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.
1970s English Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Platinum
1960s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Star Sapphire, Black Star, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
1990s French Modern Jewelry
Late 20th Century Modern Jewelry
Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Alexandrite, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1970s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
1980s Unknown Vintage Modern Jewelry
Enamel, Gilt Metal
1990s Swiss Modern Jewelry
Gold Plate, Steel
1980s North American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Mixed Metal
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s French Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Diamond, Tourmaline, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Mixed Metal
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century French Modern Jewelry
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1960s British Vintage Modern Jewelry
Late 20th Century French Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Opal, Platinum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Opal, Platinum
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Gold, 22k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Peridot, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Sapphire, Tanzanite, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Jewelry
Stainless Steel
1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Jewelry
Mixed Metal, Stainless Steel
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Onyx, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Opal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Quartz, 18k Gold
1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Mixed Metal
Late 20th Century French Modern Jewelry
Brass
1950s Chinese Vintage Modern Jewelry
1960s Unknown Vintage Modern Jewelry
Pearl
1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Silver Plate
Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Jewelry
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Gold Plate
1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Jewelry
Stainless Steel
Late 20th Century Modern Jewelry
9k Gold
1990s American Modern Jewelry
1990s American Modern Jewelry
Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Coral, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Yellow Gold, Steel
1990s French Modern Jewelry
1960s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Bronze
1960s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
1980s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Late 20th Century French Modern Jewelry
20th Century European Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1970s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Late 20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold