Chinese Horoscope
Antique Early 1900s Chinese Pendant Necklaces
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Animal Sculptures
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Prints
Lithograph
People Also Browsed
2010s American Pendant Necklaces
Sapphire, 14k Gold
2010s South African Minimalist Pedestals
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Colombian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers a...
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Animal Sculptures
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Pillows and Throws
Silk
2010s American Post-Modern Children's Furniture
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Models and Miniatures
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Minimalist Side Tables
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Marble, Carrara Marble, Gold Leaf
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Faux Leather, Teak
Vintage 1950s American Native American Cuff Bracelets
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Modern Fashion Rings
Black Diamond, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Blown Glass
2010s Swedish Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Walnut
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Corner Cupboards
Brass
2010s Moroccan Decorative Bowls
Bronze
Recent Sales
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Sterling Silver, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Vermeil, Sterling Silver, Gold Plate
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Gold Plate, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
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 pendant-necklaces for You
Whether you’re layering multiple jewelry pieces or opting for a single strand, vintage pendant necklaces are versatile accessories that can elevate your casual wear as easily as they can add a creative flourish to your formal attire.
The earliest jewelry was less about accessorizing than it was about wearers arming themselves with amulets. In Ancient Egypt, some amulets featured a loop so that they could be strung around one’s neck. While rubies have long been one of the few gemstones that can give diamonds a run for their money, members of some ancient civilizations valued the stones from the get-go, donning ruby pendants as well as other stones with the belief that these adornments would bring protection, healing powers or strength. Today, we still wear our charm bracelets and charm pendants around our necks for good luck.
Later, pendant necklaces, like most fine jewelry, were worn strictly by royalty or the upper class and conferred wealth and prestige. This changed over time, thankfully, as wearing jewelry became more widespread, a democratized means of personal expression.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, pendant necklaces evolved from their status as spiritual amulets, but the jewels still carried deep personal significance. Victorian pendants, in particular, were part of the “mourning jewelry” tradition. Wearers would embed their pendants with locks of hair from a deceased loved one as a way of grieving in the wake of a loss. In the case of cameo jewelry, some pendants were even decorated with miniature hand-carved portraits in a detailed raised relief. Today, portraiture is still a characteristic of many of the hand-carved pendant necklaces offered by Italian jewelry house Scala Gioielli.
Luxury fine jewelry brands such as Cartier, BVLGARI and David Yurman offer their own unique interpretations of the cherished accessory, embellishing platinum or gold pendant necklaces with diamonds, sapphires and other stones.
On 1stDibs, find an extraordinary range of vintage pendant necklaces and other necklaces today.