Robert Lee Morris Cross
Vintage 1980s American Modern Brooches
Sterling Silver
1990s American Modern Chandelier Earrings
Gold Plate, Brass
Vintage 1980s American Modern Choker Necklaces
Gold Plate, Brass
Vintage 1980s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Brass
1990s American Modern Charm Bracelets
Gold Plate, Brass
1990s American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Gold Plate, Brass
Vintage 1980s American Modern Serving Bowls
Ceramic
Vintage 1980s American Modern Tableware
Ceramic
People Also Browsed
2010s American Evening Gowns
Late 20th Century French Choker Necklaces
Crystal, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1960s French Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow ...
Vintage 1930s French Brooches
Amethyst, Pearl, Quartz, Gold, Gilt Metal, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Turquoise, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Clip-on Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s American Art Nouveau Beaded Necklaces
Crystal, Base Metal
Vintage 1970s French Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Citrine, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s Chinese Cardigans
Antique 1820s French Hoop Earrings
Gilt Metal
20th Century American Retro Link Bracelets
Crystal, Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Rope Necklaces
1990s Japanese Clip-on Earrings
Pearl, Sterling Silver
1980s American Cocktail Dresses
Vintage 1980s French Link Necklaces
Gold Plate
Recent Sales
1990s North American Modern Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow 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.