Museums are increasingly displaying jewelry as a form of wearable art in its own right, sometimes with the conversation centering around the innovative use of materials in alternative ways.

“Jewelry is more than just you wear to complement your clothes. If you pick good jewelry, it’s like wearing a piece of art,” says Ulysses Dietz, curator of the exhibition, titled "From Pearls to Platinum to Plastic," opening at the Newark Museum in June.