ON THE COVER
Hammered yellow and white gold
ring and bracelet with white
diamonds by Vendorafa.
See Vendorafa’s Cover Feature HIGHLIGHT
TOP TEN TRENDS FOR 2012
Another year has gone by, and from observing designer jewellery from the Americas to Europe to Hong Kong to India and beyond, we again bring you the most prevalent trends for 2012. Since jewellery and fashion are linked, and since colour is the major trend in both jewellery and fashion, we also feature Pantone’s top ten colour directions for Spring/ Summer 2012, along with comments on these particular hues.
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The runways for S/S 2011 fashion were again awash in colour, with bold and sometimes contrasting tones. Colour blocking—although not new since it’s been around for awhile—is quite hot this season, with combinations of two or more areas of colour in one ensemble. And, as in fashion where blocks of solid colour are placed next to each other, colour blocking is also quite popular in jewellery. For examples, see our pages on the Top Ten Trends and on Multi-Coloured jewellery in this issue.
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An example of colour-blocking in fashion is seen in this outfit by Adrienne Vittadini, using the Pantone S/S 2012 colours of Tangerine and Bellflower, courtesy of the Pantone Fashion Color Report S/S 2012. |
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The major directions for jewellery design for 2012 are mostly a continuation and evolution of past trends. The most important is the use of Colour, in all tones and hues, represented generally by a multitude of gemstones, followed by Nature-inspired themes, with flowers and butterflies leading the trend, but also including frogs and fish, snakes and scorpions, and various jungle motifs. The last few years have seen an increase in Openwork pieces, and with the high prices of metals, this is still a major design direction. Hoops in all sizes, shapes, and materials continue to be a fashion must-have, in plain metal or studded with gems, as are Cuffs in varying widths, materials, and shapes. Just as openwork in gold and platinum is a reflection of high metals prices, so is the growing use of Alternative materials, among them ceramic, enamel, brass, silver, titanium, bronze, wood, and steel in stylish designs. In a return to a more natural look, Rough and sliced gems and diamonds, drusies, or other more “earthy” materials are among the top trends, while for a certain group of consumers, Edgy or even other-worldly creations remain a favourite mode of adornment. Although they have been around for awhile, Tassels have joined the top ten this year given the large choices in styles and materials. The Personal touch rounds out the list, with beads, letters, lockets, and other pieces symbolizing personal lifestyles and tastes.
In other articles in this issue, we travel to Brazil for a tour of mines, to bring you a glimpse into the world of amethyst and citrine, two of the most popular gemstones in the new “affordable luxury.” In an upcoming issue, we venture into the nation’s deposits of emeralds and tourmaline. We recently also attended an international conference in Jaipur, India where various aspects of the gem and jewellery trade were detailed, discussed, and debated. Ethical mining, sustainability, and fair trade were among the important issues on the agenda. Our usual designer profiles and reports on trends at the world’s trade fairs over the last few months round out this issue.
The entire team at CIJ Trends & Colours wishes you a wonderful and prosperous New Year.
Cynthia Unninayar
