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.
1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Jewelry
14k Gold, Mixed Metal, Stainless Steel
2010s Hong Kong Modern Jewelry
Ruby, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, White Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
1960s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel, Stainless Steel
1980s Italian Vintage Modern Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s French Modern Jewelry
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Vermeil, Sterling Silver
2010s European Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century French Modern Jewelry
Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Norwegian Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver, Enamel
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Afghan Modern Jewelry
Emerald
2010s Dutch Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Onyx, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Modern Jewelry
1980s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Dutch Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Moonstone, Sapphire, 18k Gold
1980s Vintage Modern Jewelry
White Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Kunzite, Rose Gold, White Gold
1990s Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Jewelry
Gold, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Asian Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline, Yellow Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst, Aga...
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Garnet, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Opal, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Citrine, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Emerald, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 18k Gold
1990s Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Swiss Modern Jewelry
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Pink Sapphire, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s British Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century French Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Jewelry
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, 14k Gold
Early 2000s Italian Modern Jewelry
2010s Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Turquoise, Sterling Silver, Silver
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Opal, Ruby, Sterling Silver
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Emerald, Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Jewelry
Ruby, Diamond, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Jewelry
Emerald, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Belgian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Quartz, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Turquoise, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Topaz, Blue Topaz, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Aquamarine, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s English Vintage Modern Jewelry
Brass
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Ruby, 14k Gold
2010s African Modern Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Zircon, Sterling Silver, Platinum, Mixed Metal
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold