Modern 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 whatโs known as the โcritique of preciousness.โ
A design fair called the โExposition Internationale des Arts Dรฉcoratifs et Industriels Modernesโ 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 Cartierโs 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 โ who is better known for his kinetic sculptures than his provocative jewelry โ 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 American Modern Rings
Moonstone, Rainbow Moonstone, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Modern Rings
Platinum
2010s Modern Rings
14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapp...
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Diamond, Tourmaline, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Rings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Diamond, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Amethyst, Emerald, 14k Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Rings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Opal, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Rings
Diamond, Tanzanite, White Gold
2010s Modern Rings
14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
14k Gold
2010s Italian Modern Rings
Agate, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
2010s American Modern Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Rings
14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Modern Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
2010s Dutch Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Amethyst, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Black Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Opal, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Diamond, Tsavorite, Amethyst, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Rings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Rings
Tsavorite, Diamond, Yellow Gold
2010s American Modern Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Rose Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Rose Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Rings
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Diamond, Platinum
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Amethyst, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Amethyst, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Rings
Diamond, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Irish Modern Rings
Emerald, 14k Gold, White Gold