Unheated Ceylon Cabochon Sapphire Loose
20th Century Sri Lankan Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire
20th Century Sri Lankan Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Star Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary Sri Lankan Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Purple Sapphire, Sapphire
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Early 20th Century Malagasy Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Citrine, Quartz
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Blue Sapphire, Star Sapphire
Vintage 1970s British Cocktail Rings
Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
20th Century American Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Ruby
21st Century and Contemporary Three-Stone Rings
Yellow Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1980s American Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Star Ruby, Pink Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Solitaire Rings
Star Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s Australian Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Tsavorite,...
Mid-20th Century Austrian Civil War Dome Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1960s American Solitaire Rings
Star Sapphire, 14k Gold, Platinum
2010s Burmese Loose Gemstones
Ruby
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
1990s French Dome Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Australian Loose Gemstones
Opal, Black Opal
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Star Sapphire
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary Sri Lankan Contemporary Loose Gemstones
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Star Sapphire
21st Century and Contemporary Sri Lankan Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Star Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold,...
21st Century and Contemporary Sri Lankan Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Sapphire, Star Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, P...
20th Century Sri Lankan Loose Gemstones
Blue Sapphire, Star Sapphire, Platinum
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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