Contemporary Simple Necklace
2010s French Chain Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Late 20th Century French Choker Necklaces
18k Gold, White Gold
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Italian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Rhodocrosite, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Amethyst, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Choker Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Crystal, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Topaz, Blue Topaz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Cultured Pearl, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Turquoise, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Agate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Crystal, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Quartz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Peridot, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Thai Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Rubelite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Other, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Brown Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Late 20th Century Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Topaz, Blue Topaz, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s Unknown Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Brown Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold, Mixed Metal, Yellow Gold, Silver
20th Century Unknown Contemporary Choker Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, White Gold, 18k Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Crystal, Diamond, Pearl, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Greek Contemporary Link Necklaces
Silver, Britannia Standard Silver, Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Native American Beaded Necklaces
Coral, Sterling Silver
2010s Spanish Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary European Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Malachite, 18k Gold
2010s Italian Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold, Gold
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Contemporary Chain Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Contemporary Link Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Chain Necklaces
Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s American Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary European Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
18k Gold
2010s Contemporary Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Rose Gold
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Unknown Contemporary More Necklaces
Labradorite, 18k Gold
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
2010s Danish Contemporary Link Necklaces
Sterling Silver
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Contemporary Simple Necklace For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Contemporary Simple Necklace?
A Close Look at contemporary Jewelry
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.
Finding the Right necklaces for You
We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.
Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers.
In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs.
For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone.
Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt.
On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 21, 2023What simple necklaces are called varies based on their style. Most necklaces that show off simple details can be referred to as minimalist. Other names vary based on how they are designed. For example, a simple necklace composed of metal links is a chain necklace, while one that features a small hanging charm is a pendant necklace. Find a wide variety of necklaces on 1stDibs.