Fanc6 Brown Diamond
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Hematite, Emerald, Brown Diamond, White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, 18...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Black Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gol...
People Also Browsed
Late 20th Century French Modernist Brooches
2010s Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Clip-on Earrings
Gilt Metal
2010s Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond, Opal, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
20th Century Three-Stone Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Jade, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Art Deco Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Opal, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Ruby, Brown Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Opal, Dia...
2010s British Modern Stud Earrings
Aquamarine, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Citrine, Diamond, White Diamond, Emer...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Brown Diamond, Jade, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Ruby, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Sapphire, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Italian Retro Fashion Rings
Diamond, Tsavorite, Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century Italian Contemporary Band Rings
White Diamond, 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.