Modern Jewelry

MODERN STYLE

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.

Creator: David Webb

Style: Modern

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Scrolled Textured Clip Earrings

Modern Jewelry

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Scrolled Textured Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Of Lobed Textured Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Diamond And White Pearl Flower Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Jumbo Shrimp Hammered Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Knot Style Button Diamond Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18k Yellow Gold Swirl Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Beaded Diamond Oval Clip On Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel Gold Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Azurite-Malachite, Ruby, Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Black and White Enamel Panda Bracelet

1970s American Vintage Modern Jewelry

David Webb Blue Turquoise Diamond Gold Platinum Oval Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel and Diamond Stud and Cufflinks Set

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & Gold Bombe Diamond Cluster Gold Tear Drop Deatails Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Frog with Azurite-Malachite, Diamonds, Ruby Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold Checkerboard Dome Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Bombe Platinum 56.84 Carats Hanging Door Knocker Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Diamond and Black Enamel Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum 9.92 Cttw Diamond and Pearl Day to Night Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K White Gold Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire Door Knockers Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Large Maltese Cross Hammered Finish Pendant Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel Fluted Shrimp Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Yellow Gold Diamond Door-Knocker Earrings 7.00 Carat

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel Vintage Door Knockers Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Old Cut and Old European Cluster Pearl Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold Onyx and Coral Drop Door Knocker Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Cabochon Coral Oval Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & Yellow Gold Warty Textured Diamond Sections Wide Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Gold Soft Cushion Shaped Pearl and Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K White Gold Cluster Diamond Earrings

2010s American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18k Gold Platinum Diamond Door Knocker Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Cuff Nugget Texture Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18k Yellow Gold Cluster Gemstone Cocktail Fashion Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum &18k Gold Black Striped Tiger with Emerald Ruby Pearl Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Twisted Hammered Link Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb White Enamel Large Link Diamond Bracelet

2010s American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Yellow Gold and Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Turquoise and Diamond Oval Clip-On Gold Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Hammered Finish Jumbo Shrimp Earrings

1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry

David Webb Tiger ring Ruby eyes, Emerald Head

Mid-20th Century American Modern Jewelry