Modern More Rings
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern More Rings
Pearl, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, White Gold
1980s French Vintage Modern More Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
1980s Unknown Vintage Modern More Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern More Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Modern More Rings
Emerald, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s American Modern More Rings
Emerald, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
2010s American Modern More Rings
Quartz, Topaz, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Rings
Cat’s Eye, White Diamond, Diamond, Chrysoberyl, Platinum
2010s European Modern More Rings
Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s British Modern More Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Modern More Rings
Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern More Rings
Ruby, Star Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Italian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Indian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s English Modern More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Bulgarian Modern More Rings
Peridot, Ruby, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
2010s English Modern More Rings
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern More Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern More Rings
White Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, 24k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Indian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Modern More Rings
Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Rings
Chrysophrase, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern More Rings
Blue Topaz, Topaz, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s Indian Modern More Rings
Diamond, White Gold
2010s German Modern More Rings
Opal, Gold Plate, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s American Modern More Rings
Diamond, Amethyst, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern More Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s American Modern More Rings
Emerald, Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Palladium
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Rings
Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern More Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Modern More Rings
Yellow Sapphire, Tsavorite, Blue Sapphire, White Diamond, Diamond, White...
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern More Rings
Citrine, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Rings
Pink Sapphire, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern More Rings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Ruby, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Indian Modern More Rings
Emerald, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Modern More Rings
Emerald, Diamond, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern More Rings
Tsavorite, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, Gold, White Gold, 14k...
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern More Rings
Tourmaline, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Black Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern More Rings
Ruby, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern More Rings
Sapphire, Diamond, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
1990s British Modern More Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold
2010s Italian Modern More Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern More Rings
Diamond, Gold, White Gold, 14k Gold