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.
Cartier Vintage Black and Gold Tone Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a slim rectangular body with black panels framed by contrasting gold-tone metal. The clean geometric design and Cartier double C emblem create a cl...
Gold Plate
Antique Cartier Clock or Medallion Presentation Case with Easel Stand, New York
By Cartier
Located in Braintree, GB
Antique Cartier presentation case of the 1920s in tan leather, opening like a pair of doors to a circular aperture, with a folding easel at the back so the case stands upright on a d...
Other
Cartier Paris Vintage Gold Tone Brown Tortoiseshell Style Lighter with Box
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier Paris lighter featuring a rectangular gold-tone metal body with distinctive mottled brown tortoiseshell-style panels. Polished gold-tone borders frame the decorative...
Gold
Vintage 1960s Tiffany & Co. Makers Sterling Miniature Pill Box
Located in New York, NY
A rare vintage Tiffany & Co. miniature dairy can pill box, crafted in polished sterling silver circa 1960s. The compact cylindrical form features gently stepped shoulders, raised...
Sterling Silver
Cartier Paris Gold, Platinum and Diamond Compact France, Circa 1970
By Cartier
Located in Austin, TX
An exceptional and highly collectible Cartier Paris compact, masterfully crafted in 18 karat yellow gold and platinum. This elegant rectangular compact features a gently curved silho...
Diamond, Gold, Platinum
Vintage Tessier Ring or Brooch Presentation Box, New Bond Street
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Tessier presentation box in dark green leather, the silk lid blocked in gilt Tessier, New Bond Street, London, fitted with a slot for a ring or a brooch. Tessier traded from...
Other
Skull Lighter Case Holder Memento Mori Gun Metal J Dauphin
By J DAUPHIN
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Skull Lighter Case Holder Memento Mori Gun Metal Designer: J DAUPHIN The Skull Lighter Case is a rare archive object, handcrafted in Paris in 2008 and finished in ruthenium platin...
Brass
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Ribbed London Motif Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a compact rectangular gold-tone metal body with finely ribbed vertical detailing and London motif styling. The classic textured design creates a ref...
Gold Plate
$49Sale Price|30% Off
Nijma M Fine Jewelry Modern White Velvet Ring Roll Box
Located in Toronto, CA
Whether at home, on the go, or traveling, make sure your precious rings are always safe with this white crushed velvet jewelry box pochette case with gold tassel detailing. The perfe...
Vintage Figural J. E. Caldwell Apple Shaped Sterling Silver Covered Box
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A terrific apple shaped covered box. In sterling silver and marked for J. E. Caldwell. A wonderful vintage box with great design! Date: 20th Century Overall Condition: It is in o...
Sterling Silver
Vintage Must de Cartier Square Ring Box, 1970s
Located in Braintree, GB
A vintage Must de Cartier ring box, circa 1970s, of slim square form, with the original Cartier mark. A compact fitted ring box from the celebrated Cartier luxury line. Must de Cart...
Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Jewellery Suite Presentation Box
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery suite presentation box, the pale ivory moiré covered case opening to a grey velvet tray cut for a necklace, a bracelet and a pair of earrings...
Antique Tiffany & Co. Brooch or Bracelet Box, New York
Located in Braintree, GB
Antique Tiffany & Co. presentation box, the cream silk lid printed in gilt Tiffany & Co., New York, in a dark napped covering, sized for a brooch or a bracelet. The largest ...
Antique J.W. Benson Ring Box, Ludgate Hill London
Located in Braintree, GB
Antique ring presentation box by J.W. Benson Ltd of Ludgate Hill, the silk lid printed Watchmakers, Jewellers and Silversmiths, 62 & 64 Ludgate Hill, E.C.4. Benson was one of th...
Silver
Vintage Boucheron Ring Box, Paris
By Boucheron
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Boucheron ring presentation box in pale cream suede, the silk lid printed in gilt BOUCHERON above a ring motif, the base fitted with a sprung ring slot. The lid interior car...
$368Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Bulgari White Leather Keychain with Metal Accents, Like New
By Bulgari
Located in New York, NY
A Stylish Fusion of Functionality and Refined Italian Craftsmanship Add a touch of luxury to your everyday essentials with this Vintage Bulgari Keychain, meticulously fashioned in wh...
Base Metal
Vintage Georg Jensen New York Jewellery Presentation Box
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Georg Jensen New York presentation box in black, the gold silk lid printed with the crowned GJ monogram and Georg Jensen, New York. Georg Jensen opened its New York shop in ...
RIMOWA Watch Case Silver Aircraft-Grade Aluminum Display Box Limited Edition
Located in Dallas, TX
The RIMOWA Watch Case in silver is a limited-edition luxury storage and travel case designed to securely hold up to three wristwatches. Crafted from aircraft-grade grooved aluminum, ...
