Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Carnelian
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver, Enamel
2010s Brazilian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Quartz
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Kunzite
21st Century and Contemporary Tanzanian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Tanzanite
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Kunzite
21st Century and Contemporary Tanzanian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Tanzanite
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
2010s Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
18k Gold, White Gold, Cut Steel, Gold, Stainless Steel
2010s Russian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold, 10k Gold, 18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver, Brass
2010s Russian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Amethyst
20th Century American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Yellow Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s Hong Kong Vintage Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Jade, Silver
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
2010s Chinese Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Jade
2010s Chinese Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Jade
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Pearl, Black Pearl, Steel, Stainless Steel, Titanium
1930s Chinese Vintage Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Jade
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Copper, Steel, Stai...
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel, Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Silver, Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
1940s Hong Kong Vintage Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
15th Century and Earlier Malagasy Antique Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
21st Century and Contemporary Chilean Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Jasper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
1990s Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
15th Century and Earlier Malagasy Antique Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
1990s Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Base Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
2010s Greek Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, White Diamond, Rose Gold, Gold, 1...
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
1990s Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Early 2000s German Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Tourmaline, Sapphire
2010s Greek Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Brown Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Steel, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Greek Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Aquamarine, Pearl, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
18k Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
2010s Greek Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Aquamarine, Pearl, White Gold, Silver, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary More Objets d'Art and Vertu
Base Metal