14k Enamel Religious
20th Century French Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Black Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Emerald, Malachite, Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Tiger's Eye...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Emerald, Peridot, Blue Sapphire, Topaz, Blue Topaz, 14k ...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Rainbow Moonstone, Moonstone, Lapis Lazuli, Diamond, Aquamarine, Amber, ...
2010s Greek Modern Cufflinks
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Agate, Diamond, Emerald, Jade, Malachite, Ruby, Enamel, Gold, 14k Gold, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Druzy, Blue Topaz, Ruby, Peridot, Lapis Lazuli, Diamond, Agate, Enamel, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Tiger's Eye, Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, Agate, Enamel, Sterling Silve...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Peridot, Rainbow Moonstone, Tourmaline, Sapphire, Freshwater Pearl, Diam...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Onyx, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, Tourmaline, Gold, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Tanzanite, Sapphire, Diamond, Crystal, Amethyst, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Citrine, Diamond, Freshwater Pearl, Ruby, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, S...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Amber, Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, Peridot, Topaz, Gold, 14k Gold, Gold Pla...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Crystal, Diamond, Garnet, Topaz, Tourmaline, Kyanite, 14k Gold, G...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Emerald, Malachite, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Gold Plate...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Tiger's Eye, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Turquoise, Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Malachite, Emerald, Diamond, Agate, Ster...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Crystal, Diamond, Rock Crystal, Ruby, Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Gold-filled,...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Agate, Crystal, Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Tourmaline, Sterling Silve...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Blue Topaz, Druzy, Ruby, Peridot, Lapis Lazuli, Diamond, Agate, Sterling...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Rainbow Moonstone, Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli, Diamond, Aquamarine, Amber, S...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Amazonite, Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Ruby, Druzy, 14k Gold, 18k Gold,...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Ruby, Topaz, Peridot, Black Pearl, Garnet, Diamond, Carnelian, Agate, St...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Topaz, Druzy, Kyanite, Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Pearl, Onyx, Garnet, Sterlin...
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21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Classical Roman Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Moonstone, Aquamarine, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Tanzanite, Topaz, Tourmaline, Tsavorite, Turquoise, Amethyst, Aquamarine...
Vintage 1960s American Retro Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Multi-Strand Necklaces
Coral, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Silver
2010s Italian Pendant Necklaces
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Artist Pendant Necklaces
Jade, Diamond, Gold, White Gold
20th Century Mexican Art Deco Clip-on Earrings
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century Vases
Antique Late 18th Century Swedish Renaissance Revival Cluster Rings
18k Gold, Rose Gold
Mid-20th Century Israeli Artisan Pendant Necklaces
Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1940s American Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Russian Models and Miniatures
20th Century Unknown Retro Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst
Vintage 1920s Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel
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Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Charm Bracelets
14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
14k Gold, Gold Plate
Vintage 1910s Unknown Bangles
Carnelian, Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Ruby, Tourmaline, Druzy, Agate, Amber, Diamond, Opal, Pearl, Gold, 14k G...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Agate, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Crystal, Diamond, Ruby, Topaz, Turquoise, D...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Ruby, Diamond, Onyx, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, Amethyst, Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Agate, Aquamarine, Citrine, Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Amethyst, Diamond, Quartz, Ruby, Turquoise, Druzy, 14k Gold, Gold...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Agate, Amethyst, Crystal, Diamond, Emerald, Peridot, Ruby, Sapphire, Yel...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Amethyst, Diamond, Peridot, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Tourmaline, Ruby, Rock Crystal, Malachite, Emerald, Diamond, Chalcedony,...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Gold Plate,...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Agate, Citrine, Crystal, Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Freshwater Pearl, Ruby, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Amethyst, Diamond, Pink Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Green Sa...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Charm Bracelets
Cultured Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Topaz, Kyanite, Amber, Amethyst...
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Enamel, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Tourmaline, Tiger's Eye, Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, Citrine, Sterling...
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold
14k Enamel Religious For Sale on 1stDibs
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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 necklaces for You
We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.
Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers.
In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs.
For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone.
Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt.
On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.