It’s here. Well, it’s almost here. Fall, that is. This year, the colors for fashion and jewelry are a blend of “sensible and spirited.” Here’s more:

The season will contrast brighter-than-usual warm colors against versatile neutrals.

Here are the 10 Pantone colors for Fall 2011:

Fashion Color Trends Fall 2011 – from Pantone

Top row, left to right: Phlox (a deep purple), Orchid Hush (gray with orchid undertones), Deep Teal (a watery blueish green), Quarry (a cool medium gray), and Cedar (a midtone neutral green).

Bottom row, left to right: Nougat (a warm tan), Emberglow (bright warm orange), Bamboo (warm yellow with greenish undertone), Coffee Liqueur (rich creamy brown), and Honeysuckle (Pantone’s “color of the year” for 2011).

If you’re designing jewelry, here are two great ways to use this seasonal color information:

1) You may want to use the Fall fashion colors for 2011 in your jewelry designs.

2) Or you may prefer to use colors that will contrast / coordinate with this palette – since many of our customers’ new outfits will likely have these Pantone colors in them.

Source: Jewelry Business Blog

While our pieces at Joseph Schubach Jewelers tend to fall in the “classic” category, we have a lot of fun checking out the more risque choices out there. Yes, sometimes they are a bit…much. But every once in a while, these strange jewelry choices can inspire you to create your own custom design piece, a genuine statement piece, made from your individual and wonderful strangeness!

Source: Style Frizz

I know, I know…it seems way too early considering its 100 degrees in Scottsdale, Arizona today. But the nice part? Some of these pieces work perfectly well with a summer outfit. Looks like the statement necklace endures another season!

Source: Refinery29

Video of our style 10199

I stumbled across a blog piece last week in Jewelry Insider that notes a trend I’ve noticed as well: the “less is more” look. Perhaps its the economy or the warmer temperatures or the need for celebrities to not appear overly flashy or indulgent, but touches of jewelry seem to the way to go.

 

Take Julia Roberts at her Larry Towne premiere in LA this week. Nevermind the on-trend menswear look (which I find ‘safe’ and ‘snore-worthy’) – but take a gander at the jewelry choice. Simple diamond studs and a jade wrap necklace. Easy. Breezy. Beautiful.

Or how about Jenna Elfman at the same event? Just a splash of a  yellow gold drop earring and she’s good to go.

And Katie Holmes sported similar ‘tiny treasure’ style at the LA Film Festival in small pearl earrings and a delicate yellow gold ‘S’ pendant (for daughter Suri, I suppose). Sweet.

So while we’ve all been starved for a lower jaw-drop moment since the Cannes Film Festival over a MONTH ago – I have to admit: I’m OK with diamonds on the down-low every once in a while.

Just DON’T make it a habit, Hollywood.

Source: Jewelry Insider

 

Cynthia Swyla of JCK posted a wonderful blog entry today about the circle trend in jewelry this season, packed with amazing photos and suggestions. What’s the circle trend? From hoop earrings to collar necklaces, circles will be seen a’plenty this summer.

Round, Like a Circle in a Spiral . . .

By Cynthia Sliwa

Posted on May 2, 2011 in Jewels on Jewels

You don’t need to go round and round on this. . . circles are a popular design motif this season. Circles are inherently present in a number of trends which I have previously highlighted. Rigid collar necklaces are often circular, as are the vast majority of the bangle bracelets that are currently so popular. Many a pendant is a round flat disk in shape. And when large hoop earrings dangle rather than intersect the wearer’s ears, creating a variation on a doorknocker design, they present a prominent circular design motif. Sometimes dots intermix with dashes. Sometimes circles are concentric; sometimes they appear in multiples of the same or varying sizes.Circles are also showing up. . . .

 

 

As the shape of eyewear lenses (photo from the May 2011 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine) . . .

In the shape of handbag handles (photo of Salvatore Ferragamo bag from the May 2011 issue of Marie Claire) . . .

As grommets in a sweater from Marni (pictured in the May 2011 issue of Marie Claire; the bangles are from Monique Pean) . . .

