Contemporary Cocktail Rings
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.
1960s American Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold
1960s Unknown Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Jade, Peridot, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Unknown Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s European Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Onyx, Ruby, 18k Gold
1960s American Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s European Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
1960s Danish Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Jade, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Unknown Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
1960s French Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Coral, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
1960s Italian Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Italian Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Unknown Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Aquamarine, Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s Unknown Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Aquamarine, 14k Gold
1960s Italian Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Unknown Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
18k Gold, Enamel, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
2010s Turkish Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Garnet, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Star Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
20th Century Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Garnet, Mandarin Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Garnet, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Jade, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s European Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s American Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s American Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Purple Sapphire, Sapphire, Yellow Diamond, White Diamond, Yello...
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Amethyst, Coral, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Citrine, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Citrine, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Vintage Contemporary Cocktail Rings
Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold