Modern Drop Earrings
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 Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Chalcedony, Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, Black Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterl...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Rock Crystal, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Citrine, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
White Diamond, Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Onyx, Ruby, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Onyx, Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Rock Crystal, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Garnet, Tourmaline, Gold, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Onyx, Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Chalcedony, Onyx, Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Moonstone, Diamond, Sterling Silver, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
2010s Israeli Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Rose Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Spinel, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Other, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
1970s American Vintage Modern Drop Earrings
20th Century Italian Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1980s American Vintage Modern Drop Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, White Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Tourmaline, Pearl, 18k Gold, Ro...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Ruby, Diamond, White Diamond, Rock Crystal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, White Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Drop Earrings
Agate, Chalcedony, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Quartz, 14k Gold, White Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Spinel, Tanzanite, 14k Gold, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Drop Earrings
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Drop Earrings
Chalcedony, Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Australian Modern Drop Earrings
Opal, Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Modern Drop Earrings
Bronze
Late 20th Century Modern Drop Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century American Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, White Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Amazonite, Mandarin Garnet, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Drop Earrings
Amethyst, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Drop Earrings
Sapphire, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Unknown Vintage Modern Drop Earrings
Late 20th Century American Modern Drop Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Citrine, Onyx, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Rhodium, Enamel, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Drop Earrings
Diamond, Tsavorite, Garnet, 18k Gold, White Gold