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: Rolex

Style: Modern

Rolex Stainless Steel Datejust with Custom Finished Green Dial, 1960s

Modern Wrist Watches

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Datejust with Custom Finished Green Dial, 1960s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oysterdate with Factory Original Charcoal Sunburst Dial 1970s

1980s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 2-Tone With Factory Original Black Dial 1980's

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date With Custom Mother of Pearl Dial 1960's

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual with Custom Deep Blue Dial, Diamond Markers, 1960s

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Oyster Perpetual Date with Custom Made Pink Dial 1960's

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Submariner Black Stainless Steel 124060 No Date Watch

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date With Custom Red Dial 1960's

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust With Custom Orange Dial, 1970's

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Oyster Perpetual Date with Custom Orange Dial 1960s

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Oyster Perpetual Air-King with Custom Purple Dial 1960s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Datejust with Custom Orange Dial, 1970s

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Air King with Custom Green Dial, 1960s

1980s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Datejust 6917 Light Blue Mother of Pearl Diamond Dial Jubilee Band

1980s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Datejust 6917 Light Blue Mother of Pearl Diamond Dial Oyster Band

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Datejust with Factory Original Black Dial, 1970s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Oyster Perpetual With Factory Original Silver Dial 1970's

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Datejust with Custom Finished Green Dial, 1970s

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Datejust with Rare Original Charcoal Dial from, 1960's

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Datejust with Custom Purple Dial, 1960s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Ladies Datejust 18 Karat Yellow Gold with Diamond Bezel, 1970s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Datejust with Custom Finished Mother of Pearl Dial 1970s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Datejust with Custom Finished Pink Dial, 1970s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Air King with Custom Orange Dial, Early 1970s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Oyster Perpetual Air King Custom Diamond Dial, 1970s

1980s American Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Men's Stainless Steel OPDJ w/ Diamond Bezel and Dial 16234 Unique!

1980s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Ladies 18k Gold President, Champangne Diamond Dial, Diamond Bezel Watch

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Air King With Rare Factory Original Charcoal Dial

1980s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Air King with Original Dial with Gilt Markers, 1989

1980s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ladies President Model with Custom Made Diamond Bezel

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Classic Oysterdate with Original Dial, circa Late 1960's

Late 20th Century Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Oyster Datejust Automatic 18k Gold Black Dial Ladies Wrist Watch 6917

1990s Swiss Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Date with Rare Original Black Dial from 1995

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Air King with Custom Light Blue Dial, 1970s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Oyster Perpetual with Custom Green Dial, 1970s

1970s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Steel Oyster Perpetual Datejust with Custom Yellow Dial and Strap 1970s

1980s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Datejust 6917 Blue Mother of Pearl Diamond Dial Jubilee Band Fluted Bezel

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Stainless Steel Air King with a Custom Finished Beige Dial Late 1960's

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Wrist Watches

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Watch

1960s Swiss Vintage Modern Wrist Watches