Contemporary Chain Necklaces
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 French Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Indian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
White Diamond, Black Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Crystal, Gold Plate, Brass
2010s Indian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Gold Plate, Brass, Enamel
2010s Indian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
White Diamond, Black Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Enamel
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, 24k Gold, Gold-filled, Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
22k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Quartz, Amethyst, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s French Vintage Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Silver
2010s Indian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
White Diamond, Pearl, Gold Plate, Silver, Enamel, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphir...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Turquoise, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
22k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Silver
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Garnet, Ruby, Green Sapphire, Tanzanite, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
22k Gold, Gold Plate
1990s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Garnet, Tsavorite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Contemporary Chain Necklaces
24k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Aquamarine, Opal, 14k Gold, Gold-filled, Bronze
Early 2000s European Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Aquamarine, Gold
2010s Indian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Gold Plate, Brass, Enamel
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Moonstone, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Opal, Ruby, 14k Gold, Gold Plate, Brass
2010s European Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Pearl, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Sri Lankan Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Cypriot Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold