Yoko London Japanese Akoya
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
Recent Sales
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Lever-Back Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, ...
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Bracelets
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Stud Earrings
Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
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Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 14k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Spanish Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Platinum, 18k Gold
1990s Asian Multi-Strand Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Beaded Necklaces
South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Contemporary Drop Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Beaded Necklaces
Emerald, Onyx, Opal
2010s Australian Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s British Contemporary Dangle Earrings
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold...
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Diamond, Platinum
2010s British Contemporary Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Black Pearl, Cultured Pearl, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Bangles
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 14k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s American Modern Drop Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Beaded Necklaces
Pearl, Sterling Silver
Yoko London Japanese Akoya For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Yoko London Japanese Akoya?
A Close Look at Contemporary Jewelry
Contemporary jewelry is inextricably linked with the moment in which it is created, frequently reflecting current social, cultural and political issues such as environmental consciousness, identity and sustainability. It’s informed by fashion trends, from the chokers of the 1990s to the large chain necklaces of the early 2000s.
Jewelry is one of the oldest forms of adornment. Lockets made of silver or gold have been treasured gifts for hundreds of years, for example, and charm bracelets, which have existed since prehistoric times, didn’t become especially popular until the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. For many centuries, fine jewelry was used primarily to express wealth or status through lavish materials. Then, in the 1960s, a concept known as the “critique of preciousness” emerged, with jewelers creating pieces that did not get their value from gemstones or precious metals. Instead, it was the jeweler’s artistic vision that was prized and elevated.
This shift still informs Contemporary jewelry being made by artists today. Whether they are using cheap, found materials and working with provocative geometric shapes or seeking out the rarest stones, they are imbuing their work with meaning through their skills, techniques and ideas. Innovative designers such as Elsa Peretti, who popularized sculptural sterling-silver jewelry for Tiffany Co., and David Yurman, who twisted metal into the simple yet striking Cable bracelet, have also influenced the direction of Contemporary jewelry’s forms and aesthetics.
Meanwhile, technological advancements like metal alloys and laser engraving have led to new possibilities in jewelry design. Now, edgy makers and brands as well as minimalist designers are pushing Contemporary jewelry forward into the 21st century.
Find a collection of Contemporary rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry on 1stDibs.