Modern Jewelry
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.
2010s British Modern Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Tanzanite...
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Jewelry
Green Sapphire, Spinel, Tanzanite, Topaz, Tourmaline, Yellow Sapphire, E...
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Spinel, T...
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, Quartz, Topaz, 14k Gold
1990s Italian Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline, Peridot, Rubelite, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapph...
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline, Rubelite, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yell...
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Jewelry
Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Spinel, Tanzanite, Topaz...
2010s Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Citrine, Iolite, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Peridot, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Jewelry
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
21st Century and Contemporary British Modern Jewelry
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Green Sapphire,...
Early 2000s Italian Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Peridot, Silver, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Peridot, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Blue Topaz, Peridot, Topaz, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Blue Topaz, Topaz, Peridot, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Austrian Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Yellow Gold, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
2010s Swiss Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline, Peridot, Tsavorite, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, R...
Early 2000s Italian Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Amethyst, Quartz, Citrine, Enamel, Silver
2010s Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, 14k Gold
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Peridot, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, Topaz, Citrine, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, White Diamond, Peridot, Topaz, 9k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, Quartz, Topaz, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Multi-gemstone, White Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, Quartz, Topaz, 14k Gold
2010s British Modern Jewelry
Pink Sapphire, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Multi-gemstone, Opal, Peri...
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Citrine, Peridot, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Diamond, Quartz, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Jewelry
Topaz, Garnet, Peridot, Quartz, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Citrine, Rock Crystal, Topaz, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Swiss Modern Jewelry
Garnet, Peridot, Quartz, Topaz, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Topaz, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
2010s Unknown Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Aquamarine, South Sea Pearl, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Peridot, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s British Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Citrine, Pink Diamond, Emerald, Jade, Lapis Lazuli...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Ruby, Iolite, Peridot, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Citrine, Peridot, Quartz, Ruby, Amethyst, Gold, 24k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Blue Topaz, Peridot, Pearl, Diamond, Citrine, Amethyst, Topaz, Freshwate...
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Topaz, Peridot, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Chrysophrase, Labradorite, Malachite, Peridot, Topaz, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Topaz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Unknown Vintage Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Citrine, Amethyst, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, Rubelite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Unknown Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Sapphire, Rhodium, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Jewelry
White Diamond, Peridot, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline, Topaz, Peridot, Citrine, White Diamond, Diamond, Amethyst, 1...
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Tourmaline, Quartz, Peridot, Citrine, Amethyst, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Pakistani Modern Jewelry
Peridot
1990s Unknown Modern Jewelry
Citrine, Blue Topaz, Tourmaline, Peridot, Multi-gemstone, Iolite, Amethy...
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Jewelry
Peridot, Diamond, Citrine, Amethyst, Rose Gold, 14k Gold, Gold
