Choker Necklaces

Designed to closely hug one’s neck, choker necklaces offer a showcase of shimmer for even the highest of necklines. Finding their origins in the ancient world, choker necklaces have experienced surges in popularity over the course of history that have guaranteed their presence in the pantheon of “must-have” jewelry pieces.

Choker necklaces adorned wearers throughout the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean as well as those of Native America, but the varied implications of chokers accelerated in the more recent 18th and 19th centuries. In the days leading up to the French Revolution of 1789, for example, choker necklaces took on a political reference, as those who wore red ribbons around their neck did so as a commemoration of those rebels who lost their life to the French guillotine.

By the following century, the choker had become a true fashion staple, with everyone from royals to regular ladies wearing different versions of the style.

Quick Facts

• Famed French Impressionist Edgar Degas often depicted his famous ballerinas as wearing chokers, a common accessory for dancers in the late 19th century
• Alexandra of Denmark, 19th-century Princess of Wales, was self conscious in her early adult years about a small scar on her neck. She took to wearing chokers frequently to hide it, and though chosen for practicality, her accessory became instantly fashionable
• The “collier du chien,” or dog collar, was introduced in the late 19th century and could be designed to custom fit one’s neck. These dog collars experienced a resurgence in popularity in the mid-20th century and are still produced by high-end brands like Hermès today