the British throne as the wife of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910 and, before that, spent some 38 years as the Princess of Wales.
During her reigns, she became an influential figure in fashion and popularized one of her favorite pieces of jewelry, the choker necklace.
Long before they encircled the necks of goth girls in the 1990s or were made popular by the Princess of Wales in the late 1800s, chokers were donned by women in ancient civilizations, worn to protect what even back then they understood to be a very important part of the body, the neck.
They are a style that cuts across many cultures--African, Indian and Western among them--and class lines.
With chokers on the rise once again, Yvonne Markowitz, the Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan Curator Emerita of Jewelry Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, recently took the time to talk with National Jeweler about the history behind this tight-to-the-neck piece in the fine jewelry world.
Who were the first people to wear chokers? The history of the choker dates back thousands of years, to the world’s earliest civilizations, the Sumer empire in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.
Markowitz said women in both these ancient worlds wore chokers, often pairing them with other necklaces, for the same reason they wore all jewelry--to protect them and give them power.
“A lot of ancient jewelry,” she observed, “is protective and amuletic.”
They put jewelry on parts of the body they felt needed protection--the throat, head, arms and ankles--and believed it infused them with special powers. This was especially true of gold jewelry, which ancient peoples associated with the sun, and lapis, which people in Egypt connected with the life-giving powers of the Nile River.
Markowitz said that women in Egypt also donned chokers comprised of four to six stands of beads held together by a vertical, zig-zagged shaped spacers. This Ancient Egyptian choker in the MFA’s collection is made of gold, with black and green beads and the wavy spacers.
When, after that, were choker necklaces really “in” again? In Western culture, high jewelry chokers are visible here and again throughout history, including during the Renaissance, with portraits from that time showing necklaces being worn high on the throat.
“It was a style that had fleeting moments,” Markowitz said, “and I guess the next big moment was at the end of the 19th century.”
As happens so often in fashion and jewelry, the affinity of a very public figure aided the choker’s reemergence.
Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925) was on the British throne as the wife of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910 and, before that, spent some 38 years as the Princess of Wales.
During her reigns, she became an influential figure in fashion and popularized one of her favorite pieces of jewelry, the choker necklace.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
The tale that’s been told through the years is that Alexandra wore chokers to hide a childhood scar on her neck, although Markowitz noted that the story of the Queen consort’s scar has never been confirmed.
If it is true, though, Alexandra would not have been the only woman of her time to use her jewelry to hide an imperfection.
Included in the collection of the Victoria & Albert museum in London is a Kropfkette (goiter chain) made in Austria sometime between 1840 and 1870.
Kropfkettes were chokers consisting of multiple rows of chains with a large clasp at the front. Women in south Germany and Austria wore them to hide the lumps on their necks caused by goiter, a disease caused by iodine deficiency common among those who lived high in the Alps.
These chokers were not quite as fantastic as those donned by Alexandra, though; they were silver and often set with garnets.
Markowitz said chokers continued to be popular through the Art Nouveau period--René Lalique made some of the most beautiful ones ever designed, she said--and into the 1920s, becoming known as “dog collars” along the way. (She said it was Sir Charles Leonard Woolley who gave them this name following his excavations of the Royal Cemetery at Ur in what was once Mesopotamia.)
In America, the Astors wore long pearl necklaces with several strands of the pearls wrapped around their neck, while others donned just a simple black ribbon.
Then, as the Art Deco era faded in the 1930s, “(Chokers) went out, in a major way,” she said.
When did they become popular again? According to Markowitz, they didn’t really.
While there have been occasional resurgences in popular culture--the beaded chokers of the hippie era and the plastic tattoo chokers of the 1990s are two examples that come to mind--chokers crafted of fine materials never regained the same popularity they once had.
“It’s not the most comfortable piece of jewelry to wear, and it also has to be well fitted unless it’s something with a string or fabric where you can adjust it to your neck,” Markowitz observed.
Today, chokers are making their rounds again along with their seemingly more comfortable and easier- to-fit cousin, the collar, with both fine and fashion pieces finding their way into stores.
RELATED CONTENT: Amanda’s Style File: Collar Craze
In March, Vogue magazine published an article online telling readers how to “rock” a choker like the singer Rihanna and included a gallery of 10 modern-day examples, ranging in price from $9 to $1,375.
How can a jeweler add chokers to their inventory? Markowitz said jewelers looking to carry antique or estate chokers should go through a reputable estate jewelry dealer.
Before doing so, however, they should make sure there is demand among their customers for this very specific style of necklace, whether it’s vintage or modern.
“No retailer wants inventory that they can’t move. If they find that something is hot, then I’ll think they’ll want to stock it,” she said.
While there have been occasional resurgences in popular culture--the beaded chokers of the hippie era and the plastic tattoo chokers of the 1990s are two examples that come to mind--chokers crafted of fine materials never regained the same popularity they once had.
“It’s not the most comfortable piece of jewelry to wear, and it also has to be well fitted unless it’s something with a string or fabric where you can adjust it to your neck,” Markowitz observed.
Today, chokers are making their rounds again along with their seemingly more comfortable and easier- to-fit cousin, the collar, with both fine and fashion pieces finding their way into stores.
RELATED CONTENT: Amanda’s Style File: Collar Craze
In March, Vogue magazine published an article online telling readers how to “rock” a choker like the singer Rihanna and included a gallery of 10 modern-day examples, ranging in price from $9 to $1,375.
How can a jeweler add chokers to their inventory? Markowitz said jewelers looking to carry antique or estate chokers should go through a reputable estate jewelry dealer.
Before doing so, however, they should make sure there is demand among their customers for this very specific style of necklace, whether it’s vintage or modern.
“No retailer wants inventory that they can’t move. If they find that something is hot, then I’ll think they’ll want to stock it,” she said.
More on Trends
The Latest
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
Weekly QuizAug 07, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M HeistMuseum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
