Contemporary Jewelry
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.
2010s Italian Contemporary Jewelry
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
2010s European Contemporary Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Contemporary Jewelry
Stainless Steel, Steel
1990s French Contemporary Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
Yellow Gold
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
1990s French Contemporary Jewelry
1960s French Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Jewelry
2010s European Contemporary Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Pearl, Gilt Metal
1980s French Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
2010s European Contemporary Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Silver
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
Gold, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s European Contemporary Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Pearl, Gilt Metal
2010s Contemporary Jewelry
Late 20th Century Italian Contemporary Jewelry
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Jewelry
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Pearl, Gilt Metal
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
Pearl, Base Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Pearl, Gilt Metal
20th Century French Contemporary Jewelry
Early 2000s French Contemporary Jewelry
1990s French Contemporary Jewelry
Early 2000s French Contemporary Jewelry
1980s European Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Base Metal
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
1970s European Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Base Metal
1980s European Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Base Metal
1980s European Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Base Metal
20th Century French Contemporary Jewelry
1970s European Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Base Metal
2010s Italian Contemporary Jewelry
1980s European Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Base Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s French Contemporary Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Jewelry
White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Jewelry
Gold Plate
1980s French Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Contemporary Jewelry
Agate, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Jewelry
Gold
Early 2000s French Contemporary Jewelry
Pearl, Gold Plate
20th Century French Contemporary Jewelry
Gilt Metal
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
White Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Yellow Gold
1970s French Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
Gold Plate
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Rose Gold
2010s French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Rose Gold