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Knowledge
The 1960s was a decade of radical transformation, marked by political upheaval, cultural revolution, and a profound redefinition of societal norms that turned convention on its head. It was an era of intense civil rights activism, epitomised by Martin Luther King Jr. 's leadership, the March on Washington in 1963, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which struck a legislative blow against racial segregation. Feminist voices grew louder, with figures like Betty Friedan challenging the patriarchal status quo and igniting a movement that refused to be silenced.
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Meanwhile, the countercultural explosion saw the rise of hippie subcultures, anti-establishment protests against the Vietnam War and psychedelic music, culminating in events like Woodstock in 1969.
On the world stage, the Cold War escalated with events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the space race reached its zenith with Neil Armstrong’s moon landing and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 left the world reeling. Meanwhile, the Beatles redefined popular music, Hollywood captured the era’s growing disillusionment with authority in Easy Rider, and hemlines rose scandalously high, much to the horror of the establishment. The 1960s was, at its core, a decade of rebellion and reinvention—idealism clashing with reality, progress shadowed by chaos, and the world never quite the same again.
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A New Wave
The 1960s revolutionised fashion and jewellery. Mary Quant introduced the mini-skirt, Vidal Sassoon cut hair in short, severe bobs and Carnaby Street swiftly became a hub for modernist style, showcasing babydoll dresses, hot pants, patent white boots, and striking black-and-white chequered patterns. This rupture with tradition ushered in an era of bold self-expression, where jewellery, too, reflected a newfound irreverence - eschewing formality in favour of amusing, unconventional, and playfully subversive designs.
Jewellery began to be worn with an uninhibited sense of abundance, reflecting the decade’s embrace of individuality and stylistic eclecticism. Women wore multiple rings on multiple fingers, layered bracelets on each wrist and paired bold earrings with statement necklaces. The rigid conventions of coordinated sets gave way to a more personal, curated approach, as pieces from different jewellers were effortlessly combined to create a unique and highly individualised aesthetic.
Fashionable jewellery was no longer the exclusive domain of the elite; technological advances, mass production, and a new generation eager for self-expression upended traditional notions of adornment. The rise of High Street boutiques saw independent designers challenge established jewellery houses with bold, innovative designs, while novel, inexpensive materials enabled the mass production of striking yet affordable pieces.
No longer dismissed as mere imitation, costume jewellery empowered women of all backgrounds to embrace avant-garde styles, proving that fashion was about creativity, not convention. In response, high-end jewellers were compelled to reassess their creative output to maintain their position in the market. They sought to push aesthetic boundaries while ensuring wearability, leading to the development of dramatic sculptural forms, experimental gemstone cuts, and innovative textural finishes. This period of transformation redefined the jewellery landscape, merging artistic ingenuity with shifting consumer desires.
Hallmarks of the 60s Style
The conservatism of the 1950s gave way to a dynamic, youthful energy, reflected in jewellery bursting with vivid colour, textured metal, and abstract design. No longer bound by symmetry or traditional refinement, jewellers embraced asymmetry, crafting dramatic starbursts, explosive jagged clusters, and cascading gemstone arrangements.
Colour was paramount, influenced by the optical illusions of artists like Victor Vasarely. Geometric fragmentation and unexpected gemstone placements created a sense of movement and abstraction. Metalwork became increasingly experimental, with surfaces chiselled, reeded, hammered, and twisted to enhance tactile appeal.
Unconventional materials were in vogue, with jewellers prioritising chromatic impact over traditional value. Bicoloured tourmalines, opal boulders, agates, baroque pearls and moonstones cut en cabochon, lapis lazuli and citrine were all incorporated into fantastic jewels and embellished with sprinkles of small diamonds. While diamonds remained popular, the decade saw an explosion of coloured gemstones, particularly rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. Turquoise, with its waxy lustre, emerged as a high-fashion favourite, often paired with diamonds in textured metal settings for striking contrast.
1960’s Rings
The popularity of rings soared in the 1960s, with fashionable women frequently wearing several at once – sometimes even stacking multiple rings on one finger. The allure of the traditional diamond solitaire ring waned, supplanted by bold, oversized three-dimensional clusters. A defining innovation of the decade was the elevation of the larger central stone within a cluster, set prominently above the surrounding gemstones to enhance its visual impact. Designers utilised pointed cuts such as pear-shapes or marquises to achieve the jagged, fragmented effect so beloved by the decade.
Equally favoured were ballerina mounts, in which a central gemstone was encircled by an undulating halo of diamonds, further reinforcing the period’s penchant for theatricality and dynamism in jewellery design. Other popular ring designs of the 60s embraced sculptural aesthetics, featuring large, colourful cabochons and pearls set in yellow gold. These pieces often took on abstract, organic forms, evoking the fluidity of oceanic landscapes or the jagged geometry of crystalline structures. Studded with an array of vibrant gemstones, these rings were designed to be statement pieces—maximalist in scale, visually arresting, and emblematic of the era’s fascination with unconventional, eye-catching adornment.
A Natural Influence
Nature has always profoundly influenced jewellery design, and the 1960s were no exception. Rather than mere imitation, nature’s boundless textures, forms, and motifs were abstracted, stylised, and reinterpreted with a playful, modernist flair. Jewellers sculpted intricate goldwork to mimic the tangled sprawl of roots, while metal batons surrounding gemstones evoked the delicate architecture of twigs and bird nests. Even celestial landscapes found their way into jewellery, as cratered gold surfaces mirrored the rugged terrain of the moon, reflecting the era’s fascination with space exploration.
Animal motifs, a long-standing presence in jewellery, took on an amusing character in the 1960s. Van Cleef & Arpels, by then a powerhouse of design, led the charge with their immensely popular menagerie of bejewelled lions, owls, monkeys, and giraffes - crafted in gold and adorned with precious and semi-precious stones. These witty, wearable brooches captured the era’s spirit of light-hearted luxury, and soon, nearly every major jeweller followed suit, launching their own versions of animal-inspired pieces.
1960’s Earrings
Earrings in the 1960s were large, decorative and designed in a variety of striking shapes and lengths. The era’s bob hairstyles provided the perfect backdrop for statement pieces, which prioritized form and texture over traditional gemstone-centric designs. The fascination with unusual materials saw jewellers incorporating exotic, colourful sea shells into earrings, often encased in gold wire or suspended for added movement. Hoops were especially popular, with designs featuring a smaller hoop supporting a larger one, either extending downward or looping through the earlobe to create dynamic, multidimensional effects.
1960’s Bracelets
Bracelets ranged from flexible gemstone-set bands to rigid bangles. Reflecting the decade’s bold aesthetic, the most common designs featured diamonds or mixed gemstones, seemingly arranged at random to create a jagged, saw-edge effect. Traditional styles took the form of wavy ribbon-like bands, while more elaborate designs intertwined contrasting gemstones, such as baguette-cut diamonds woven with cushion, pear, or marquise-shaped coloured stones. Flexible torsade bracelets, composed of pearls, gold chains, and hardstone beads, were also in vogue, with Van Cleef & Arpels’ signature ‘twist’ designs enjoying particular success.
1960’s Necklaces
The most popular necklaces of the 1960s were short, sitting at the base of the neck. Multiple gold bands with varied textures were entwined and occasionally set with small diamonds or coloured gemstones. Simple, rigid metal collars supporting large abstract pendants - often featuring agate, crystal aggregates, or baroque pearls - were also fashionable. Pearl necklaces remained a staple for the more traditional market, while Van Cleef & Arpels’ 1962 Twist necklace, with its intertwined rows of coloured stone and gold beads, became a trendsetter, inspiring versions set with turquoise and coral. Even the most lavish diamond pieces adhered to the decade’s jagged aesthetic, with rivière necklaces featuring marquise-cut diamonds mounted vertically for a dynamic, fragmented effect.
1960’s Jewellery at Berganza
The 1960s were a time of innovation and experimentation that shattered conventions and redefined aesthetics. Jewellery, like fashion, broke free from tradition with trailblazing jewellers crafting iconic pieces that exuded confidence. These were jewels that demanded attention, reflecting the bold glamour of the decade. Today, in a world awash with mass-production and fleeting trends, choosing 1960s jewellery is more than a style statement, it is a declaration of discernment, of individuality and an appreciation for true artistry. These are not mere adornments; they are artefacts of an era, imbued with provenance and personality.
Here at Berganza, we proudly celebrate this golden age of design with our collection of exquisite 1960s jewellery. Whether it be the perfect statement earrings for a special occasion or a striking gem-set ring that captures the era’s fearless spirit, our collection invites you to rediscover the iconic allure of the 60s today.
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