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 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.
2010s Dutch Modern Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Platinum
20th Century Modern Rings
Amethyst, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Freshwater Pearl, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Jade, Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
2010s Hong Kong Modern Rings
Coral, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 14k Gold, Enamel
1970s American Vintage Modern Rings
18k Gold, Enamel
1980s Vintage Modern Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Garnet, Pearl, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Garnet, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Zambian Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Diamond, Jade, Platinum
20th Century Japanese Modern Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Black Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Yellow Sapphir...
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Sapphire, 14k Gold
1990s French Modern Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Multi-gemstone, Spinel, Other, Platinum
1990s European Modern Rings
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Rings
Garnet, Rhodolite, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s American Modern Rings
Brass, Gold Plate
2010s Unknown Modern Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pink Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Platinum
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Diamond, Kunzite, 14k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Sapphire, Tanzanite, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Rings
Diamond, Tanzanite, Platinum
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Vintage Modern Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Amethyst, Diamond, Tsavorite, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Sapphire, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
1980s Italian Vintage Modern Rings
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Modern Rings
Diamond, White Diamond
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, 18k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Rings
Citrine, 14k Gold
20th Century French Modern Rings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Rings
Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, Platinum
2010s Australian Modern Rings
Yellow Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Rings
Morganite, Diamond, Rose Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Rings
Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Diamond, Jade, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Rings
Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Rings
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Modern Rings
Emerald, White Diamond, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver, Rhodium,...
20th Century Unknown Modern Rings
Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Russian Modern Rings
Diamond, Spinel, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Hong Kong Modern Rings
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
2010s Asian Modern Rings
Ruby
1880s American Antique Modern Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold