Dinosaur Designs
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Wedding Rings
Other
Recent Sales
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Fashion Rings
2010s Australian Contemporary Fashion Rings
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Fashion Rings
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
2010s Australian Contemporary Fashion Rings
2010s Australian Contemporary Bangles
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Fashion Rings
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Hoop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Hoop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Hoop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Hoop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Hoop Earrings
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Earrings
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Earrings
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Drop Earrings
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Brass
2010s Australian Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, Black Diamond, 18k Gold
People Also Browsed
2010s Turkish Modern Bridal Rings
Garnet, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Band Rings
Tsavorite, Sapphire, Ruby, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Emerald, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Band Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Band Rings
Garnet, Tsavorite, Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary English Band Rings
Rhodolite, Enamel, Sterling Silver, Vermeil, 9k Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Wedding Rings
Turquoise, Other
Dinosaur Designs For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Dinosaur Designs?
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.