Modern Cocktail Rings
Rooted in centuries of history of adornment dating back to the ancient world, modern jewelry reimagines traditional techniques, forms and materials for expressive new pieces. As opposed to contemporary jewelry, which responds to the moment in which it was created, modern jewelry often describes designs from the 20th to 21st centuries that reflect movements and trends in visual culture.
Modern jewelry emerged from the 19th-century shift away from jewelry indicating rank or social status. The Industrial Revolution allowed machine-made jewelry using electric gold plating, metal alloys and imitation stones, making beautiful jewelry widely accessible. Although mass production deemphasized the materials of the jewelry, the vision of the designer remained important, something that would be furthered in the 1960s with what’s known as the “critique of preciousness.”
A design fair called the “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” brought global attention to the Art Deco style in 1925 and gathered a mix of jewelry artists alongside master jewelers like Van Cleef & Arpels, Mauboussin and Boucheron. Art Deco designs from Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels unconventionally mixed gemstones like placing rock crystals next to diamonds while borrowing motifs from eclectic sources including Asian lacquer and Persian carpets. Among Cartier’s foremost design preoccupations at the time were high-contrast color combinations and crisp, geometric forms and patterns. In the early 20th century, modernist jewelers like Margaret De Patta and artists such as Alexander Calder — who is better known for his kinetic sculptures than his provocative jewelry — explored sculptural metalwork in which geometric shapes and lines were preferred over elaborate ornamentation.
Many of the innovations in modern jewelry were propelled by women designers such as Wendy Ramshaw, who used paper to craft her accessories in the 1960s. During the 1970s, Elsa Peretti created day-to-night pieces for Tiffany & Co. while designers like Lea Stein experimented with layering plastic, a material that had been employed in jewelry since the mid-19th century and had expanded into Bakelite, acrylics and other unique materials.
Find a collection of modern watches, bracelets, engagement rings, necklaces, earrings and other jewelry on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Cocktail Rings
Blue Topaz, Tsavorite, Blue Sapphire, Opal, White Diamond, Rose Gold
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Cocktail Rings
Tanzanite, Opal, Diamond, Silver, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Multi-gemstone, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Tourmaline, Platinum
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Zircon, Blue Zircon, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, ...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Garnet, Multi-gemstone, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphir...
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Emerald, White Diamond, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Garnet, Multi-gemstone, Tourmaline, Tsavorite, 1...
Late 20th Century Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Tourmal...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Spinel, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Ro...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Morganite, Multi-gemstone, Sapphire, Pink Sapphi...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Sapphire, Blue Sapph...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Multi-gemstone, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Spinel...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, Pink Sapphire, Sapphire, Multi-gemstone, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Peridot, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire...
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Tiger's Eye, Sterling Silver
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Tanzanite, White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
20th Century Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Peridot, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Chalcedony, 24k Gold, Platinum, Bronze
1960s American Vintage Modern Cocktail Rings
Carnelian, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Yellow Diamond
2010s Turkish Modern Cocktail Rings
Yellow Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
2010s Italian Modern Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, 22k Gold
2010s European Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s European Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Cocktail Rings
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Spanish Modern Cocktail Rings
Blue Topaz, Topaz, Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold
20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Tourmaline, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s European Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
1970s Italian Vintage Modern Cocktail Rings
White Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Dutch Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold
20th Century American Modern Cocktail Rings
Rock Crystal, Pearl, Diamond, Crystal, Enamel, Platinum, White Gold, 18k...
2010s American Modern Cocktail Rings
Pink Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Spinel, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Tourmaline, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
