Modern Wrist Watches

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: Bulgari

Style: Modern

Bulgari Tubogas 18K Yellow Gold Quartz

Modern Wrist Watches

Early 2000s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari Tubogas 18K Yellow Gold Quartz

20th Century Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari 18K Yellow Gold Serpenti Vintage BB19 1 T Watch

1990s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

BVLGARI Team Watch Leather Strap 28mm

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Tubogas 18K Yellow Gold Black Dial Swiss Ladies Watch

20th Century Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari 18K Gold Tri Color BB191T Serpenti Tubogas Watch

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Trika 18K White Gold All Diamond Watch

Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Bulgari 18 Karat Tri-Color Gold BB 30 2T Large Dial Tubogas Watch

Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

BVLGARI BULGARI 18 Karat Tri-Color Tubogas Wrap Watch BB191T

2010s North American Modern Wrist Watches

Modern BVLGARI White/Yellow Gold Tubogas Open Flex Cuff Quartz Lady 23mm Watch

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Tubogas Serpenti Tubogas SP35 SPG Ladies Watch

Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari Bvlgari 18 Karat Tri-Color Gold Model BB232T 23mm Tubogas Watch

20th Century Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari 18K Tri Color BB191T Tricolor Tubogas Watch

Early 2000s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari (BVLGARI) Stainless Steel ref BB30SSD 30mm Unisex Quartz Watch + Case

20th Century Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari 18K Rose Gold Serpenti White Dial Leather Bracelet Diamond Ladies Watch

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari Bvlgari Women's Diagono Tubogas 18k/SS Quartz Watch w/ Date BB 26 GSCD

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari BB26 SLG Gold Dial Black Leather Strap Watch Unisex Bvlgari Wristwatch

2010s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Octo Nero 41mm in Rubberclad Steel and 18k Rose Gold REF BGO41S

Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari Diagono Automatic Stainless Steel Case and Bracelet Wrist Watch

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Parentesi Diamond & 18K Yellow Gold Bracelet Watch, Ref BJ01

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari Diamond and Sapphire Quadrato Wristwatch

20th Century Modern Wrist Watches

18kt Yellow Gold Ladies Bvlgari Tubogas Wristwatch with Black Dial

Early 2000s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Assioma 18k White Gold with Diamonds Quartz Watch

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Vintage Tubogas Midsize 18K Two Tone Gold Ladies Watch

20th Century Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari 18K Yellow Gold SQ 22 2T Quadrato Tubogas Diamond Bezel Watch

20th Century Italian Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari BB232T Tubogas Multi Gold Serpenti Round Dial Watch

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari Parentesi BJ-01 Sterile Dial 18 Karat Yellow Gold Diamond Wristwatch

20th Century Unknown Modern Wrist Watches

Ladies Stainless Steel Bulgari Watch Model# SQ 29 SLD

1980s Italian Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari BB 26 GGD 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ladies Watch

2010s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Serpent Tubogas Lady Single Wrap Stainless Steel & Diamonds Watch

20th Century French Modern Wrist Watches

Cartier 18K White Gold 28mm Panthere 1925 2323 Ladies Watch

Late 20th Century French Modern Wrist Watches

Cartier Ceinture Vintage 18K Yellow Gold Manual Winding Watch

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Wrist Watches

Bvlgari Serpenti Tubogas Two-Tone Double Spiral Watch 102680

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rare Bulgari Yellow Gold Tubogas Serpenti Vintage Automatic Central Dial&Papers

2010s French Modern Wrist Watches

Hermes Heure H Stainless Steel Wrist Watch w Blue Jean Leather Strap

Mid-20th Century Modern Wrist Watches

18K Yellow Gold Vintage Tiffany Watch by Concord, Malachite Dial (28mm)

Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Piaget 6926 18k Yellow Gold Diamond Ladies Vintage Watch

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Bulgari 18 Karat Yellow Gold Tubogas Serpenti Bracelet Watch

1970s French Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Vintage Cartier Paris Manual Wind Dial 18k Yellow Gold Ladies Watch

1960s Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Unusual Black Yellow Bulgari Tubogas Ladies Watch

20th Century Italian Modern Wrist Watches