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 Diamond And Ruby Taurus Bull Brooch

Modern Jewelry

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Diamond And Ruby Taurus Bull Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Solar Hammered Disk Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Yellow Gold Large Square Cushion Brown Enamel Clip-Ons Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Five Coin Link Chain Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Fluted Crossover Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Aquamarine And Diamond Drop Dangling Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Bombe Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold Fluted Coral Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Marquise Coral and Diamond Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Double Monkey Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Lion With A Green Emerald Eye Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Carved Emerald and Diamond Dangle Drop Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel Diamond Goat Brooch

1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry

David Webb Woven Gold Band Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel Diamond Goat Brooch

1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry

David Webb Fishscale Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Ivory And Carved Ruby 1960's Cuff Bangle

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Gold & Platinum Green Emerald And Diamond Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K White Gold Rock Crystal, Diamonds, Black Enamel, Pearl

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Large Turquoise And Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k White Gold Coral, Diamond and Pearl Bead Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Scaled Design Twist Cocktail Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Rock Crystal Cross Hatched Bracelet

1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry

Vintage David Webb 18 Karat Yellow Gold Platinum Diamond Amethyst Enamel Ring

Mid-20th Century American Modern Jewelry

Big and Bold 18k Yellow Gold Vintage David Webb Hammered Finish Bombe Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Green Enamel Monkey Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold "Indian Head " American Coin On A Link Chain Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb18k Yellow Gold Open Link Bangle Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Yellow Gold Textured Hammered Collar Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Repousse Leopard Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18k Yellow Gold Cabochon Emerald Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel Zebra Animal Ring

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold Ivory White Enamel Diamond Cuff

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel 32 Inch Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel Geometric Chain Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18 Karat Yellow Gold Black Enamel Horse Head Cuff Links

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Scrolled Hammered Brooch

Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Pearl and Diamond Ear-clips

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Ruby and White Enamel Bull Cuff Links

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel And Diamond Cocktail Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry