Another year of beautiful jewelry has come and gone, leaving in its wake new lines of memorable styles to covet.
The headliners this year, as evidenced below, share some major things in common. Many are in yellow gold—bold and substantial in its use—and nearly all glitter with diamonds, some with colored gemstones too.
If one had to name a theme for 2022, it would be celestial: Designers released a galaxy’s worth of styles inspired by the moon and stars, an enduring trope that draws consumers year after year. But in a post-pandemic world, the sky above inspired creators more than ever, symbolizing a unity of people the world over, even when they were kept apart—after all, we are all under one moon, and one sun.
Below, my favorite collections featured here on On Your Market this year.
“In the fall of 2021 we launched Chain Complex—we did so because of our customers,” says the brand’s founder and designer Gina Feldman Love. “Many of our customers called and wrote us expressing a desire to purchase our cable link chains without pendants as well as chunkier chains that could be worn as statement pieces by themselves or with other chains they owned. Chain Complex is our answer to our customers’ requests.”
“I feel like I’ve been unknowingly honing in on my aesthetic since I was a kid,” says Akaila Johnson. “I grew up dancing competitively and always wanted to have a say in what my costumes looked like. I was the girl who spent hours adding rhinestones to everything I could get my hands on. I’ve just always had this very feminine, fanciful style that is present in all aspects of my life.”
Laura Gallon’s rebranding is inspired by the work of her great-grandparents, and her new collection pays tribute to her great-grandmother, Alice. “The Alice collection is, in essence, a love story,” Gallon said in a statement on the new line.
“When I selected symbols for the Pharos collection, I chose those that have a universal quality to them and also are rooted in history. I think that especially during challenging times, it can be helpful to reflect on what is important to us,” says Pamela Zamore. “What will help us to meet our intentions in this moment in our lives? What do we value most? Each of the Pharos symbols serves as a beacon or light that reflects what really matters to us now and in the days before us, but they also help us to reflect upon the path we have already traveled.”
“I always knew I was going to have a Poppy collection, so I’ve been looking and thinking about these flowers for a long time,” says Jade Trau. “I just love the entire flower. The stems are amazing—how some are super straight and some weave around or droop over like a candy cane even while they are buds. I love the buds of the poppy as well, they have this thick green protective layer. And then the vibrant flowers themselves, of course—the crinkled paperlike petals look like something only Mother Earth could come up with. I think the asymmetry and irregularity of the flower is what inspired me to work on this collection that has four cluster silhouettes, all mosaicked together to create this floral-inspired collection that really still feels intrinsically Jade Trau.”
Christina Alexiou’s Space Oddity
“I’ve had a long-standing fascination with the cultural impact of mankind’s first trip to the moon,” said Christina Alexiou in a statement about the collection. “David Bowie’s iconic album Space Oddity, released the day before the Apollo mission, has accompanied me in many different moments in my life; its sense of mystery and wonder deeply resonated with me as I was designing this collection. Listening to Bowie, I found myself reminiscing about the playfulness and glamour of the late ’70s and ’80s. The planets in this collection are my own rendition of disco balls, a symbol of optimism, beauty, and unity. I wanted to create jewelry that gave a feeling of hope, much like the moon landing did. The marvel of space is incredible, it’s something much greater than us, and that is a sentiment I really tried to focus on.”
“I’ve always been inspired by the night sky, the moon, the stars,” says Julie Bowen. “The moon is a symbol of change and yet consistency. Our lives are always changing like the moon, but to see it, even as a sliver, and to know it is always there, is comforting. For me, the stars symbolize wishes and achieving dreams. So to create pieces and a collection based around this makes sense as they resonate with so many people.”
“I specialize in natural colored diamonds and have noticed a vast increase in the last few months with clients opting for more unusual shades,” says Ellis Mahairi Cameron. “From the more autumnal baguettes I use to the cleaner, brighter icy whites and soft greens, my clients engage with unique shades. The one-of-a-kind nature of many of my diamonds is allowing all my stockists to have unique offerings, which means we effectively sold out of most of the one-of-kind pieces by the end of the trip [in the U.S.]. Seeing clients fall in love with the details and craftsmanship is special to me.”
Susan Gordon’s Spinning Globes
“I always loved spheres and thought it would be cool to make a globe that you could wear long and be able to spin around,” says Susan Gordon. “I formed the globes on a rubber ball, then cut into two halves for casting.”
Beyond the Light is stacked with masterpiece on masterpiece, but the collection’s headliner is the Akh-Ba-Ka (shown at top), featuring 14 exceptional diamonds playing support to a 33 carat diamond, all cut from the same 110 carat rough. With the family of 15 diamonds pieced together like a puzzle, to say it’s spectacular would be an understatement. In total, the necklace glistens with 2,550 diamonds—71.49 carats in total, and the pendant containing the 33 carat stone can be detached and worn as a brooch.
Future Fortune’s Holiday Collection
“Future Fortune Jewelry is celebrating two years in business this month, and we’re thrilled with how much the company has grown,” says Jessica Olds. “In the past year we have expanded exceptionally well and are excited to keep growing. I think buyers are wanting to treat themselves and their loved ones with some beautiful investment pieces that will hold their beauty over time.”
Top: Akh-Ba-Ka necklace with 71.49 cts. t.w. diamonds, price on request; Messika
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