The 2023 styles to stock up on now, according to experts, along with one potent reminder of what modern jewelry buyers want.

Once a jewelry trend reveals itself, all of us in the industry know we can count on it to stick around for quite a few seasons. So with that in mind, fresh takes on tennis necklaces and other classic gold-and-diamond fashion jewels remain solidly in demand going into 2023.

So, too, are charms that allow for personalization, storytelling, and the marking of important milestones. Enamel will continue its run in 2023, while permanent jewelry remains a runaway retail success, especially if you’re catering to a younger clientele.

Beyond these well-established examples, however, lie two paradigm shifts most retailers are likely aware of by now—and if not, they should be: Lab-grown diamonds (LGD) and genderless jewels are now unequivocally mainstream.

The big prediction regarding the former is that the category is poised to make a major splash on the fine fashion jewelry scene. “2023 will be the year when more LGD fine fashion jewelry hits the stores, and retailers should embrace this opportunity as consumers have been asking to see it,” Marty Hurwitz, CEO of The MVEye, a market research and jewelry consulting firm, tells JCK.

Like lab-grown diamonds, gender-fluid jewelry (or jewelry that might still be marketed as “men’s jewelry”) has begun the transition from novel idea to evergreen category, making it not just a safe 2023 investment, but a wise one.

In fact, it’s a good idea to stop assigning gender to jewelry altogether, says Jennifer Gandia, co-owner of Greenwich St. Jewelers in New York City. “There’s so much more conversation around sexuality and gender,” she says. “And with there being so much more openness around that conversation, it is empowering people who maybe didn’t think of themselves as jewelry wearers to think about wearing a piece of jewelry.”

What other jewelry trends should you be paying attention to in 2023? JCK put that question to top industry pros and came up with a list of six not-to-miss trends and one key takeaway about what today’s consumers want from their jewelry.

Maximalist Moment

While there will always be a less-is-more contingent of buyers, experts report that 2023 will usher in a more pronounced trend toward bigger and bolder adornment. “Expect more maximalist and less minimalist, with thicker bangles and necklaces, bigger earrings, and medallions in both yellow gold and diamonds,” says Katie Reusch, director of marketing and communications at Canadian retailer Birks.

Randi Udell Alper, vice president at London Jewelers in New York City and Manhasset on Long Island, is on board with maximalism, too: “People are pulling all their goods out and sizing up, and they’re mixing and matching bigger pieces in their everyday look as well as dressier looks,” she says. “We’re definitely seeing people go big.”

Bold Gold

To stay on trend in 2023, keep the gold vibes going. (Bonus: The latest styles dovetail nicely with the maximalist moment.)

“I think yellow gold is here to stay—bezel-set and gypsy-set rings, cigar bands, big thick hoops, cuffs, and large medallions,” says jewelry stylist and Town & Country contributing editor Will Kahn (@willsnotebook).

It’s not that the paper-clip chain moment has passed entirely, but burlier and brawnier versions of the classic gold chain necklace are eclipsing it. Think tubogas collars, Cuban links, and ’70s-inspired wheat and foxtail chains that have more girth than your average pendant chain and are sturdy enough to hold quite a few of them.

The bolder proportions will likely spark a new demand for electroplated jewelry—a staple of Italian gold centers like Vicenza and Arezzo—which can offer a heftier look for less. Jennifer Curry, fine jewelry buyer at Florida-based Marissa Collections, says European designers such as IsabelleFa in Germany and Lauren Rubinski in France are trendsetters in this regard.

Curry also notes the direction of Zoë Chicco’s gold chain offering, which is scaling chunkier these days, with herringbones, rope chains, and curb links bumped up to 3 mm or higher. “She does some really great affordable chains,” Curry says. “There’s a vintage feel to them, almost like she got them out of her grandma’s jewelry box.”

Majors like Kay Jewelers and Zales are leaning into the yellow metal category because “we continue to see gold as a trend driver,” says Angela Kennedy, vice president of merchandising at Signet, parent company of both brands. Zales has begun a partnership with PDPaola, a Spanish brand specializing in 14k gold and demi-fine pieces made in 18k gold over silver or brass, with prices ranging from $65 to $1,800. And Kay recently introduced the gold line Italian Brilliance, with pieces priced from $239 to $2,999.

Silver Streak

While yellow gold remains strong, a few trend whisperers are hearing the call of a silver revival.

“I feel a resurgence of everything from Elsa Peretti to Southwestern-style pieces could happen—just an inkling,” Kahn says. “It is perfect timing, considering demand for larger statement pieces—and the lower price point of silver in comparison to gold—and there was a Western micro trend happening at Couture” in Las Vegas in June.

