Virgin Mary Bracelet
2010s American Charm Bracelets
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Tourmaline, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Gold Plate, Brass, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Sterling Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Sterling Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Sterling Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Sterling Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Tourmaline, Vermeil
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Tourmaline, Vermeil
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Silver
2010s American Victorian Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Yellow Gold, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Yellow Gold, Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Ruby, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Ruby, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Ruby, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Ruby, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
White Diamond, Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Emerald, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Emerald, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Tourmaline, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Silver, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Brass, Silver
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Tourmaline, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Emerald, Ruby, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Sapphire, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Tourmaline, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Opal, Tourmaline, Gold Plate
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Brass
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, Brass
2010s American Renaissance Bangles
Silver, Bronze
2010s American Victorian Bangles
Gold Plate
Mid-20th Century Italian Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Pendant Necklaces
24k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Vermeil
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
White Diamond, Brass, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
White Diamond, Ruby, Tanzanite, Bronze
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
White Diamond, Ruby, Tanzanite, Bronze
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Virgin Mary Bracelet For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Virgin Mary Bracelet?
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.
Finding the Right bangles for You
Today, it would be tough to track down a jewelry lover who doesn’t have a stack of vintage and contemporary bangles and other bracelets ready to go for any occasion.
People have worn bangles and other bracelets for centuries. Examples can be found in the wide range of personal adornments favored by the Ancient Egyptians, some of whom wore bracelets and armlets made of gold and flecked with gemstones such as lapis and turquoise.
Fashion has evolved over the years, but the popularity of bangles has remained the same. Jewelry makers have created cuffs in all manner of styles, and no matter what your taste, you can find antique and vintage diamond bangles, ruby bangles, emerald bangles and more to suit you and to pair with any of your favorite ensembles. And although “bracelets” and “bangles” are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two.
Bangles are solid, one-piece bands that are always characterized by their rigid ring shape. Today, they’re made of metal, plastic, wood or other materials. Because this cuff is a solid piece, you have to slide it over your hand. Bracelets, however, are flexible pieces. Whether they’re charm bracelets, link bracelets, beaded bracelets or another variety, you open and close a bracelet at its ends, where it locks around your wrist with a clasp.
Bracelets and bangles suit most anyone, and there’s a style of bangle for every occasion, whether you’ve opted for an Art Deco bangle, a Victorian-era bangle or another kind. And their versatility doesn’t end there. Jewelry lovers know that when it comes to bangles (and other kinds of bracelets), you never have to choose just one. Just as you might wear a vintage tennis bracelet by itself or pair it with other thin bracelets, you can opt for a simple pared-down look with a single bangle or go big and stack your sculptural modern bangles to deepen their impact or double up your classic gold bangles and pair them with a T-shirt and jeans or a comfortable cotton day dress.
Browse an extensive collection of vintage and contemporary bangles and other bracelets on 1stDibs. Find extraordinary works by iconic jewelry houses such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and David Webb, or peruse the array of link bracelets, cuff bracelets and diamond bangles for innumerable accessorizing options.