And in polka dots showing up in all manner of fashions and accessories (featured in the March 2011 issue of Real Simple).

A wide variety of circle-centric jewelry designs have been gracing the pages of the fashion magazines.

The March 2011 issue of Marie Claire featured a ruffled dress and matching head scarf from D&G worn with double circle earrings from Dominique Aurientis and a necklace with round pendant from Stella McCartney. The bracelets are from House of Lavande, Megan Odabash, and The Branch.

Actress Abbie Cornish is pictured in the April 2011 issue of InStyle wearing her own dress accompanied by a circle-centered gold-plated necklace from By Boe.

 

Here’s one of our popular pieces, loaded with roundness!

Save 30% Now!! Round Moissanite Oval Cluster Design Necklace Oval cluster pendant with approximately 1 1/3ct t.w. (dia equiv) Charles and Colvard created round moissanite set on an 18" cable chain. Available in 14kt white gold only.

It’s all about color this season…and a little flashback to the past. Better put your sunglasses on before viewing these eye-popping pieces:

Source: Salealertshopping.com

When actress and Oscar winner Natalie Portman decided to wed Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied, she insisted on a ring that fit her eco-friendly leanings. She also chose a platinum ring; the exceedingly “in” metal:

The latest A-list bride-to-be on the platinum program is Natalie Portman, whose engagement announcement left her fans with dropped jaws late last year. The low-profile actress has been spotted wearing a stunning vintage-inspired engagement ring in platinum while making the publicity rounds following her best-actress Oscar win for her role in Black Swan.

The film’s choreographer Benjamin Millepied, who is Portman’s fiancé and the man with whom she is also expecting her first child, was reportedly a very careful ring shopper. He made sure he chose a ring that is eco-friendly, in line with the values of the 29-year-old actress, who is also a vegan activist.

According to a report in InStyle, the handmade ring was designed by ballet dancer-turned jewelry designer Jamie Wolf and features an antique stone–an old round old mine-cut diamond- and recycled platinum. The pavé diamonds are certified as conflict-free

Wolf has also made jewelry for a list of Hollywood starlets that includes Jessica Biel, Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway.

Platinum engagement ring - eco-friendly and vintage dazzling

Spring has sprung. Flowers are flowering and birds are…birding. Let’s celebrate!

Here’s a quick peak at some simply “must haves” for this season of bloom and brightness from the lovely ladies at Refinery 29:

Above, from left:

Stella McCartney Floral Dress, $4,095, available at Net-a-Porter, image via Style.com. “I always gravitate to this type of flowing floral dress…but this one’s the pinnacle.”

Petite Bateau Bralette, $35, available at Petit Bateau; Petit Bateau Boy Shorts, $28, available at Petit Bateau. “Every spring I like to ditch all of last season’s unmentionables and start fresh. And this sweet little top and bottom is precisely the reason why.”

Nars Lipstick in Funny Face, $24, available at Sephora. “Come spring, I love switching my red lip in for the most intense shade of hot pink (it always reminds me of big beautiful camelia flowers!). Julie Hewett makes a great one called Scarlett, and Nars’ shade of Funny Face is equally divine.”

Above, from left:

Rachel Comey Bobcat Top, $255, available at Bird; Rachel Comey Shore Pants, $345, available at P.45. This silhouette pairing is kind of my uniform all year round, but it seems particularly perfect now in Rachel’s signature offbeat color combo.

Kenzo Metallic Jacket, image via Style.com. “Being from Long Island, I will always have a weakness for some flash, and this gorgeous metallic blazer could easily become my summertime staple.”

Acqua Di Parma Colonia, $98, available at Neiman Marcus. “This classic citrusy scent just smells like spring and summer. Plus the splash bottle really lets me overdo it, which I am sadly known for.”

Cartier Entrelaces Ring in Yellow Gold, $850, by Cartier. “Absolutely perfect in every way…a great piece on its own or layered with some of my other crazy rings.”

Keds Champion white canvas sneaker, $35, available at Keds. “These are probably the only kind of shoes both my mom and I swear by. The classic plimsole kick only gets chicer with age.”

Platinum is one of the three precious metals, the strongest, and has the longest shelf-life. The world’s supply of platinum is very limited, making it the most expensive metals. It’s also seeing a substantial resurgence in the jewelry world. According to National Jeweler:

1. Classic Bridal à la Mad Men: Inspired by TV phenomenon Mad Men, classic dressing and classic engagement ring styles from bygone eras, including the 1960s, are back. Who encapsulates the look? Think timeless celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, or their modern equivalents such as Beyoncé or Natalie Portman.

In terms of engagement rings, classic options range from a simple polished platinum setting with a solitaire diamond, or a vintage-inspired style with filigree.

“But classic doesn’t have to mean simple,” says Heather Zachary Rogoff, manager of public relations for Platinum Guild International USA in New York. “The recent engagements of Reese Witherspoon and Natalie Portman, both of whom received platinum rings, is a perfect example of two classic women who chose very different, but classic engagement ring styles.”

Portman’s ring exemplifies the popular “halo look,” with a round solitaire surrounded by a double halo of diamonds, while Witherspoon’s classic platinum ring is an Ashoka diamond set in a platinum and diamond band.

“These looks will undoubtedly set a trend for engagement ring styles in 2011,” predicts Zachary Rogoff.

2: Colored Stone Brides: The runways are filled with colorful fabrics featuring exaggerated movement, volume and ruffled detailing, and the fanciful hues in apparel appear poised to captivate the bridal jewelry market. Brides-to-be are seizing the trend with engagement rings set with colored stones such as sapphire, ruby and citrine—and the natural white hue of platinum helps these true jewel tones pop.

3. Full-bloom Engagement Rings: In 2011, expect to see engagement rings with a variety of floral motifs inspired by the 1970s. Whether the design consists of “petals” surrounding the center diamond, or the floral motif is part of the band, much of this intricate detailing can only be accomplished in platinum. This style is ideal for brides-to-be who prefer romantic looks.

Above: Floral-inspired engagement rings, like this one by Mark Schneider, set in platinum, are a budding trend; suggested retail price is $4,200 for the semimount.

4. Tennis bracelet Redux: Popular since the 1980s, “tennis bracelets” set in platinum are hot again among Hollywood’s most fashionable crowd, with actresses Rachel McAdams, Amy Adams, Claire Danes, and Penelope Cruz among those hitting the “courts,” with these classic pieces, which are so easy to dress up or down. Platinum is a choice setting for tennis braclets, because of its durability, its ability to hold gems more securely and its white color, which looks just right with diamonds. Let’s not forget the slimming effect of wearing a symmetrical pattern of diamonds on your wrist. The latest twist: For extra glamour, stars are piling on multiple tennis bracelets with different diamond cuts.

5. Clustered Up: Instead of same-old, same-old diamond studs, one of the latest looks in earrings is diamond clusters, a look favored by A-listers including Demi Moore, Anna Kendrick and Jennifer Garner. The clusters sit right on the ear and feature two or three diamonds: punchier and more elegant than just one.

Tom Cruise proposed to Katie Holmes atop the Eiffel Tower with this five-carat Edwardian style oval cut solitaire diamond ring with pave detail. The ring is set in platinum and rose gold and is estimated to have cost $250,000.

Kate Winslet sparkled in a Tiffany & Co platinum and yellow diamond pendant (19 carats total), platinum and yellow diamond drop earrings (ten carats) and three platinum and yellow diamond bracelets.

Kathy Bates is wearing a platinum and rough diamond necklace (61.48 carats total), platinum and rough diamond earrings (56.59 carats total), and three stacked platinum and rough diamond bangles (54 carats total)

Above: Floral-inspired engagement rings, like this one by Mark Schneider, set in platinum, are a budding trend; suggested retail price is $4,200 for the semimount.

The new generation of diamond tennis bracelets includes this one by Steven Kretchmer, set in platinum, which retails for $30,200.