Modern Signet 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.
20th Century Modern Signet Rings
Garnet, Rhodolite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Onyx, Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
1970s British Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Onyx, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s European Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
1970s American Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s African Modern Signet Rings
Blue Sapphire, Platinum, Sterling Silver, Mixed Metal, Silver
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1940s Hong Kong Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Jade, 14k Gold
20th Century Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s British Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Onyx, Gold, 9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Black Star, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Signet Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
20th Century American Modern Signet Rings
10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s North American Modern Signet Rings
Silver
2010s North American Modern Signet Rings
Silver
2010s Turkish Modern Signet Rings
Yellow Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Sapphire, Star Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Signet Rings
Ruby, 18k Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Ruby, Sapphire, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century German Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Turquoise, Diamond, 14k Gold, Enamel, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Signet Rings
Sapphire, Padparadscha Sapphire , Gold, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Sri Lankan Modern Signet Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s British Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Modern Signet Rings
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1930s British Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Gold
2010s Mexican Modern Signet Rings
Malachite, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Tanzanite, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Signet Rings
Opal, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Signet Rings
Sapphire, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
1960s British Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Signet Rings
Onyx, Gold, Yellow Gold, 9k Gold
1970s Italian Vintage Modern Signet Rings
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Emerald, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
1940s British Vintage Modern Signet Rings
Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Modern Signet Rings
Zircon, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Modern Signet Rings
Diamond, Brown Diamond, Gold, 9k Gold