Photo by J. Chalcinsky
I’ve been in this business for over 20 years and never paid too much attention to trends because they come and go like the tide. My whole design perspective offers modernity, wearability, and value while using stones that most people don’t know about. This keeps it interesting for my clients (and for me!) and allows me to make limited editions and one of a kinds so clients don’t see themselves anywhere else.
While gem-shopping in Tucson and doing research for this article, I have found the following:
–Colored gemstones are solidly planted as an important part of the modern woman’s jewelry wardrobe. The “safety” of only wearing diamonds has more or less faded. This is not to say that diamonds aren’t beautiful and desirable because I love them as much as the next person. But color has mood-altering properties and the power to make bold or subtle statements about the wearer. So as a group, the jewelry-loving world has fully embraced colored gems. Some of the hot colors are the gray family, including blue and lavender toned gray found in spinel, the Pantone Classic” blue found in sapphires, lapis, the rare cobalt spinel, and even some oddball gems like benitoite from the great state of California. Also popular are the teals and deep greens of recent sapphire finds in Africa, Australia, and Madagascar. Those make me deliriously happy, especially when accented with white diamonds.
Teal Sapphire by K. Ndoh
Gray Spinel by J. Chalcinsky
Teal Sapphire Ring by Diana Widman
–High-karat gold: Even with the price of gold rising recently, my clients love 22KT and 24KT yellow gold. This rich metal makes all gemstones star in their own show. Plus, high-karat gold makes for gorgeous chains. More on that later.
–Pearls: These treasures from the sea are still with us. Their popularity has faded in recent times, but set with colored stones, they transform into one of a kind desirables. A new bed of cultured pearls has come to market with stunning metallic colors which are set to make any colored stone or diamond double its impact. Plus the metallic pearls look great on everyone.
–Earrings, always earrings: I sell more earrings than any other category except our gemstone by the yard pieces and big, colored rings. Studs, my Pure stick earrings, hoops (front and sideways), single, french-wire drops of color… We love earrings.
Spinel Drop Earrings by Diana Widman
