Yoko London Chocolate Pearls
2010s British Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Quartz, Cultured Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond,...
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Black Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s British Modern Stud Earrings
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Quartz, Cultured Pearl, Black Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, Diamond, 18k ...
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s British Modern Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
People Also Browsed
2010s Choker Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Stud Earrings
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s Thai Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Necklaces
Emerald, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
2010s American Engagement Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
2010s Indian Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, Silver
2010s British Modern Pendant Necklaces
South Sea Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Pearl, Black Diamond, White Diamond, Di...
2010s British Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
South Sea Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold...
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Engagement Rings
Diamond, Platinum
2010s Australian Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, South Sea Pearl
Antique Late 19th Century French Aesthetic Movement Brooches
Diamond
Recent Sales
2010s British Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pe...
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
A Close Look at contemporary Jewelry
Contemporary jewelry is inextricably linked with the moment in which it is created, frequently reflecting current social, cultural and political issues such as environmental consciousness, identity and sustainability. It’s informed by fashion trends, from the chokers of the 1990s to the large chain necklaces of the early 2000s.
Jewelry is one of the oldest forms of adornment. Lockets made of silver or gold have been treasured gifts for hundreds of years, for example, and charm bracelets, which have existed since prehistoric times, didn’t become especially popular until the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. For many centuries, fine jewelry was used primarily to express wealth or status through lavish materials. Then, in the 1960s, a concept known as the “critique of preciousness” emerged, with jewelers creating pieces that did not get their value from gemstones or precious metals. Instead, it was the jeweler’s artistic vision that was prized and elevated.
This shift still informs Contemporary jewelry being made by artists today. Whether they are using cheap, found materials and working with provocative geometric shapes or seeking out the rarest stones, they are imbuing their work with meaning through their skills, techniques and ideas. Innovative designers such as Elsa Peretti, who popularized sculptural sterling-silver jewelry for Tiffany & Co., and David Yurman, who twisted metal into the simple yet striking Cable bracelet, have also influenced the direction of Contemporary jewelry’s forms and aesthetics.
Meanwhile, technological advancements like metal alloys and laser engraving have led to new possibilities in jewelry design. Now, edgy makers and brands as well as minimalist designers are pushing Contemporary jewelry forward into the 21st century.
Find a collection of Contemporary rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry on 1stDibs.