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 Yelow Gold Cabochon Amethyst and Diamond Ring

Modern Jewelry

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18k Yelow Gold Cabochon Amethyst and Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold Giraffe Spotted Huggies Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Geometric White Enamel Diamond Cocktail Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold 8 Carat Diamond Spray Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold Oversized Lapis and Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18k Yellow Gold Black Enamel Diamond Sapphire Emerald Ruby Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Carved Black Onyx and Diamond Hinged Cuff Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum and 18 Karat Yellow Gold Multi-Strand Lapis, Coral Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Textured Nugget Link Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Scalloped Diamond Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k Gold Ancient World Collection Large Links Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Black Onyx Dome Ring

Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry

18 Karat Yellow Gold and Rock Crystal Cocktail Ring by David Webb

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & Yellow Gold Dappled White Enamel Diamond Horse Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby And Emerald Buckle Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Geodesic Dome Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

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

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Diamond Earrings with Hanging Dangling Coral

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Semi Precious Color Stone Bangle Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum &18K Yellow Gold 1970's Turquoise And Diamond Foliage Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Heraldic Green Emerald Ruby and Diamond Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Carved Coral, Jade and Black Enamel Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel and Diamond Rock Crystal Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Gold Multicolor Cabochon Gemstone and Diamond Maltese Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Escargot Fluted Round Gold Link Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Extraordinary Sapphire and Diamond Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Black Enamel And Diamond Bamboo Door Knocker Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold 21 Carats Scroll Diamond Textured Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Green Enamel Ruby Eyes Serpent Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Textured Gold and Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Pearl, Diamond, Black Enamel Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & Yellow Gold Black Enamel Swirl Design Pave Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold White Jasper Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel, Pearl and Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

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

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Carved Jade Pendant and Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black and White Enamel Bombe Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & Gold Enamel, Diamonds Green Emeralds Leopard Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Gold Diamond, Cabochon, Ruby Sapphire Hinged Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry