Contemporary Vanity Items
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.
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Vanity Items
Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Thai Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s American Contemporary Vanity Items
1990s American Contemporary Vanity Items
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s American Vintage Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 2000s French Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Vanity Items
Silver, Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Vanity Items
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Italian Contemporary Vanity Items
Sapphire, 18k Gold
Late 20th Century Contemporary Vanity Items
Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
2010s British Contemporary Vanity Items
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Contemporary Vanity Items
Gold Plate, Rose Gold, Silver
20th Century Unknown Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, 24k Gold, Silver
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Contemporary Vanity Items
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Hong Kong Contemporary Vanity Items
Agate, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Vanity Items
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century European Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Contemporary Vanity Items
2010s British Contemporary Vanity Items
Base Metal
19th Century British Antique Contemporary Vanity Items
Cut Steel
1990s American Contemporary Vanity Items
Black Diamond, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, 18k Gold
1990s American Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
1990s American Contemporary Vanity Items
Silver
1950s Italian Vintage Contemporary Vanity Items
Silver
Late 19th Century Antique Contemporary Vanity Items
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s Swiss Vintage Contemporary Vanity Items
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Vanity Items
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
1970s Vintage Contemporary Vanity Items
1940s French Vintage Contemporary Vanity Items
Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Contemporary Vanity Items
Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Vanity Items
Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Vanity Items
Amethyst, Citrine, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century American Contemporary Vanity Items
Sterling Silver
1980s Vintage Contemporary Vanity Items
Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Vanity Items
Amethyst, Quartz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Contemporary Vanity Items
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Tourmaline, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1980s Vintage Contemporary Vanity Items
22k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century American Contemporary Vanity Items
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold