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.
21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Modern Jewelry
Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Coral, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Israeli Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Aquamarine, Beryl, Diamond, White Diamond, Morganite, Multi-gemstone, Pl...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline, Multi-gemstone, White Diamond, Diamond, Platinum
1970s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Citrine, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Italian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1970s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Turquoise, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Thai Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
South Sea Pearl, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Afghan Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
White Diamond, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Turkish Modern Jewelry
Peridot, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Aquamarine, Gold, 22k Gold
Late 20th Century Argentine Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, White Gold
1950s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century French Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Blue Topaz, Topaz, Multi-gemstone, White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, 1...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Tanzanite, Multi-gemstone, White Diamond, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, White Diamond, Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, White Go...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Jewelry
Citrine, Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose G...
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Black Jade, Jade, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Malagasy Modern Jewelry
Sapphire
1990s Swiss Modern Jewelry
Steel, Stainless Steel
20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
White Diamond, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Yellow Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Burmese Modern Jewelry
Spinel
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold