Jocelyn Burton
Vintage 1970s British Modern Boxes and Cases
Moonstone, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century British Modern Silver Chargers and Plates
Sterling Silver, Gilt Metal
20th Century British Modern Centerpieces and Tazzas
Sterling Silver
20th Century British Modern Barware
Sterling Silver
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Baroque More Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
20th Century Artisan Tennis Bracelets
Diamond, Platinum
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 14k Gold
20th Century French Artist Vanity Items
Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold
Vintage 1960s French Retro Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
1980s French Coats and Outerwear
21st Century and Contemporary Colombian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Emerald, Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century American Boxes and Cases
Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Artisan Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Pink Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Belle Époque Boxes and Cases
Diamond, Enamel, Gold Plate, Silver
Vintage 1970s Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
A Close Look at Modern Jewelry
Rooted in centuries of history of adornment dating back to the ancient world, modern jewelry reimagines traditional techniques, forms and materials for expressive new pieces. As opposed to contemporary jewelry, which responds to the moment in which it was created, modern jewelry often describes designs from the 20th to 21st centuries that reflect movements and trends in visual culture.
Modern jewelry emerged from the 19th-century shift away from jewelry indicating rank or social status. The Industrial Revolution allowed machine-made jewelry using electric gold plating, metal alloys and imitation stones, making beautiful jewelry widely accessible. Although mass production deemphasized the materials of the jewelry, the vision of the designer remained important, something that would be furthered in the 1960s with what’s known as the “critique of preciousness.”
A design fair called the “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” brought global attention to the Art Deco style in 1925 and gathered a mix of jewelry artists alongside master jewelers like Van Cleef & Arpels, Mauboussin and Boucheron. Art Deco designs from Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels unconventionally mixed gemstones like placing rock crystals next to diamonds while borrowing motifs from eclectic sources including Asian lacquer and Persian carpets. Among Cartier’s foremost design preoccupations at the time were high-contrast color combinations and crisp, geometric forms and patterns. In the early 20th century, modernist jewelers like Margaret De Patta and artists such as Alexander Calder — who is better known for his kinetic sculptures than his provocative jewelry — explored sculptural metalwork in which geometric shapes and lines were preferred over elaborate ornamentation.
Many of the innovations in modern jewelry were propelled by women designers such as Wendy Ramshaw, who used paper to craft her accessories in the 1960s. During the 1970s, Elsa Peretti created day-to-night pieces for Tiffany & Co. while designers like Lea Stein experimented with layering plastic, a material that had been employed in jewelry since the mid-19th century and had expanded into Bakelite, acrylics and other unique materials.
Find a collection of modern watches, bracelets, engagement rings, necklaces, earrings and other jewelry on 1stDibs.