Mens Platinum And Rose Gold Wedding Band
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Sapphire, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Wrist Watches
Diamond
People Also Browsed
Early 20th Century North American Art Deco Wrist Watches
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
1990s French Wrist Watches
Silver, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1920s British Victorian Signet Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1940s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
18k Gold
Vintage 1930s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
Vintage 1940s Swiss Wrist Watches
Steel
20th Century Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1930s Unknown Art Deco Band Rings
9k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
Early 20th Century American Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Lapis Lazuli, Garnet, Emerald, Blue Diamond,...
2010s Modern Band Rings
Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1910s American Art Deco Wrist Watches
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Unknown Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s French Modern Wrist Watches
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1940s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Wedding Rings
Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Recent Sales
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Wedding Rings
18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Contemporary Wedding Rings
18k Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Fashion Rings
White Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Fashion Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Fashion Rings
Diamond, White Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Swiss Contemporary Bridal Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Contemporary Wedding Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wedding Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
Vintage 1910s French Art Nouveau Wedding Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Platinum
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.
Finding the Right rings for You
Antique and vintage rings have long held a special place in the hearts of fine jewelry lovers all over the world.
No matter their origin or specific characteristics, rings are timeless, versatile accessories. They’ve carried deep meaning since at least the Middle Ages, when diamond rings symbolized strength and other kinds of rings were worn to signify romantic feelings or to denote an affiliation with a religious order. Rings have also forever been emblematic of eternity.
Over time, rings have frequently taken the form of serpents, which have long been associated with eternal life, health and renewal. Italian luxury jewelry house Bulgari has become famous for its widely loved Serpenti motif, for example, and its Serpenti ring, like the other accessories in the collection, began as an homage to jewelry of the Roman and Hellenistic eras. The serpent is now a popular motif in fine jewelry. Jewelry devotees have long pined for rings adorned with reptiles, thanks to antique Victorian rings — well, specifically, Queen Victoria’s illustrious engagement ring, which took the form of a gold snake set with rubies, diamonds and an emerald (her birthstone). Designs for Victorian-era engagement rings often featured repoussé work and chasing, in which patterns are hammered into the metal.
Engagement rings, which are reliably intimidating to shop for, are still widely recognized as symbols of love and commitment. On 1stDibs, a range of buying guides can be found for those in the market for antique engagement rings, vintage engagement rings or Art Deco engagement rings.
The most collectible antique engagement rings and vintage engagement rings are those from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who in succession ruled England starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign), antique Georgian rings, be they engagement rings or otherwise, are also coveted by collectors. Pearls, along with colored gemstones like garnets, rubies and sapphires, were widely used in Georgian jewelry. The late-1700s paste jewelry was a predecessor to what we now call fashion or costume jewelry.
The Art Nouveau movement (1880–1910) brought with it rings inspired by the natural world. Antique Art Nouveau rings might feature depictions of winged insects and fauna as well as women, who were simultaneously eroticized and romanticized, frequently with long flowing hair. Art Deco jewelry, on the other hand, which originated during the 1920s and ’30s, is by and large “white jewelry.” White metals, primarily platinum, were favored over yellow gold in the design of antique Art Deco rings and other accessories as well as geometric motifs, with women drawn to the era’s dazzling cocktail rings in particular.
Whether you’re hunting down a chunky classic for a Prohibition-themed cocktail party or seeking a clean contemporary design to complement your casual ensemble, find an exquisite collection of antique, new and vintage rings on 1stDibs.