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.

Gemstone: Cultured Pearl

Style: Modern

Modern Cultured Pearl 18 Karat Yellow Gold Clasp Necklace

Located in Poitiers, FR

Choker necklace of cultured pearls, shaded white orient. The clasp is a 18 karat yellow gold pearl, decorated with gadroons, ratchet with safety chain. Diameter of the pearls : 6,5/7 mm. Length : 46 cm. Total weight of the jewel : 28,6 g approximately. Pearl necklace entirely threaded on new silk thread with knot. Second- hand pearls jewel...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Jewelry

Materials

Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Modern Cultured Pearl 18 Karat Yellow Gold Clasp Necklace

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K White Gold

Modern Jewelry

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Jewelry

Modern Cultured Pearl 18 Karat Yellow Gold Clasp Necklace

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Solitaire Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Diamonds in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Leverback Drop Earrings in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Solitaire Pendant with Diamond in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

JAS-19-1971 - 24KT GOLD/SS 13MM MABE RING with 0.60CT RED SAPPHIRES

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Solitaire Pendant with Diamond in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Solitaire Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Diamonds in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Heart-Shaped Bale in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Solitaire Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Solitaire Pendant with Diamond in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl V-Bale Pendant with Diamond in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Heart-Shaped Bale in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Solitaire Pendant with Diamond in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Leverback Drop Earrings in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Heart-Shaped Bale in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Solitaire Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Infinity Pendant with Diamond in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Infinity Pendant with Diamond in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Solitaire Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Diamonds in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Solitaire Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Diamonds in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl & 2.85ct Amethyst Lariat Necklace in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Leverback Drop Earrings in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Heart-Shaped Bale in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl & 2.85ct Amethyst Lariat Necklace in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Infinity Pendant with Diamond in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Infinity Pendant with Diamond in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Solitaire Freshwater Cultured Pearl Pendant with Diamonds in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Solitaire Pendant with Diamond in 14K Rose Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Infinity Pendant with Diamond in 14K White Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Spiral Pendant with Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl & 1.65ct Amethyst Lariat Necklace in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry

Freshwater Cultured Pearl Solitaire Pendant with Diamond in 14K Yellow Gold

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry