Sri Yantra
2010s Greek Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
2010s Greek Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Abstract Sculptures
Acrylic, Wood Panel
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Antique Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Ormolu, Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century European Louis XVI Wall Mirrors
Metal
1990s French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
Vintage 1970s Pendant Necklaces
Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Animal Sculptures
Marble, Bronze
Antique 17th Century Thai Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
1980s French Briefcases and Attachés
Early 2000s French Structured Shoulder Bags
Vintage 1970s French Modern Chain Bracelets
Gold Plate
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Busts
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Pendant Necklaces
Zircon, Vermeil, Sterling Silver, Enamel, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Shoulder Bags
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Chinese Export Natural Specimens
Other
Mid-20th Century Canadian Mid-Century Modern Busts
Plaster
2010s European Classical Greek Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Gold
Recent Sales
2010s Indian Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold
2010s American Modern Chairs
Concrete, Cement, Brass
2010s Greek Modern Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Abstract Sculptures
Acrylic, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Fashion Rings
Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
A Close Look at 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.
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