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.
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 24k Gold
Late 20th Century Turkish Contemporary Jewelry
Quartz, Diamond, 18k Gold, 24k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Greek Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 24k Gold, Silver
2010s Turkish Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 22k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, Mixed Metal, 24k Gold, White Gold, Silver
20th Century French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Contemporary Jewelry
Yellow Gold
20th Century French Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Contemporary Jewelry
Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Jewelry
Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Jewelry
22k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s Italian Vintage Contemporary Jewelry
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Jewelry
Sterling Silver, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 24k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary British Contemporary Jewelry
Sterling Silver, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Jewelry
Moonstone, 22k Gold, 24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Contemporary Jewelry
24k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Contemporary Jewelry
Moonstone, Gold, 24k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Jewelry
Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Jewelry
Topaz, 24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Contemporary Jewelry
Black Pearl
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Jewelry
Black Diamond, 24k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Jewelry
Diamond, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold