Yoko London Japanese Akoya
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Three-Stone Rings
Blue Diamond
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
2010s British Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Stud Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique 1880s Link Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s Indian Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
2010s Stud Earrings
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Belle Époque Choker Necklaces
Pearl, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Bracelets
Topaz, Rose Gold
Vintage 1930s Swiss Art Deco Tennis Bracelets
Crystal, Mixed Metal, White Gold, Stainless Steel, 18k Gold, Platinum
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Tsavorite, A...
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, White Gold, 18k Gold
Recent Sales
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, ...
2010s British Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, 18k Gol...
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Rose Gold, 18k Gold
2010s British Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
2010s British Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
2010s British Contemporary Multi-Strand Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
2010s British Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, ...
2010s British Contemporary Cluster Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl
Yoko London Japanese Akoya For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Yoko London Japanese Akoya?
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.