Modern Band Rings
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.
2010s Dutch Modern Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold
1970s Vintage Modern Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Band Rings
Ruby, White Gold, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century American Modern Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1990s American Modern Band Rings
Sterling Silver
2010s Asian Modern Band Rings
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century French Modern Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
2010s Dutch Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Modern Band Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Modern Band Rings
Citrine, Gold, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Band Rings
Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Modern Band Rings
Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Band Rings
Ruby, 14k Gold
2010s British Modern Band Rings
Sapphire, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Band Rings
Emerald, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Tourmaline, Gold, 14k...
2010s Turkish Modern Band Rings
Amethyst, Sapphire, Green Sapphire, 14k Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Band Rings
Emerald, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Emerald, Silver, Sterling Silver
2010s Hong Kong Modern Band Rings
Jade
2010s French Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Turkish Modern Band Rings
Topaz, Sapphire, Garnet, Emerald, Amethyst, 14k Gold
20th Century Modern Band Rings
Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Moonstone, Rainbow Moonstone, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Modern Band Rings
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Platinum
Late 20th Century British Modern Band Rings
Diamond, 9k Gold, White Gold
20th Century Modern Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Modern Band Rings
Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Diamond, 18k Gold, Gold
Mid-20th Century Italian Modern Band Rings
18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Modern Band Rings
18k Gold
2010s Italian Modern Band Rings
18k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Hong Kong Modern Band Rings
Jade, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary North American Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, White Gold
2010s Dutch Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century French Modern Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
2010s American Modern Band Rings
Amethyst, Aquamarine, Tourmaline, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Platinum
20th Century Spanish Modern Band Rings
18k Gold
1980s French Vintage Modern Band Rings
White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Band Rings
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Band Rings
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modern Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Band Rings
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century French Modern Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Modern Band Rings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Band Rings
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Band Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Sterling Silver
20th Century American Modern Band Rings
Diamond, Gold