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.
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Modern Jewelry
Quartz, Rock Crystal, Sterling Silver
1980s French Vintage Modern Jewelry
Gilt Metal
1960s Vintage Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yel...
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Emerald, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Quartz, Blue Topaz, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yel...
1990s French Modern Jewelry
Gilt Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Pearl, Topaz, Gold Plate, Silver
2010s Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Tourmaline, Paraiba, White Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Jewelry
Ruby, Sterling Silver
1970s American Vintage Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Emerald, Silver
1990s French Modern Jewelry
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Modern Jewelry
White Diamond, Tourmaline, Paraiba
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Peridot, 14k Gold
1990s Dutch Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Zircon, Blue Zircon, Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Mid-20th Century Modern Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Quartz, Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Yellow Diamond, Yellow Gold
1960s English Vintage Modern Jewelry
Brass
20th Century German Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver
20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Opal, Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Opal, Black Opal, Platinum
2010s American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold Plate, Silver
2010s Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Tourmaline, Paraiba, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Lebanese Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Opal, Sapphire, Tanzanite, 18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Unknown Modern Jewelry
Sapphire, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Finnish Modern Jewelry
Bronze
20th Century Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Modern Jewelry
Aquamarine, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Yellow Gold
1980s French Vintage Modern Jewelry
Gilt Metal
2010s British Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Modern Jewelry
Amethyst, Diamond, Tsavorite, 14k Gold
1990s Unknown Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, 10k Gold
1990s American Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Jewelry
Emerald, Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Jewelry
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 2000s French Modern Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold





