Contemporary Link 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 Contemporary Link Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold
1990s American Contemporary Link Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Contemporary Link Necklaces
Silver, Sterling Silver
1990s Swiss Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, Sterling Silver, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1990s American Contemporary Link Necklaces
Crystal, Silver Plate
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Onyx, Gold, 14k Gold
1990s Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
18k Gold, Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
1990s Turkish Contemporary Link Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
18k Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
1990s Unknown Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Contemporary Link Necklaces
Chrysophrase, Pearl, Quartz, 18k Gold, Gold
1990s American Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1990s Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
1990s American Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Unknown Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1990s French Contemporary Link Necklaces
1990s American Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
1990s Contemporary Link Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Contemporary Link Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum