Modern Brooches
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 German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Chrome Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Wh...
2010s American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, White Gold
20th Century American Modern Brooches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Go...
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Amethyst, Diamond, White Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Whi...
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Brooches
Diamond, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Brooches
Emerald, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Quartz, Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Brooches
White Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Amethyst, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Citrine, Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Tourmaline, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Quartz, Chalcedony, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s German Modern Brooches
Amethyst, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Topaz, Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Modern Brooches
Pearl, 14k Gold
2010s Modern Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s French Vintage Modern Brooches
Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Brooches
Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1960s French Vintage Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Modern Brooches
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Brooches
White Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Silver
Mid-20th Century Modern Brooches
9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Brooches
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
20th Century Modern Brooches
18k Gold
1980s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Brooches
14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Amethyst, Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, White Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Modern Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Brooches
Aquamarine, Diamond, Platinum
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Platinum
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Opal, 18k Gold, Platinum
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Brooches
Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Brooches
18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Modern Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century English Modern Brooches
Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
Black Diamond, Tiger's Eye, Silver
20th Century Unknown Modern Brooches
20th Century Modern Brooches
White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Brooches
Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
White Diamond, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Modern Brooches
Diamond, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Brooches
Diamond, Jade, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Brooches
Sapphire, Diamond, Rhodium, Gold, Mixed Metal, Copper, Silver, 9k Gold, ...
1970s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Diamond, Malachite, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Modern Brooches
White Diamond, 18k Gold