Contemporary Bangles
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.
1970s French Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1970s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Freshwater Pearl, Yellow Gold
1970s American Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Ruby, White Gold
1970s European Vintage Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold
1970s American Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Ruby, White Gold
1970s Italian Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, 18k Gold
1970s Italian Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
1970s Danish Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Sterling Silver
1970s Unknown Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Contemporary Bangles
Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Greek Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Ruby, White Gold
Early 2000s French Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Bangles
Black Diamond, White Gold
1980s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
1970s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
14k Gold
1990s Contemporary Bangles
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
1950s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Dutch Contemporary Bangles
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Italian Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Yellow Gold
1970s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Silver, Sterling Silver
1970s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Sterling Silver
1970s French Vintage Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold
1970s Italian Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, Ruby
1970s French Vintage Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Greek Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Ruby, 18k Gold
1970s Vintage Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, 18k Gold
1970s American Vintage Contemporary Bangles
1970s Italian Vintage Contemporary Bangles
18k Gold