Jewelry Trends at Baselworld 2016
Economic realities played into much of what was happening at Baselworld this year. The larger jewelry brands were being cautious by focusing on their iconic lines and jewels that are already popular. Meanwhile, independent jewelers continued to combine art, culture and design with fashion to create original works based on their design codes. However, companies large and small largely focused on classic themes.
Modern, contemporary themes were limited, but there were exceptions. One major exception was the “The Spotlight is on You” jewelry design contest winner, Othmar Wicke. Wicke’s twisting and turning Snake Cuff bracelet was on display at the Solidscape booth in the small area dedicated to equipment companies. The competition was sponsored by JewelryThis and Solidscape.
But for the most part at Baselworld classic motifs were the norm.
One theme that never seems to grow old is gardens and many jewelers used it in their designs this year, including two Italian jewelers. Pasquale Bruni, with its Petit Garden collection and Roberto Coin it its Garden collection.
Another classic theme is animals and several jewelers presented examples of this, including the French jewelry house, Boucheron, which produced, as it does every year, a number of bejeweled animal figures.
Art Deco is always a constant theme among jewelers but this year that wasn’t the case. Greek designer, Nikos Koulis, specializes in the colorful geometric shapes that represent this period. It includes vertical earrings made with black enamel, white diamonds and emeralds.
When it comes to sticking with combining traditional themes with extreme color and high design few do it better than Alessio Boschi and Lydia Courteille.
This year, Boschi introduced a collection of one-of-a-kind jewels based on the fountains of Rome in exacting detail.
Meanwhile, Courteille, took her inspiration from a recent visit to Ethiopia and the story of the Queen of Sheba. Green is the main color for this new line. She combines tsavorites, peridots and green tourmalines; in some instances Courteille matches them with yellow and brown and blue collared gems and completes the pieces with the craftsmanship that make her designs come to life.
When it did come to color, mostly it was more refined. Chopard and Butani each showed small earrings in precious colored gems and diamonds.
Pearl jewels were few among the companies I visited but those that did use them did very good at it.
Since its founding about five years ago, The Italian jewelry company, Qayten, focused its pearl offering to Japanese Akoya. This year it expanded its pearl offering to a modern looking collection using Tahitian pearls.
So if you want to stay on theme this year, stick with gardens, animals and art deco themes. If you want something completely original and creative, follow the lead of Othmar Wicke.
Below are examples of how JewelryThis designers are keeping with the trends.
Garden Theme: Gold and Diamond Flower Bunch Ring
Animal Theme: Gold Elephant Pendant
