LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE WITH COLOR

Vibrant blues, a blush of pink, and the rosy glow of angelskin coral are infusing jewelry designs with new life

Imagine a world without color — all black and white and no joie de vivre. Color adds life, drama, flair, and energy to our world, and it infuses jewelry with a special beauty. In a fashion world full of neutrals, little black dresses, and tone-on-tone ensembles, gemstone jewelry is not just an accessory, it is the magic finishing touch.

This year, jewelry designers are mixing things up with an expanding palette of hues found in lesser known gems like kunzite, heliodor (green beryl), Tanzanite, topaz, spinel in pink, blue, and even gray hues, and the rosy glow of morganite. Even elite designers known for their traditional emerald, sapphire, and ruby jewelry are exploring the beauty of more exotic (and in some cases, more accessible) gemstones, including rare specimens of cat’s eye moonstone, indicalite tourmaline, and Paraiba tourmaline. Coral is also picking up in popularity, since the Pantone Color Institute named Living Coral the 2019 color of the year. Pantone describes it as “a warm hue with golden undertones, vibrant yet mellow, conveying comfort and buoyancy in an ever-shifting environment.”

Ashley Lauren Collection 14k White Gold 52.78 Carat tw Aqua Cabachon and 1.24 Carat tw Diamond Earrings, $7,350. 14k White Gold 25.03 Carat Watermelon Tourmaline Ring, Surrounded by .45 Carat tw Diamonds, $28,500.

18k White Gold 4.07 Paraiba Ring, Surrounded by 1.15 Carat tw Diamonds, $20,700.

14k White & Rose Gold Ring with .78 Carat Padparascha Sapphire, Surrounded by .46 Carat tw Diamonds, $3,780.

18k White Gold 2.72 Carat Pear Ruby Pendant, Surrounded by .28 Carat tw Diamonds, $13,990.

14k White Gold 3.40 Carat Green Tourmaline Pendant, Surrounded by .45 Carat tw Diamonds, $5,199.

Imagine a world without color — all black and white and no joie de vivre. Color adds life, drama, flair, and energy to our world, and it infuses jewelry with a special beauty. In a fashion world full of neutrals, little black dresses, and tone-ontone ensembles, gemstone jewelry is not just an accessory, it is the magic finishing touch.

Spark Creations 18k White Gold 5.90 Carat Tanzanite Necklace, Surrounded by .63 Carat tw Diamonds, $12,499.

14k Rose Gold 3.00 Carat Opal & .17 Carat tw Diamond Pendant, $1,499.

14k Rose Gold 7.17 Carat Opal Pendant, $1,349.

Platinum 6.29 carat Blue Sapphire, Surrounded by .99 Carat tw Half Moon & Round Diamonds, $30,799. 18k White Gold 4.29 Carat Oval Blue/Green Tourmaline, Surrounded by .89 Carat tw Diamonds, $12,500. 18k White Gold 2.31 Carat tw

Diamonds and 2.16 Carat tw Emerald

Necklace, $6,830.

Rahaminov Rainbow Sapphire Coil Bracelet,$38,000.

18k White

Gold 8.54

Carat

Emerald

Ring,

Surrounded by .67

Carat tw Diamonds, $39,600.

Client Spotlight: Melissa Hamming, showing her precious jewels from Albert’s!

Ashley Lauren Collection 19k White Gold 20.70 Carat Morganite Ring, Surrounded by 1.18 Carat tw Diamonds, $8,650.

Vanis Salon photo shoot featuring Ashley Lauren Collection earrings.

And of course, you can’t go wrong with the big three — ruby, emerald, and sapphire. The three most valuable gems will never go out of style, nor do they lose their value on the secondary market, to which any auction catalog will attest. Despite being traditional gems, the big three are being incorporated more and more into modern designs, including stacking rings and bracelets, luscious long line earrings, and brooches. Sapphires offer the most variety of colors and hues, and we are seeing them in pieces with gradient colors of blue, or in rainbow palettes of pink, yellow, blue, and orange.

The world of gemstones is fascinating. The sheer number of varieties, sub-varieties, colors, and hues is almost endless, and the nuances of quality, hardness, rarity, and other characteristics of gemstones add another dimension, as do the various mystical properties associated with each gem. All of that aside, the only thing you really need to know about colored gemstones is that the best gems are the ones you fall in love with. They offer a world of possibility in terms of personal expression and the art of adornment, and they make it possible for us to be truly creative in our choice of accessories. They have the power to turn a black-and-white world into a sunny spring day, full of color and possibility.