Skip to main content

Angela Cummings

Austrian, American, b. 1944

With her playfully bold, nature-inspired pieces, Angela Cummings has left a lasting mark on the world of jewelry design. Full of movement and sensational color, her eye-catching collar necklaces, stud earrings and bracelets continue to be favored by red-carpet celebrities and tastemakers the world over.

Cummings was born in Austria in 1944, during a time when her country was being torn apart by war. At the age of three her family moved to America, where she was raised. Returning to her native country as an adult, Cummings studied art in Perugia, Italy, then went on to study jewelry design in Hanau, West Germany. She graduated with a degree in gemology, goldsmithing and jewelry design from Zeichenakademie in 1967.

Cummings returned to the United States after finishing her studies. She marched into legendary American luxury house Tiffany & Co. in New York City and asked for a job. Under the mentorship of Donald Claflin, a designer who’d previously worked for David Webb, Cummings became a respected in-house designer for the brand. Her named collection, Angela Cummings Exclusively for Tiffany & Co., debuted in 1974.

Cummings created sumptuous 18K gold accessories that were inlaid with coral, opal, mother-of-pearl, jade and lapis lazuli. Not unlike the work of Elsa Peretti, who signed an exclusive contract with Tiffany & Co. in 1974, Cummings’ designs — seashell necklaces, maple leaf pendants — drew on the shapes and forms of the natural world.

As her style continued to develop, Cummings integrated silver, precious gemstones and platinum into her work, creating exquisite juxtapositions by mixing the materials with wood and iron. Her pieces increasingly featured more movement-inspired elements — curling vines, crashing waves and billowing cloud forms — that hearkened to the rhythms of nature.

In 1982, People magazine featured Cummings' jewelry and the publicity launched her into the spotlight. Two years later, she established her own business, Angela Cummings Inc., and began to experiment with abstraction in her work, as well as allowing her surroundings in Japan, where she opened several boutiques, to inspire her adornments.

Cummings retired in 2003, making a brief comeback in 2013 to collaborate with Assael Jewelry, for which she created an exclusive line of cultured pearl jewelry.

Find vintage Angela Cummings earrings, necklaces, brooches and other accessories on 1stDibs.

Angela Cummings Earrings, 18K Solid Yellow Gold Classic Half Hoop, 1986.
By Angela Cummings
Located in Aspen, CO
Angela Cummings earrings in 18K yellow gold. Signed (Angela) Cummings with a copymark of 1986, and 18K. These half hoop solid gold earrings with a matte finish and a wsnake-like ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Contemporary Angela Cummings

Materials

18k Gold

Angela Cummings 1993 Nephrite Green Jade Necklace with 18kt Yellow Gold Mounting
By Angela Cummings
Located in Miami, FL
Nephrite green jade necklace designed by Angela Cummings. A very rare modernist piece, created in New York city by Angela Cummings, back in the 19...
Category

1990s American Modern Angela Cummings

Materials

Jade, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Angela Cumming Vintage 18K and Ruby Earrings, c. 1989
By Angela Cummings
Located in Aspen, CO
18K yellow gold vintage earrings each with 7 small cabochon circular natural rubies of Burma color, Angela Cummings. This is the larger model - rarely found. These are cushion shap...
Category

1980s North American Modern Vintage Angela Cummings

Materials

Ruby, 18k Gold

Angela Cummings Coral Black Jade and Mother of Pearl Earrings
By Angela Cummings
Located in Atlanta, GA
This is a rare and collectable Angela Cummings design. Oversized at 1 1/8 inches featuring coral, black jade and mother of pearl to create this beautiful wearable pair of earrings.
Category

Late 20th Century American Contemporary Angela Cummings

Materials

Coral, Black Jade, 18k Gold

Vintage Angela Cummings Onyx and Mother of Pearl Clip-On Earrings, 18 Karat Gold
By Angela Cummings
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
This vintage pair of Angela Cummings clip-on earrings in 18 karat yellow gold exhibits a captivating blend of sophistication and artistry. Fashioned into a hexagonal shape, each earr...
Category

1980s Unknown Contemporary Vintage Angela Cummings

Materials

Onyx, Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Vintage Angela Cummings Non-Pierced Ridged Gold Earrings in 18 Karat Yellow Gold
By Angela Cummings
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
This vintage pair of Angela Cummings earrings crafted in 18 karat yellow gold exemplify her signature style, characterized by innovative designs and meticulous craftsmanship. The ear...
Category

1980s Unknown Contemporary Vintage Angela Cummings

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Angela Cummings 1991 Studio Twisted Free Form Necklace In .925 Sterling Silver
By Angela Cummings
Located in Miami, FL
Free form necklace designed by Angela Cummings. Beautiful sculptural necklace, created by Angela Cummings at her own goldsmith studio in New York city, back in the 1990. This piece ...
Category

1990s American Modernist Angela Cummings

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

Angela Cummings Inlay Mother of Pearl Clip-on Dome Earrings in 18 Karat Gold
By Angela Cummings
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
These beautiful Angela Cummings clip-on dome earrings exude an air of understated elegance with their exquisite design and luxurious materials. Crafted in gleaming 18 karat yellow go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Angela Cummings

Materials

Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Browse all Jewelry from Angela Cummings
Shop Now

Creators Similar to Angela Cummings

Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co.
Harriet Bauknight for KASO
Anne & Frank Vigneri
Aldo Cipullo for Cartier

Angela Cummings jewelry & watches for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a range of Angela Cummings jewelry & watches available on 1stDibs. Each of these unique items was designed with extraordinary care, often using gold. While looking for the most stylish antique or vintage Angela Cummings jewelry to pair with your ensemble, you’ll find that Angela Cummings diamond jewelry & watches, from our inventory of 22, can add a particularly distinctive touch to your look. We have 163 pieces in this collection as well as a number of other designs by this jeweler. While this collection reflects work that originated over various time periods, most of these items were designed during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider jewelry & watches by Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co., Andrew Clunn, and Neiman Marcus. Prices for Angela Cummings jewelry & watches can differ depending upon gemstone, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $558 and tops out at $70,000, while pieces like these, on average, can sell for $5,500.

Recently Viewed

View All