5 trends to watch

By Carrie Soucy, Senior Editor -- JCK Online, 3/1/2005 2:00:00 AM

From Italy, halfway around the world to Arizona, jewelry designers and manufacturers are thinking globally on at least one trend: color. For those worried about finding something "new" to sate the ever-increasing hunger for unique product, however, there is a new take on color this year, this time in the form of opaque—ranging from the rich depth of coral or onyx to the hazy luster of pink quartz or milky aquamarine.

Among colors in general, green reigns for the year—taking over from the pinks and purples of 2004 (which are still widely available, to meet demand from the tail end of this trend). From peridot and tourmaline to jade and turquoise, it seems every shade of green is enjoying popularity right now. The trend toward greens follows spring runways, where designers like Michael Kors paid homage to sea-inspired tones, and Ralph Lauren stoked demand for turquoise by piling his runway models in it.

Mixes of color, meanwhile, also sold well during the early 2005 shows. John Buechner, Chicago, and Barry Kronen, Sunrise, Fla., for example, both did well with rainbow sapphire pieces during the Centurion show in Tucson.

While the circle turned fashion right 'round last season, and continues to enthrall the general consumer, fashion- forward thinkers are tweaking it slightly for a fresh take on the disk shape: this time, stretching it into oval, tear, or bullet shapes in stones, links, or general motifs. These elongated shapes segue easily into another popular trend in 2005—the linear earring and necklace shape. As chandeliers fade even further into the past, this streamlined shape breathes new life into women's love for the sensual appeal of a drop earring.