Vintage Patek Philippe & Cie Genève Pocket Watch Box
Located in Braintree, GB
An original vintage pocket-watch presentation box by Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, dating to approximately the mid-20th century. The rectangular case is covered in black leather...
Other
Antique 19th Century Stick Pin Box, Domed Red Leather
Located in Braintree, GB
Antique 19th century stick pin box in domed red leather, opening to purple satin and a navy velvet bed with a pin slot. The lid is a rounded dome in red grained leather with a brass...
Other
Vintage Tiffany & Co. Jewellery Box, Multipurpose Format
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Tiffany & Co. presentation box in navy blue leather, gilt blocked to the lid, the fitted dark interior taking a brooch, earrings or a similar jewel. A broad shallow case...
Other
Cartier Vintage Black and Gold Tone Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a slim rectangular profile with a glossy black finish framed by contrasting gold-tone trim. The clean geometric design and understated two-tone app...
Base Metal
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Patterned Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a slim rectangular profile with rounded edges and an intricate repeating geometric pattern across the gold-tone metal exterior. The finely textured ...
Gold Plate
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Ribbed Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a classic slim rectangular profile with finely ribbed vertical texture across the gold-tone metal exterior. The streamlined design creates a timele...
Gold Plate
Vintage Tiffany & Co. Brooch Presentation Box
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Tiffany & Co. presentation box in navy blue leather, the lid blocked in gilt with the Tiffany & Co. signature, sized for a brooch or a similar long jewel. The propor...
Other
Jocelyn Burton Seashell and Moonstone Encrusted Sterling Silver Box
By Jocelyn Burton 1
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A very fine cylindrical sterling silver box by Jocelyn Burton. The box's lid is richly encrusted with miniature silver sea shells and bezel set with 2 ...
Moonstone, Sterling Silver
Antique Asprey and Co London Earring Presentation Box, Circa 1930s to 1940s
By Asprey
Located in Braintree, GB
An antique Asprey and Co earring presentation box from the 1930s to 1940s. Red leather form with gilt tooled border and a push-button clasp, satin lined lid with the original Asprey ...
Other
Vintage Tiffany & Co. Earring Box, New York
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Tiffany & Co. earring presentation box in navy blue leather, the lid blocked in gilt Tiffany & Co., New York, the base fitted for a pair of earrings. A shallow squar...
Other
Cartier Paris Vintage Silver Tone Metal Lighter with Box
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier Paris lighter featuring a classic rectangular form with a silver-tone metal finish. The clean and understated design reflects the refined styling of Cartier's vintag...
Silver
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Textured Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a rectangular gold-tone metal body with a finely textured linear finish. The geometric form and detailed surface pattern create a classic example o...
Gold, Base Metal
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Ribbed Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a rectangular gold-tone metal body with a distinctive vertical ribbed finish. The clean geometric form and textured surface create a classic and re...
Gold
Cartier Vintage Gold and Silver Tone Vertical Stripe Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a rectangular metal body with contrasting gold and silver-tone vertical stripes. Raised stud details accent the geometric design, creating a distin...
Gold, Silver
Cartier Vintage Silver Tone Textured Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a rectangular silver-tone metal body with a finely textured finish. The clean geometric form and detailed surface pattern create a classic example o...
Silver
Cartier Vintage Silver Tone Textured Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a rectangular silver-tone metal body with an intricate textured pattern. The streamlined form and decorative surface finish create a refined exampl...
Silver
Cartier Vintage Gold and Silver Tone Vertical Stripe Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a rectangular metal body with contrasting gold and silver-tone vertical stripe detailing. Small raised stud accents add dimension to the geometric d...
Silver, Gold
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Ribbed Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a rectangular gold-tone metal body with a finely ribbed vertical finish. The streamlined proportions and textured design create a classic and refine...
Base Metal, Gold
Cartier Vintage White and Gold Tone Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a slim rectangular body with white panels framed by contrasting gold-tone metal. The clean geometric design is accented with Cartier's double C embl...
Base Metal, Gold
S.T. Dupont Vintage 18K Gold Reddish Brown Lacquer Lighter
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage S.T. Dupont lighter featuring a slim rectangular form with a rich reddish brown lacquer-style finish and contrasting 18K gold detailing. The polished gold borders complement...
18k Gold
Cartier Vintage Red and Gold Tone Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a slim rectangular body with a rich red finish and contrasting gold-tone detailing. The Cartier double C emblem and polished borders create a bold y...
Gold Plate
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Ribbed Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a compact rectangular gold-tone metal body with finely ribbed vertical detailing. The rounded edges and textured finish create a classic example of...
Gold, Base Metal
Cartier Paris Vintage Silver Tone Textured Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier Paris lighter featuring a slim rectangular silver-tone metal body with a finely textured geometric finish. The clean form and detailed surface pattern create a classi...
Silver, Base Metal
Cartier Paris Vintage Gold Tone Textured Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier Paris lighter featuring a slim rectangular gold-tone metal body with a finely ribbed and textured finish. The elongated profile and decorative geometric detailing re...
Base Metal, Gold
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Patterned Metal Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring an elongated rectangular form with rounded edges and an intricate repeating pattern across the gold-tone metal exterior. The textured decorative fin...
Gold Plate
Cartier Vintage Dark Green and Gold Tone Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a slim rectangular form with a deep dark green finish accented by polished gold-tone trim. The contrasting colors and Cartier double C emblem create...
Gold, Base Metal
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Textured Metal Lighter
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring a slim rectangular form with rounded edges and an intricate textured pattern across the gold-tone metal exterior. The finely engraved geometric des...
Gold
Cartier Vintage Gold Tone Heraldic Motif Lighter
By Cartier
Located in Fairfax, VA
Vintage Cartier lighter featuring an ornate gold-tone exterior decorated with intricate engraved detailing and red and white enamel accents. A prominent heraldic-inspired motif and e...
Gold, Enamel
William Spratling Mexican Mid-Century Modernist Parcel Gilt Sterling Silver Box
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine Mexican Modernist table box. In sterling silver. By William Spratling. With a diaper trellis or lattice pattern throughout punctuated with parcel gilt knops or buttons. Se...
Sterling Silver
Antique E.M. Gattle & Co. Fifth Avenue New York Jewellery Box
Located in Braintree, GB
Antique E.M. Gattle & Co. presentation box, the satin lid stamped E.M. Gattle & Co., 630 Fifth Ave., New York, Opposite Cathedral. Gattle traded on Fifth Avenue facing St Pa...
Other
Vintage Oscar Heyman Velvet Jewellery Box, Circa 1960s to 1990s
By Oscar Heyman
Located in Braintree, GB
A vintage Oscar Heyman square jewellery box, covered in black velvet with a fitted velvet interior. Suitable for small jewellery items such as brooches and pendants. Oscar Heyman is...
Silver Hermes Paris 1960 Compact Powder Case
By Hermès
Located in New York, NY
Hermès Paris Silver Compact Powder Case – Circa 1960 A refined expression of mid-century elegance, this Hermès compact powder case from the 1960s is crafted in solid silver with a t...
Silver
Vintage Rolex Watch Presentation Box, Circa 1930s to 1950s
By Rolex
Located in Braintree, GB
A vintage Rolex watch presentation box dating circa 1930s to 1950s. A genuine period Rolex box, ideal for the display or storage of a vintage Rolex wristwatch. Dimensions External: ...
Other
Vintage Hancocks and Co Stick Pin and Brooch Box
By Hancocks
Located in Braintree, GB
A vintage Hancocks and Co box of rectangular form, intended for a stick pin, brooch or small pendant. With original retailer marks from this respected London house. A useful display...
Collingwood Pink Leather Jewellery Box, Royal Warrant, 1950s
Located in Braintree, GB
A vintage Collingwood jewellery box from Conduit Street, London, By Appointment Jewellers to Her Majesty The Queen. Square form, circa 1950s, wit...
Other
Vintage Frederick T. Widmer Pendant or Brooch Box, Boston
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage presentation box from Frederick T. Widmer, 31 West Street, Boston, in teal leather, the satin lid printed in gilt. A shallow square with soft corners, lined in gold satin wi...
Other
Vintage Editions Graphiques Galerie Pocket Watch Box
Located in Braintree, GB
A vintage rectangular pocket-watch presentation box retailed by Editions Graphiques Galerie, with the retailer’s details printed in gilt inside the lid. The exterior is covered in b...
Other
Vintage Kutchinsky Bracelet or Watch Presentation Box, London
By Kutchinsky
Located in Braintree, GB
Vintage Kutchinsky presentation box in black leather, the silk lid signed Kutchinsky London, made for a bracelet or a watch. Kutchinsky was among the small group of London houses wo...
Other
Antique Cartier Ring and Pendant Box, 1920s
Located in Braintree, GB
A small square Cartier presentation box, circa 1920s, with the original Cartier mark. Suitable for a ring or a small pendant. An original 1920s Cartier ring box is a genuine collect...
Large Antique Green Necklace Presentation Box, Circa 1900
Located in Braintree, GB
A large antique necklace presentation box dating from the late 19th or early 20th century. The rectangular case is covered in dark green textured material and opens to reveal a crea...
Antique French J. Fontan Bordeaux Large Jewellery Suite Box
Located in Braintree, GB
A substantial antique French jewellery presentation box retailed by J. Fontan, Joaillier, 24 Allées de Tourny, Bordeaux. The large rectangular case is covered in dark brown to black...
Other
Vintage Ilias Lalaounis Greek Jewellery Box
Located in Braintree, GB
A vintage jewellery presentation box by the celebrated Greek house of Ilias Lalaounis. Compact rectangular form in a pale cream finish with a fitted velvet interior. Ilias Lalaounis is one of the most respected Greek jewellery...