Hokusai Octopus
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Sculptures
Gold
Antique 18th Century Japanese Edo Decorative Art
Metal, Iron
People Also Browsed
Antique 17th Century Japanese Edo Lacquer
Copper, Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Revival Busts
Carrara Marble
Antique 15th Century and Earlier European Antiquities
Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century French Statues
Marble
17th Century Old Masters Paintings
Copper
Early 18th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Fireplaces and Mantels
Marble, Breccia Marble, Carrara Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Sculptures
Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XV Musical Instruments
Wood, Giltwood
Antique 19th Century Russian Neoclassical Sculptures
Bronze
17th Century Baroque Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Antique 19th Century Italian Victorian Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Sculptures
Gold
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Sculptures
Gold
Antique 19th Century Russian Other Serving Pieces
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.
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