Modern More 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.
2010s British Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Peridot, Topaz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold, Platinum
2010s British Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Earrings
Malachite, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern More Earrings
Quartz, Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern More Earrings
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, White Gold...
2010s American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s Turkish Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Garnet, Tsavorite, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Gold, Enamel
2010s French Modern More Earrings
Aquamarine, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern More Earrings
Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Gold, 14...
2010s Turkish Modern More Earrings
Amethyst, Garnet, 14k Gold
2010s American Modern More Earrings
Black Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern More Earrings
Amethyst, Rhodium, Sterling Silver, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Modern More Earrings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern More Earrings
Lapis Lazuli, Rose Gold, 9k Gold
1990s American Modern More Earrings
Onyx, Pearl, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
2010s American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern More Earrings
Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Amethyst, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Tiger's Eye, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s Austrian Modern More Earrings
White Diamond, Black Diamond, Spinel, White Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
2010s German Modern More Earrings
Pearl, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Garnet, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold...
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern More Earrings
Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern More Earrings
Jasper, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Modern More Earrings
18k Gold, Enamel
2010s Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern More Earrings
Crystal, Pearl, Gold, Gilt Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern More Earrings
White Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Rhodium, Sterling S...
2010s Hong Kong Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Tourmaline, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern More Earrings
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, White Gold...
2010s Austrian Modern More Earrings
Rose Gold
2010s American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Emirian Modern More Earrings
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern More Earrings
White Diamond, Pink Sapphire, White Gold, Palladium
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Peridot, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s British Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Black Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern More Earrings
Garnet, Amethyst, Gold, 14k Gold
1970s Unknown Vintage Modern More Earrings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, White Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Earrings
Jade, Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern More Earrings
Emerald, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Earrings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Topaz, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Gold