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 Platinum & Gold Single Round Diamond Bezel Set Black Enamel Ring

Modern Jewelry

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & Gold Single Round Diamond Bezel Set Black Enamel Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Bombe Style Highly Decorated Diamond, Sapphire and Emerald Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Faceted Coral And Diamond Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Multi Color Gemstone and Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel Articulated Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Hammered Wide Cuff with Diamonds Bracelet

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18 Karat Gold Black Enamel Jade Diamond and Ruby Ring

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Rigid Diamond Wave Cuff Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Black Enamel and Carved Green Jade Ring in 18K Gold

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Sitting Panthere with a Diamond Collar Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Black Enamel and Diamond Square Shaped Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Diamond Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Unicorn Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Kingdom White Enamel Panther With Diamond Collar Vintage Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Pink Coral Cluster and Diamond 1960's Brooch

20th Century Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Power Architectural Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Star Sapphire Oval Cabochon 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ring

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Radiant Cut Diamond 12.92 Carat Eternity Band

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Textured Nugget Diamond Link Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Diamond and Pearl Maltese Cross Pendant Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Turquoise Diamond Tulip Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Diamond, Ruby, Green Emerald Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Star Sapphire, Diamond and Nephrite Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel High Dome Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Rock Crystal Hoop Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Black Enamel, Striped and Diamond Tear Drop Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Textured Nugget Diamond Slope Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Fleur De Lis White Enamel Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Double Monkey Apes Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Tiger Eye Star Pendant

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Blue Lapis, Diamonds and White Enamel Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold 20.00 Carat Diamond Flower Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Turquoise and Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Abd 18 Karat Yellow Gold Fluted Carnelian Link Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Tiger Stripe Black Enamel Dome Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Carnelian Shield Frame Diamond Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Coral and Gold Link Convertible Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel Gold Studded Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum and 18K Yellow Gold Garnet, Turquoise and Diamond Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry