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 & 18k Yellow Gold Rock Crystal Carved Clip on Earrings

Modern Jewelry

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18k Yellow Gold Rock Crystal Carved Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

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

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Ski Slope Nugget Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Angel Skin Coral Chimeral & Diamond Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Yellow Gold Cushion Cut Amethyst and Diamond Clip on Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel Diamond Hoop Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold 1979 Taurus Bull Hinged Wide Cuff Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K White Gold 5 Strand Of Ruby And Sapphires Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Gold 1970's Angel Skin Coral Twisted Rope Round Button Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Black And White Enamel Bangle Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Geodesic Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Two Snakes, Emeralds, Diamonds, Interlocking Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Black Enamel, Diamond And Coral Barrel Shaped Earring

1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry

David Webb Amethyst Cabochon Earrings 18K

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Paisley Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel 8.00cttw Diamond Knot Brooch

1970s American Vintage Modern Jewelry

David Webb Yellow Gold 18 Karat Hoop Earrings with Coral Cabochons

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Oversized Oval Jade Ruby Clip On Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Zodiac Aries Large Pendant Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Diamond Cluster Large Impressive Statetement Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Large Ancient World Open Link Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Cabochon Sapphire, Emerald And Ruby Bear Paw Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Cabochon Emerald Diamond Flower Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Star Sapphire Oval Cabochon 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold White Enamel Diamond Metro Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Large Dome Oval Button Clip Earrings

Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry

18 Karat Yellow Gold Clip-On Vintage Earrings by David Webb

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

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

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18KY Gold Multicolored Pearl Strands Torsade Necklace

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum and 18 Karat Gold Diamonds, Cabochon Emeralds Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold 16 Carats Diamond Dome Clip Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 50 Carats Spectacular Statement Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Rock Crystal Diamond Frog Brooch

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum Diamond and Ruby Drop Dangling Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Carved Lapis Lazuli Cuff Diamond Bracelet

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum and 18K Gold Onyx and Diamond Teardrop Dangle Drop Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb 18K Yellow Gold Nephrite, Ruby Lion Ring

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Platinum & 18K Yellow Gold Hammered Teardrop, Diamond Earrings

20th Century American Modern Jewelry

David Webb Zodiac Kingdom 18 Karat Yellow Gold Aries Ram Head Pendant

20th Century American Modern Jewelry