2014. How would you define it? It was the Year of the Horse, Radiant Orchid, the World Cup (yay, Germany!), the Winter Olympics, the Ice Bucket Challenge, and conscious uncoupling (yup, I’ve considered this an event). It wasn’t an easy year for our nation, for our world, and we lost too many beloved celebrities, both here in the industry and in Tinseltown. But it was a year filled with good things, too, and I hope yours was filled with love and beautiful memories.
As 2014 comes to an end, we look back at what happened here on JCK Marketplace. I saw more gorgeous product this year than any other, and I’m so proud to be working with the companies that showcase their products here. Really, it just keeps getting better. So the big list: 40 of the most popular jewels on JCK Marketplace in 2014, based on number of pageviews and your interest in the pieces both on the site and social media. There was one catch: To make the cut, the jewel must have been added to JCK Marketplace in 2014. This list would look a bit different had it ranked the top pieces of all time. We have jewels that have been crowd favorites since Marketplace’s inception, and we love them! So without further ado, your Top 40 jewels in 2014.
For more information on each jewel, simply click on its image.
Omi Privé continued its hot streak for 2014 with release after release of stunning gemstone jewels, including this mesmerizing black opal ring, featuring both a tsavorite and diamond halo. You may have also spotted it on my list of opal jewels for October.
Another opal jewel right off the bat! Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Though opal was all the rage in 2013, demand for the luminescent stone didn’t wane much this year. One of these rings from Bassali Jewelry was served up on a Friday Happy Hour post back in July. The pair was featured in this year’s sneak peek of JCK Las Vegas and positively glowed as a part of this summertime roundup.
I was introduced to Tamir‘s beautiful creations this year, and the love affair will continue well beyond. This mint tourmaline ring tempts with its candy-like color and glittering diamond setting. I’m drawn to the 5.55 ct. green center stone, as many other were. You may have spotted it on my tourmaline-centric edition of this Friday 5 from October.
Christopher Designs‘ megawatt engagement ring boasts a crisscut emerald diamond center that clocks in at just over 3 cts. and a platinum design not unlike the custom sparkler worn by Angelina Jolie.
A frame of diamonds grows thicker along the bottom edges of this pair from Judith Ripka, causing the organic, opaque emerald slices that are featured to positively gleam. And with a moniker like Town & Country, you know they’ll be good.
This is a beautiful example of dressing proper pearls with a twist. A single Tahitian pearl serves as the button on this cuff from Vincent Peach, in edgy brown crocodile skin.
A&P Afarin shared this ring with me as a part of our 2014 JCK Las Vegas preview, and I was immediately struck by its loopy design. With just under 2 cts. of diamonds, it’s a glittery statement that also speaks to your fun side.
Tucked into the exclusive Elite Enclave found at LUXURY and JCK Las Vegas, Italian Design Jewellery dazzled with highly detailed, elaborate pieces like this. Being a sucker for fairy tales and all things magical, I was absolutely stunned by this ring, which opens to reveal a sleeping Snow White. With its ruby, sapphire, tsavorite, and diamond decorations, it’s truly a masterpiece.
The alluring blue of Sutra‘s remarkable Paraiba pair jumped from the page of the 2014 JCK Las Vegas preview, a small hint of what was to come from the luxury jewelry brand. The composition of the pear-shape stones, set in a spiky border surround the center teardrops, provides both texture and a geometric style. In a word, these earrings are addicting.
I was introduced to EJ Diamonds, which exhibited at LUXURY 2014, with my preview of JCK Las Vegas, and they had a fan in me with a single sparkling image. This ring is worthy of royals: a 6.84 ct., radiant-cut, fancy yellow diamond in platinum, surrounded in—guess what?—more sparkling diamonds. The stunner also popped up in a special LUXURY edition of Trend Report.
2014 was a big year for the gem of the sea, seeing it reimagined in new, edgy ways that proved pearls weren’t only for polished prepsters. This sensational look from Oriental Gemco is no exception: Just under 100 cts. of pearls combine in the tassel-plus-lariat concoction. I learned of it in my first-ever preview of JCK Tucson and suggested it as a piece to pair with 2014’s Radiant Orchid. But really, what wouldn’t you wear this with?
Weighing more than 7.5 cts., the ruby featured in Jack Abraham‘s luxury ring deserved only the most exquisite setting. Good thing, then, that the platinum ring featured more than 4 cts. of round and marquise-cut diamond accents. I suggested this piece as an exquisite gift for July babies, and it popped up in my 2014 JCK Las Vegas preview, as well as the special LUXURY edition of Trend Report.
Jordan Scott‘s amazing, one-of-a-kind pair of earrings once again proved the power of Paraiba in 2014, with a natural twist. I met the stunners as a part of my JCK Tucson 2014 preview and continue to be surprised by their beauty. I love the ornate diamond flourishes that seem to wisp across the starring stones, like snowflakes blowing in the wind.
The ultimate tastemaker’s piece, FENDI‘s My Way watch was already a firecracker in its booming shade of red, but add that removable fox fur plume, and you can’t take your eyes off of it. I featured its dramatic counterpart in the special Britt’s Pick holiday edition of Trend Report.
Sutra dazzles with another Paraiba creation! This time featuring oval-shape stones arranged in a bursting layout of color for this diamond-dazzled cocktail ring. I dubbed it an essential for your retail showcase this year, and 15 cts. says you can’t argue with that!
“The cushion-cut tourmaline—all 28.5 cts. of it—shows off its juicy hue in a diamond frame, detailed with Art Deco–style accents. Old mixes with new as the hefty pendant hangs from a by-the-yard style chain, dangling bezel-set, round diamond charms. Imagine this piece against a cozy black sweater, readying the Thanksgiving table or sipping a hot toddy with guests.” I had that to say and more about November’s Jewel of the Month from Picchiotti, which also took the lead image of the special Britt’s Pick holiday edition of Trend Report.
Effy‘s Gemma collection earrings are a trifecta of timeless, trendy, and vintage. The two-tone metal and geometric edges provide the updated aesthetic, while diamond-accented filigree and alluring emeralds take care of the rest. This is a pair for the ages—all of them.
Denise James‘ textured cuff is aptly named, with fancy sapphires that radiate with color as the Northern Lights are said to. It’s the mega-gift for those who claim sapphire as their birthstone, as featured in this colorful September blog post.
Year of the Snake or not (and 2014 was not), the slithering silhouette is always in demand when it comes to jewelry. Amden Jewelry‘s design was a special interpretation of the serpent, with a winding tail of diamonds and pear-shape fancy pink diamond at the head, sweetly swathed in a rose gold bezel. The ring kicked off my 2014 JCK Las Vegas preview, as well as the LUXURY edition of Trend Report.
Effy introduced its bridal line this year, and this sapphire-accented, halo beauty was a favorite of mine, too. The jewelry brand brought the bling to the first JCK Tucson show and appeared in the related Trend Report featuring looks from the show floor.
This fancy yellow diamond jewel from Shy Creation certainly has the wow factor, but what makes it really cool is the fact that it’s convertible from an eye-popping cocktail ring to a pendant. The retail runs well over $100,000, but for two pieces in one, it’s kind of a deal, am I right?
Both rose gold and the softest shades of pink held their own in 2014, and this commanding bracelet from M.K. Diamonds & Jewelry showed off both. A little less than 12 cts. t.w. of diamonds is rocked in this piece, with a lacy, linked aesthetic that was (so thankfully) shared with me for my 2014 preview of JCK Tucson.
Victoria Tse brought her knockout designs to Elite Enclave at the 2014 LUXURY show in Las Vegas, and this was one of the most thrilling pieces. The 50 ct. sphene and yellow sapphire stunner was a part of the 2014 JCK Las Vegas preview, celebrated for its very fall-worthy hues, and then featured again as an essential cocktail ring. What can I say? I really like it!
More Paraiba! Omi Privé lends its touch like no other, mixing in Paraiba and diamond accents to surround the cabochon center stone that warmly glows in a yellow gold setting—I love that they chose yellow gold. The ring was part of the proof that the luxury designer brand just keeps getting better and did well to exemplify the strength of blue in 2014.
Feeling blue? You bet! And Bayco gave us a major reason—in 12.52 cts.—to love the deep, alluring shade in 2014. Rest assured, the platinum teardrop earrings haven’t seen an end of being coveted. As a matter of fact, there’s no end in sight.
Like last year, 2014 was a big year for those wanting to pile it all on. Stacking jewelry was a big hit for minimalists, too, in delicate silhouettes that were encouraged to be grouped together. Ti Sento Milano‘s resin bangles are somewhere in between. This mix of chunky and thin bangle bracelets presented in neutral shades promise to be crowd-pleasers. I love this arrangement for spring and summer, and visitors to Marketplace did, too.
