Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
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.
Early 2000s English Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Quartz, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s English Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Rock Crystal, Quartz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s British Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold
20th Century Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Coral, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Vintage Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Amethyst, Peridot, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Coral, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1990s English Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Citrine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1980s American Vintage Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s English Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century British Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Aquamarine, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Citrine, Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary English Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Clip-on Earrings
Diamond, Quartz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
