Contemporary Cufflinks
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.
1990s Contemporary Cufflinks
Hematite, Malachite, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Contemporary Cufflinks
Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Onyx, Ruby, Tiger's Eye, Turquoise, Agate, Carnelian, Lapis L...
20th Century French Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Diamond, Malachite, Pearl, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Contemporary Cufflinks
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century American Contemporary Cufflinks
18k Gold, Enamel
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cufflinks
Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cufflinks
Ruby, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
1990s French Contemporary Cufflinks
Lapis Lazuli, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cufflinks
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century French Contemporary Cufflinks
Onyx, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Contemporary Cufflinks
Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Turquoise, Carnelian, Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Onyx, Tiger's Eye,...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cufflinks
20th Century French Contemporary Cufflinks
Sapphire, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cufflinks
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
1970s American Vintage Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Gold, 18k Gold
1980s British Vintage Contemporary Cufflinks
Coral, Malachite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Gold
2010s American Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, 18k Gold
1980s American Vintage Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Turquoise, Malachite, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
Malachite, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold