Contemporary Multistrand Necklace
Vintage 1980s Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Hematite, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1980s Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century French Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Gilt Metal
20th Century Unknown Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Peridot, Yellow Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Link Bracelets
Amethyst, Citrine, Tourmaline, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Peridot, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
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21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Pearl, Rhodium, Silver
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Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Art Deco Beaded Necklaces
Tanzanite, Silver
20th Century Unknown Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Emerald, 10k Gold, Gold-filled, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold
Vintage 1950s Italian Retro Beaded Necklaces
Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Multi-Strand Necklaces
Tiger's Eye, Mixed Metal
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18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1980s French Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s Beaded Necklaces
Vintage 1960s American Modernist Cufflinks
Sterling Silver
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Pearl, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1950s French Renaissance Brooches
Silver Plate, Bronze, Enamel
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Vintage 1940s Multi-Strand Necklaces
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Early 2000s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Peridot, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Vermeil
2010s British Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Quartz, Turquoise, Chrysophrase, Silver, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
2010s French Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
2010s French Contemporary More Necklaces
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Late 20th Century Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Diamond, Garnet, Pearl, Ruby, Yellow Gold
2010s Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Amethyst, Citrine, Quartz, Tourmaline, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Amethyst, Citrine, 18k Gold, Vermeil
21st Century and Contemporary American Multi-Strand Necklaces
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s French Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Iolite, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Beaded Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Freshwater Pearl, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Contemporary Multistrand Necklace For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Contemporary Multistrand Necklace?
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.