If I had to choose a single gemstone to define 2014, I’d wholeheartedly say tourmaline. I was constantly being sent images of tourmaline jewels, each one as dazzling as the last, stunning and surprising. This trio from V Tse showcases three tourmaline stones in gorgeous cocktail ring settings, each with its own personality and detail. It’s like a (super pricy) pack of candy, one that thankfully lasts much, much longer than any sugary confection.
Carelle‘s Bespoke ring was just the dose of emerald we were all looking for this past autumn. In fact, visitors to JCK Marketplace loved it so much, it was our September Jewel of the Month. I adore the setting: glittering in diamonds and timeless in its silhouette. And that emerald, weighing just over 8.5 cts.? Total scene-stealer.
Rina Limor‘s carved wonder was featured as May’s Jewel of the Month. The floral design carved into its featured blue topaz still brings to mind thoughts of a tropical vacation—and that’s totally what we need right now, particularly with the winter weather.
S&R Designs has a big hit with its Four Keeps collection, bursting with whimsical gemstone and diamond-dotted charms to be paired with its lockets available in a variety of styles. This round version was featured on the 2014 JCK Las Vegas sneak peek.
A limited edition of 499 pieces, Marco Moore‘s Passion ring features a bright color combination, thanks to the contrasting pop of ruby sides and the satiny setting of rose gold. Delicious, isn’t it?
Those wanting just a kiss of pink—rather than going full-on rose—in their engagement ring, were in luck with this Jack Kelége piece, a resounding hit this year.
“Sutra’s cocktail ring is like a dream come true, with its electric blue looks and captivating pattern. Fourteen cts. of Paraiba tourmaline shine from this piece, in three distinct forms. Adding a geometric, almost tribal, look to the ring is a headdress of Paraiba in various cuts, alternating around the edges of the design.” Read the rest on Britt’s Pick. The oceanic beauty was also featured in a special LUXURY preview edition of Trend Report.
The Baroness ring from Yael Designs took top honors at the 2014 Jewelers’ Choice Awards, and it’s not hard to see why. It was a Jewel of the Month on JCK Marketplace in April, and positively radiated on the March 2014 cover of JCK magazine. I also featured it back in February, in a post pairing jewels with hues from Pantone’s 2014 Fall Color Report. Yeah, this one got a lot of (much-deserved) love.
This was a big year for Omi Privé‘s padparadscha beauty, featured in our interactive sapphire quiz, in the flesh, so to speak, from JCK Las Vegas (with a horde of other Omi Privé baubles), and in this edition of Friday 5. It made Jewel of the Month back in July, and held its own against other cocktail rings I (still) think every retailer should stock.
Rose gold is still really big in bridal, and this engagement ring from Venetti is one of the most exquisite examples of how timeless it can be. The setting for the center stone is in white metal so nothing is detracted from the diamonds, which glitter and gleam, tempting brides-to-be everywhere. You spotted it in two show previews this year: for JCK Tucson, and JCK Las Vegas.
Featured as one of the most popular jewels of July, Omi Privé‘s chrysoberyl and Paraiba ring provided the splash of color we needed to amp up our summer. The handcrafted, satin-finish gold setting was hot, hot, hot, and the cool-tone gemstones contrasted just perfectly.
Yael Designs‘ Infinity Pool ring is a custom-designed stunner that boasts a 50.63 ct. aquamarine center stone, seemingly flowing over, hence the swimming pool moniker. But Yael never lets anything go undetailed, so the setting pops with bezel-set round sapphires, while diamonds play around the “pool’s” edge.
Between the really beautiful locket silhouettes and the cuter-than-cute assortment of diamond and gemstones charms to pair, it’s no wonder S&R Designs has such a hit with its Four Keeps collection. An evil eye, infinity symbol, hearts, fleur-de-lis, and more? Sold, sold, and sold.
Elaborate designs, rose gold, and fancy color diamonds are sensational options for engagement rings, but sometimes, the classics win out. H.J. Namdar proves that with the popularity of its Signature collection. Though these aren’t your simple solitaires by any means. The engagement ring pictured top features a clustered illusion setting, making it really appropriate as a fashion ring, too. Versatile, timeless, and with more than a little sparkle, I can see why you loved it, from when we featured it in our preview of the 2014 JCK Tucson show.
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