Fall fashion, shoes, bags, and, most important, jewels inspired by the top 10 seasonal hues
In jewels, a strict absence of color will always signal the quintessence of dazzling diamonds. But color—striking and saturated—is everywhere in jewelry these days. Designers and consumers, including engagement ring shoppers, are gravitating toward uniquely hued gemstones, and styles that boast colorful components crafted from materials such as leather and enamel.
Of course, not all the shades of the color spectrum are au courant. The day’s hottest hues bubble up from the zeitgeist—that amorphous mash-up of cultural and societal influences that points to what’s trending and emerging in music, fashion, food, design, and more.
Thankfully, color authority Pantone—the standard-bearer of hues for the graphic design and printing industries—removes some of the guesswork when it comes to distilling the season’s coolest colors. Twice a year, the company publishes a Fashion Color Report—a lineup of 10 high-style shades selected by a panel of influencers that includes retail luminaries, color experts, magazine editors, and costume designers.
Pantone’s picks for fall 2016 feel of-the-moment, of course. But retailers will also find that most translate easily into gemstones and jewelry styles.
We’ve put together 10 mini mood boards chock-full of gorgeous jewelry, yes, but also fashion and -accessories freshly plucked from fall’s runway shows. Each represents one of Pantone’s gorgeous colors for the coming season. Here’s hoping they inspire and empower your buying in 2016.
Riverside
Strong and steadfast, this new neutral is less predictable than navy, but boasts a similarly quiet power.
Alexander McQueen acrylic-heeled pump
Ring with blue drusy, London blue topaz, and white topaz in sterling silver; $890; Stephen Dweck, NYC; 212-764-3030; stephendweck.com
Bracelet in 18k black gold with 35 cts. t.w. Australian opal doublets, 37 cts. t.w. sapphires, and 3 cts. t.w. diamonds; $35,000; Sutra, Houston; 713-984-4987; sutrajewels.com
Aurora Red
Bold and even a touch brassy, this confident crimson complements nearly every skin tone—and puts a warm spin on the classic fire-engine red.
Soho textured-leather shoulder bag by Gucci
18k yellow gold earrings with carnelian and glass-filled ruby; $1,850; Bahina Jewels, Geneva; 41-31-368-0775; contact@bahina.com; bahina.com
Coral bead, lemon quartz, citrine, and red shell bracelet with 14k gold–plated clasp; $625; Bounkit, NYC; 212-244-1877; bounkit.com
Sharkskin
Technically it’s not a metallic, but this cool medium gray possesses a brightness that packs a silvery punch.
Voyager bag in gray textured leather by Eddie Harrop
Earrings in 18k gold with gray diamond slices and brilliant-cut diamonds; $9,000; Nigaam, NYC; 212-391-5801; sales@nigaam.com; nigaam.com
Tahitian pearl necklace in 18k white gold with diamonds; $79,695; Sidney Garber, Chicago; 312-944-5225; sidneygarber.com
Airy Blue
There’s nothing babyish about this sophisticated blue, which evokes clear skies and a feeling of weightlessness.
Linda Farrow gold-plated titanium frames
Paisley Flower slider with 0.1 ct. diamond in 18k gold on leather; $1,540; Tamara Comolli, Gmund, Germany; finejewelry@tamaracomolli.com; tamaracomolli.com
Courtney Lauren earrings in 14k gold with 0.2 ct. t.w. diamonds, 10.5 cts. t.w. blue sapphires, and 6.81 cts. t.w. blue moonstones; $3,025; Dana Rebecca, Chicago; 312-701-1773; danarebeccadesigns.com
Warm Taupe
Cooler than khaki and more complex than taupe, this unique hue feels luxuriously low-key.
Clarita Raffia shoe by Alexandre Birman
Diamond Starburst earrings in 14k gold with diamonds; $1,495; EF Collection, Los Angeles; 818-205-3973; efcollection.com
Legends Cobra gray moonstone bead bracelet with black onyx and sterling silver; $1,900; John Hardy, NYC; 888-838-3022; johnhardy.com
Dusty Cedar
This deep, muted rose transforms pink into a rich autumnal hue—one that looks as chic against sterling silver as yellow or rose gold.
Ines Monella Vacanze Italiane sunglasses by RetroSuperFuture
18k rose gold bracelet with pink chalcedony and diamonds; $4,570; Pasquale Bruni at the Anima Group, NYC; 800-868-5532; pasqualebruni.com
Two-in-one earrings in 18k gold with 12.8 cts. t.w. ametrine, 17 cts. t.w. cacoxenite, and 1.5 cts. t.w. diamonds; $4,900; Graziela Gems, Highland Park, Ill.; 773-619-3999; grazielagems.com
Lush Meadow
It’s rare when a dark, saturated shade also feels bright and cheery—but this updated emerald pulls off the juxtaposition with panache.
Mansur Gavriel calf leather Circle bag
Rose-cut emerald and faceted prasiolite earrings with diamonds in recycled 18k white gold; $2,600; Arya Esha, Jacksonville, Fla.; 305-812-4986; aryaesha.com
Divine ring with 4.5 cts. t.w. green tourmaline and 0.01 ct. t.w. diamonds in 14k yellow gold; $870; Lulu Designs, Sausalito, Calif.; 415-729-9570; www.luludesignsjewelry.com
Potter’s Clay
Russet orange underscores this updated brown, which recalls the earthen pottery of ancient Greece and the rusty reds of the California desert.
Casa calfskin leather tote bag by Robert Clergerie
20k gold hand-carved jasper Happy Buddha pendant with 20+ cts. t.w. brown and white diamonds; $36,000 (without chain); Buddha Mama, Miami; 305-213-2107; buddhamama.com
Prehistoric earrings in gold-plated brass with black, Brazilian, and blue lace agate; $275; Lizzie Fortunato, NYC; 212-777-1008; lizziefortunato.com
Spicy Mustard
This is sunshine yellow with a kick of cayenne pepper—a hot-tamale hue sizzling with attitude.
Gucci metallic leather Mary Jane heels
Lyra earrings in 18k yellow gold with 21.66 cts. t.w. jade, 1.38 cts. t.w. fire opal, and 0.88 ct. t.w. diamonds; $10,207; Yael Designs, San Francisco; 415-989-9235; yaeldesigns.com
Cocktail ring in 18k yellow gold with 8.4 ct. orange jade, 3.07 cts. t.w. diamonds, and 0.41 ct. t.w. quartz; $16,000; Andreoli, NYC; 212-582-2050; andreoliusa.com
Bodacious
This purple-pink is deeper than lilac and more subdued than fuchsia—and pops like crazy against yellow gold.
Lulu Guinness box clutch
Pink Garden ring with pink spinel, rhodolite, garnet, white diamonds, and pink sapphires; price on request; Margot McKinney, Queensland, Australia; margot@margotmckinney.com; margotmckinney.com
Dendrobium orchid hair clip; $42; Hanami, Brooklyn, N.Y.; hanamidesigns@gmail.com; hanamiusa.com