Martha Garza, a New York City-based luxury branding consultant and strategist, agrees: “I expect to see more and more silver take over on the runways and on the streets,” she says. “It feels like Gen Z is embracing this, especially as we move to bigger and chunkier styles.”

To JB Jones, cofounder of New York City Jewelry Week, silver seems more futuristic. “Young designers have been doing some really cool and interesting things with silver,” she says. Plus, its vibe and color “play so well into the NFT [non-fungible token] digital jewelry world.”

Mixed Metals

Mixing metal colors—darkened/oxidized gold and silver, mainly, with yellow gold accents—will be a new direction for 2023 as designers look for ways to offer the fashion-minded customer fresh takes that layer seamlessly into an existing collection of gold and/or silver baubles.

“It’s a trend about texture, a certain edginess,” says Gandia. She cites Erica Molinari’s two-tone charms and talismans as an example of the look.

Two-tone is yet another way for designers to offer a sizable statement piece for less than it would cost to render the jewel in solid gold. Other masters of the 2023 mix include Sylva & Cie, Rene Escobar, Todd Reed, and Lika Behar.

Playful Nostalgia

Call it a return to the 1980s, 1990s, or Y2K. Or just call it a comeback of the “sort of iconography that feels young, fun, and comforting,” Jones says. “I think we will be seeing more hearts, bows, teddy bears, and that nod to childhood.”

Rosena Sammi, designer and founder of The Jewelry Edit, an online brand specializing in independent, mostly female, and often BIPOC designers has likewise “noticed a trend away from traditional styles and a yearning for something more playful with personality.

“We saw an uptick in sales of colorful enamel pieces like lip rings by Raphaele Canot or personalized pendants by Agaro,” Sammi says.

At Eliza Page in Austin, Texas, founder Elizabeth Gibson says the “playful” style is bearing out in “big hoops, cuffs and bangles, beaded jewelry, baroque pearls, and nameplate necklaces, bracelets, and rings.”

Speaking of nameplates, “I see it as a ’90s trend,” says Garza, the luxury branding consultant. “Think Carrie Bradshaw’s Carrie necklace. I’m also seeing the nameplates with statements instead of names, especially among Gen Z, a generation that stands for a lot and has a lot to say.”

Pinks+

The industry was “thinking pink” long before everyone started talking about Pantone’s 2023 color of the year, Viva Magenta.

“If fashion gave us anything this year it was Valentino Pink, and that shade is coming to jewelry next,” Jones says. “I see pink stones, pink enamel, pink bows…basically ‘pretty in pink’ vibes everywhere.”

Gandia has a similarly rosy outlook: “I think pinks and magenta are good color choices for the industry,” she says. “A good barometer [for color trends] is the designer Jamie Joseph. The shades of Indian ruby and bubble-gummy pink tourmaline are selling well within her line.”

In addition to pinks that pop, industry pros report an interest in prasiolite and green amethyst (influenced by Jennifer Lopez’s green diamond engagement ring) that will continue into 2023. “They are very neutral greens, very soft and watery feeling,” says Fort Worth, Texas, retailer Jo Latham. “And blue topaz is having a bit of a resurgence. You can get that big colored-stone fix—that elevated cocktail ring look—but you’re not breaking the bank.”

On the supplier side, Dave Bindra, vice president of B&B Fine Gems (@gemfluencer) says all shades of spinel will maintain their popularity, including pink and red. “I also think blue-green and teal sapphires will also continue to have strong demand into next year.” And stick a pin in orange and purple garnets, two emerging favorites that are poised to have some staying power, he says.

Redesigns and Reimaginings…
One final idea to keep in mind as you determine your inventory plan for the new year: More and more independent designers have been catering to clients who wish to upcycle their existing jewelry into a modern design or use an heirloom stone in a custom engagement or anniversary ring. Now, smart retailers are offering similar services.

Not every jeweler is equipped—or even keen—to honor such custom-design requests due to bandwidth. Others, however, are embracing the creative possibilities these kinds of projects afford. Alper says redos are becoming a leading pillar of the Long Island location of London Jewelers, and there’s more in the queue for 2023. “We have a full-time designer in house and that’s all she does—taking some of the older pieces that clients bring in and revamping them to be something unique,” she says. “People want something different that nobody else has.”

Latham reports a similar uptick in bespoke design projects at her store and relies on her stable of designers, from Jade Trau to Sorellina, to execute them. “People have been looking at their jewelry collections and asking, ‘What can be reinvented?’ or ‘How can I enjoy this piece in a new way?’” she says.

“And what I’ve loved about our resetting or reinvention projects is that our designers are really embracing them,” Latham adds. “When they take on these projects, they welcome the challenge of putting their perspective and personality into the design.”

Top: Charm Chain necklace with vintage Swarovski rhinestones, darkened sterling silver, metal leaf, and resin; $1,800; Yours by Claire Webb