Britt’s Pick: Parade’s Pretty-in-Pink Ring

The vintage-style stunner proves the power of pink

I can’t be the only one still enamored with Pantone’s 2016 Color of the Year selections, right? Before Rose Quartz was anything official, the pretty pink shade was nearly everywhere, and in doing so, gave me a new appreciation for the hue too often reserved for baby showers and the likes of Barbie. It was given new life, proving that soft shades of pink weren’t destined only for bubble gum and Pepto-Bismol, but were rather quite chic and, when done right, sweetly sophisticated. No one knew that better than jewelers (always a step ahead, ya’ll are), already clued in to the power of gemstones such as pink sapphire, morganite, rose quartz, and pink diamonds. And it’s because of those stones that we know a color trend isn’t just a trend; it’s a celebration, a reason to shine a brighter spotlight on stones that (in my opinion) aren’t celebrated nearly enough. When I worked in retail, it was rare that we saw a ton of movement on pink gemstone jewelry. Why? Well, for one, it was before pink was deemed cool by the fashion industry. But it also could have been that the designs just weren’t compelling or bold enough. I think that’s changed. Chalk it up to the runways, to Pantone, or simply to the fact that my world has gotten a whole lot bigger when it comes to jewelry, but I just can’t imagine shoppers passing on pieces like this one. Parade‘s vintage-inspired piece bursts (literally, in its design), with a combination of rose-cut diamonds and pink sapphires, lending an icy look that contrasts with warm rose gold. It’s not all about pink, sure, but what a tremendous example to highlight how wonderfully timeless and eye-catching the use of these stones can be, particularly when done as creatively as Parade has. More, please.