Trend: Las Vegas Jewelry Week 2019
Hanging out with Angie Crabtree and her giant pink diamond paiting at AGTA GemFair Las Vegas™ 2019!
LAS VEGAS JEWELRY WEEK TRENDS
The jewelry shows during Las Vegas market week are always an amazing opportunity to gauge what styles and materials are trending in the jewelry industry. For two days I acted as Gembassador™ & hosted an Instagram takeover on @AGTA_Gems. I visited the exhibitors at AGTA Gemfair Las Vegas™ in its new home The Collective at the Las Vegas Convention Center to see what was new and exciting. Along with my time spent at AGTA Gemfair™, I also visited Premier and the The Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show (the other 2/3s of The Collective), Couture, and JCK Las Vegas.
Whether you're interested in finished jewelry or gemstones, here are some trends in what I saw in Las Vegas!
Still Trendy
There were a few trends I made note of during Vegas market week that are here to stay, making the most of the phrase: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Multicolor sapphire pavé and diamond earrings from Couture designer Ele Karela .
Rainbow Jewelry
From classic ROYGBIV to pastel, rainbow jewelry is abundant and I’m not complaining! Whether these full-spectrum pieces are one-of-a-kinds or the multi-hued variant of a core piece in a designer’s line, there were plenty of examples in Vegas of how the rainbow jewelry trend is going strong.
Mixed-cut rainbow bypass hoops and a stack of Yumdrop ™ rings from AGTA Member Kimberly Collins Colored Gems (above). Photo courtesy of Kimberly Collins.
(Top-Bottom) A stack of rainbow rings from the endlessly colorful brand Robinson Pelham as seen at Couture & the Synchronicity Nebula Ring (inset). A rainbow line bracelet and bangle among an assortment of bracelets of the same style from AGTA Member Philip Zahm .
Mixed sapphires are cast in place to create the radial pattern in this lock by Polly Wales .
Top to Bottom: Three neon enamel and diamond rings from Melissa Kaye's new collection - photo via designer. Enamel and peridot earrings from Bea Bongiasca's You're So Vine collection - image via designer. Designer Holly Dyment wearing two of her new enamel and colored stone flower rings and a multi-stone evil eye ring from her collection.
Enamel Jewelry
Whether it’s being used to create contrast or add pops of color, enamel is being used to create bold, impactful design at both low and high price points. The variety of enameling techniques from cloisonné to plique a jour allow for the many designers utilizing enamel to create vastly different effects with the material in their work. Enamel can at once provide large swaths of supernatural neon colors or provide old world aesthetic and historic reference.
Top: 2 enamel, gemstone, and silk cord bracelets by designer Agaro Jewels seen at Premier. Bottom: Two styles of plique-à-jour enamel hoop earrings by Andy Lif, a Couture exhibitor. Photographs courtesy of the designers.
New Trends
Figural and Whimsical Jewelry
It’s easy to feel caught up in the formality of the materials used in fine jewelry Breaking the mold and imbuing luxury with a playful energy was one way that designers created fresh and exciting jewelry this season. From the prevalence of heart and pot leaf motifs to a menagerie of animal styles, fruit charms and 8-bit inspirations, it was apparent that the jewelry designers in Vegas were enjoying and challenging themselves.
Top to Bottom: Heart-shaped lab grown pink diamond necklace from Lightbox Jewelry. A selection of charms from Muse Showroom's Have a Heart charm necklace. Jade and landscape agate earrings by designer Guita M.. Video game inspired jewelry including diamond Fairy Companion Zelda themed stud earrings, and diamond Pixel Sword Necklace of Light pendant by designer Soulbound. All photographs courtesy of the designers.
Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Stephen Webster Jitterbug ring.Aquamarine hippo & paraiba Amulet Ring and Anubis carved quartz Amulet Ring by designer Loren Nicole. Labradorite scarab, diamond, and coral carved earrings by Lito Fine Jewelry. Carved malachite and diamond leaf stud earrings by Brent Neale. Tsavorite garnet and gold pot leaf ring by Andrea Fohrman. SorellinaLady Jane locket made from white onyx, diamonds, and yellow gold. Anubis ring and pot leaf ring photos by author, all other photos courtesy of the designers.
Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Little H pearl pendant with inset turquoise, ruby, seed pearl, and gold grain. Turquoise, mixed color tourmaline, and diamond hoop earrings by designer Panchoo Jewels. Dichroa bracelet by Yael Designs with turquoise and diamonds set in 18k rose gold. Malachite, diamond, and gold earrings by Sorellina. A stack of bezel set gemstone and inlaid turquoise rings from designer Jaquie Aiche. Malachite cabochon Starburst Necklace by designer M. Spalten Fine Jewelry as seen at Premier. Little H, Yael Designs, and M. Spalten Fine Jewelry photographs courtesy of the designers.
Opaque Stones/Hard Stones
When talking trends with stones, we typically thing about transparent stones or using intentionally included stones as being in vogue. In Vegas, opaque stones (aggregates) were getting the spotlight. Fashion forward and classic designs both made use of turquoise, malachite, lapis, agate, labradorite, and more! You may notice a few examples of these stones in the aforementioned trends.
Top to Bottom, Left to Right:Fernando JorgeGalaxy earrings in lapis and diamonds. Rhodochrosite and tourmaline Lollipop pendant necklace by Retrouvaí. Lapis scarab and ruby couture collection ring by Vram. FORTE beads bracelet with carved gemstone beads made from a variety of stones by designer Carolina Bucci. Rhodonite Coffin Drops from the collection of designer Victoria Young. All images are courtesy of the deisgners.