The 1960s Jewelry Styles Worth Bringing Back

1960s Jewelry Styles to Bring Back

The 1960s were a transformative era in so many aspects of life, and 1960s jewelry styles were no exception. Trends included space-age motifs, new and flashy ring settings, and op art-style jewelry.

“Overall, it was a fun era of textures, movement, and bright colors,” says jewelry expert and BriteCo gemologist Kaitlyn Rigdon. “All made waves in such a way that we think they’re worth bringing back today!”

Here are about a dozen 1960s jewelry trends that you can begin incorporating into your wardrobe right now.

1. Geometric Shapes

If you had to give a certain “shape” to jewelry, you’d probably say “circle”; necklaces, rings, brooches, pendants, earrings, and bracelets all largely consist of circles. In the 1960s, though, other geometric shapes took center stage, in the shape of triangular, rectangular, and square earrings and pendants. Circles were still popular, of course, but the bigger and bolder, the better.

2. Vibrant Color Palettes

When 1960s jewelry designers considered the colors they could incorporate into their pieces, many found inspiration in the tie-dye of the hippie movement and the kaleidoscope hues of the counterculture movement. Vibrant colors like turquoise, rich pink, bright orange, and yellow overtook pieces.

“This was in part thanks to the growing use of new materials in jewelry design like acrylic and plastic,” Rigdon says. They made it possible to achieve bold colors that wouldn’t be possible with traditional precious metals or the most commonly available gemstones.

3. Textured Gold

Yellow gold has maintained a lasting power throughout history, but how it’s been used has changed from decade to decade. In the 1960s, textured yellow gold was in vogue.

Its addition could be achieved in a few ways: a textured pattern could be hammered into a singular piece of gold, or additional gold could be added to a gold piece to create an overlaying layer of texture.

4. Long Earrings

“As hairstyles grew shorter, with many ladies preferring either a bob or a swept up-do, long earrings provided a nice contrast,’ Ridgon says, with statement earrings a favorite among jewelry in the 1960s.

While hoops were popular (as they have been throughout most of modern history), more eye-catching and interesting designs were also common — again, featuring geometric shapes or incorporating floral or nature motifs.

5. Flower Power and Nature Motifs

Flowers were everywhere in 1960s jewelry styles, as well as in the clothing of the day. However, it wasn’t just flowers that made their way into 1960s fashion. Nature motifs of all kinds appeared in jewelry, too, with flora and fauna bedecked in jewels.

Specifically, during this decade, Van Cleef & Arpels introduced a series of brooches featuring various wild animals made from gold and precious stones, including giraffes, monkeys, and lions.

6. Space Age Motifs

“The space race was in full swing,” Ridgon says, “so designers used that to feature stars, rockets, moons, and other shapes.” Jewelry depicting the stars was a particular favorite.

This trend wasn’t entirely new to the 1960s; it began in the 1950s as part of Atomic Age design, but its influence lingered.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of space-oriented jewelry, today you can purchase jewelry that features pieces of real meteorites for a look that’s truly out of this world.

7. Oversized Plastic Jewelry

Sure, plastic is inarguably a material for 1960s costume jewelry, but its distance from fine jewelry didn’t stop stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn from wearing trendy plastic pieces, often in oversized form.

Taking this costume jewelry to a whole other level of kitsch? You could often find it covered in rhinestones.

8. Bangles

It’s difficult to find a post-Mid Century period when bangles weren’t in style, but the materials they’re made from do differ from decade to decade, even if the actual designs didn’t change all that much.

In the 1960s, bangles were made from precious metals like textured gold, but they also took advantage of newer materials like plastic as they grew in popularity.

“I love the stacked bangles look that was popular then,” Ridgon says! “They would mix the materials and wear bangles made of gold, or wood, or enamel, which created a cool sound when the wearer moved around.”

9. Statement Jewelry

Across the board, statement jewelry was a big deal in the 1960s. Whether it was earrings, cocktail rings, necklaces, or any other pieces, big and bold was the way to go.

10. Colored Gemstones

In accordance with the explosion of color in 1960s jewelry styles, jewelry designers also began seeking new, lesser-used gemstones to incorporate into their designs, rather than relying solely on the ever-popular diamond.

While the remaining three primary precious gemstones — ruby, sapphire, and emerald — enjoyed consistent attention during this decade, others making appearances included turquoise, citrine, lapis lazuli, agates, moonstones, opal, and tourmaline.

11. New Diamond Ring Settings

The classic ring includes just a solitaire diamond, but these diamond ring settings weren’t the focus in the 1960s; new settings emerged, such as the ballerina mount. A ballerina ring is named so because it’s intended to look like a ballerina’s twirling tutu when viewed from above. A center stone is surrounded by a halo of baguette-cut diamonds.

12. Black and White

In the 1960s, a style of art known as “op art” or “optical art” became popular, featuring black-and-white patterns that almost seem to move, and this inspired similar designs in the jewelry world. Black-and-white enamel was used to create eye-catching pieces that drew on other 1960s jewelry trends, such as bold geometric shapes and oversized pieces.

How to Incorporate 1960s Jewelry Trends Into Your Own Look

Jewelry from the 1960s is considered vintage (anything 50-100 years old), while antique is anything 100 years old or older, and can be found in many vintage or secondhand shops, at estate sales, online, and at flea markets.

Identifying Vintage Jewelry

The best ways to determine whether or not a piece of jewelry is truly authentic vintage are to:

1. Look for hallmarks and stamps that can reveal valuable information about the jewelry brand, material, and manufacturing date.
2. Examine the jewelry based on the trends you now know were in style in the 1960s, and see whether the jewelry aligns with those trends.
3. Consult with an expert appraiser, who will have a wealth of jewelry knowledge and can provide you with more concrete details about a piece.

When you do get your vintage 1960s jewelry home, make sure you keep it in pristine condition with the proper care. Never clean it with any harsh chemicals; warm water and mild dish soap are usually enough. Always store it in a soft-lined jewelry case with its own compartment when not in use.

Invest in Jewelry Insurance for All Your Vintage Pieces

Whether you’ve acquired a piece of trendy jewelry from the 1960s or something a little older, make sure you protect your valuable collection with comprehensive jewelry insurance. BriteCo covers your pieces in the event of theft, loss, accidental damage, and more.

Learn more about jewelry insurance and get your quick jewelry insurance quote now.

1960s Jewelry FAQs

What influenced 1960s jewelry trends?

Many factors influenced 1960s jewelry trends, including the rejection of traditional norms and the embrace of new ideas and self-expression. The mod movement and hippie movement, alongside the rise in mass production, also played a significant role.

What modern jewelry is most like 1960s jewelry?

You can see many 1960s jewelry trends reflected in modern jewelry, including floral and nature motifs, the use of unusual materials, and a focus on bright colors.

What natural materials are used in jewelry making?

A jewelry maker who refers to natural materials is usually not referring to precious metals or gemstones, even though both are natural by definition. Instead, natural materials can include wood, coral, lava stone, leather, and others.

Who set jewelry trends in the 1960s?

Just as they are now, celebrities were responsible for many of the jewelry trends of the 1960s, with famous tastemakers such as Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn.

What were the popular jewelry brands in the 1960s?

Popular jewelry designers included Tiffany & Co, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Cartier.

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