Robert Ackermann, Jewelry Manufacturing Arts instructor:
Blue is going to be hot color in 2014. Consumers will want either de-saturated aquamarines or saturated blue sapphires. The reason: Pantone has named Dazzling Blue (Pantone 18-3949) as a color for spring 2014, and jewelry designers will use similarly colored gemstones. Also, a sluggish economy will continue to polarize the market, sending the middle class looking for more affordable pieces. Manufacturers will meet the demand by using more alternative materials like ceramics.

The Vagabonde Bleue Ring. Copyright Fabergé Ltd.

Doug Glener, writer:
If the movie, Princess Grace of Monaco, is successful at the box office, expect jewelry connoisseurs to wear pieces featured in the film, like the iconic Hen pin.  I’m also seeing the beginnings of a new unisex style – a cross between Steam Punk and post-industrial. Call it Structural Chic.

Kirkawa Live! ring. Photo courtesy of Krikawa.

Kristin Mahan, project manager, PR & communications:
Vintage engagement rings are going to win the hearts of brides-to-be. Several glossy women’s magazines are predicting this, too. Another trend at the altar: Bridesmaids are wearing dresses that complement each other instead of the same one, and this is going to happen with jewelry. Look for bridesmaids to wear jewelry that doesn’t clash, but has similar styles.

Courtesy Leigh Jay Nacht

Mike Magee, Jewelry Manufacturing Arts instructor:
The falling price of 3D printers is going to introduce jewelry making to a new group of hobbyists. In fact, you don’t even have to wait for prices to fall. Shapeways, a company that offers free 3D software, will print your creations. And you can then sell them on its website.

McKenzie Santimer, exhibit developer:
Long chains are going to be in, along with jewelry made accents of unusual materials like plastic and rubber. Jewelry designers will be inspired by paintings by the great masters, and will make them part of their designs.

Russell Shor, senior industry analyst:
Caution will continue to rule the diamond industry. Demand probably will be decent worldwide, but concerns over rough prices, financing and ever-more sophisticated synthetics will dampen the mood of manufacturers and wholesalers. This will drive demand for grading reports for smaller-size stones

The U.S. will probably lead industry growth because India’s and China’s economies remain uncertain. This makes predicting global demand for diamonds and gemstones difficult. The wealthiest, however, will continue to find that rare objects provide a better return than financial markets, so demand for colored diamonds will remain strong.

Peggy Tsiamis, visual resources researcher:
Princess Grace loved roses, and the upcoming movie about her will make the flower even more fashionable. A number of luxury brands like Dior and Montblanc already have been featuring them in their lines. This motif will trickle down to mass-market jewelry. Ear cuffs also look to be getting a hold.

Piaget Rose ring in 18-ct rose gold set with 2 brilliant-cut diamonds and a carved pink opal. Image courtesy of Piaget.

Rose Toser, senior research librarian:
Feathers and feathered-inspired jewelry will be popular. Harry Winston has the Premier Feathers watch line, which has feathers as its faces.

“Dream Feather”, white gold feather ring with white diamonds and blue sapphires with a green tsavorite. Courtesy Crow’s Nest Jewels.

Check back in a year to see how we did!

The post Jewelry Trend Predictions for 2014 appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

The Super Bowl is the most popular sporting event in the United States – almost 110 million Americans watched it in February 2013. So it’s not surprising that the Super Bowl ring is a matter of serious interest.

Super Bowl XLVII (2013), made for the Baltimore Ravens. Photo courtesy NFL.

As the game has grown in popularity, the rings have become fancier: more diamonds and gemstones, more complex designs, and a lot more “wow” factor. Compare the first ring made in 1966 – it sported a single one-carat diamond – to the most recent one.

The Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl in a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Minneapolis-based Jostens designed the ring. It has 129 round brilliant cut diamonds; the Baltimore Ravens logo is outlined with 40 round brilliant cut diamonds sitting atop a custom-cut amethyst stone. An iconic Baltimore “B,” handcrafted in yellow gold with the beak of the Raven in white gold, is in the center. The eye of the bird is red enamel.

Super Bowl I (1967) Green Bay Packers. Photo courtesy NFL.

Jostens, a leading designer and producer of championship rings, has created 30 of the 46 Super Bowl rings. GIA asked Chris Poitras, director, sports marketing and development, to share how Super Bowl rings are designed. Poitras explained that leaders of the winning team collaborate with Jostens’ master jewelers to design and produce custom championship rings for players and members of their organization.

Poitras described the process: “Our goal is to collaborate with the team. The thing that takes the most time when it comes to creating the rings is designing a piece that tells the story of the team, their great win, and the special season. Depending on their design, it can take anywhere from weeks to months to manufacture the rings from start to finish.”

The 2008 New York Giants (Super Bowl XLII). The victory was the team’s third Super Bowl win. Photo courtesy Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. has created six Super Bowl rings, and works with team leaders so that they reflect the championship season and the spirit and history of the franchise. For example, engraved inside the New York Giants ring in 2008 are the words “Finish” and “All In”– two inspirational phrases that rallied the team during the season.

Who will win the next Super Bowl is a mystery. But here’s one sure bet: Next year’s winner will get an even glitzier ring.

Main photo courtesy of NFL.

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Believe it or not, 2013 is nearing its close and 2014 trend reports are already on the horizon. But with engagement season upon us (according to a survey conducted by prominent online wedding site The Knot in 2011, 32% of engagements take place in November and December), let’s review a few of the hottest 2013 engagement ring trends of 2013 for those who are considering popping the question this holiday season.

Kelly Clarkson’s got engaged earlier this year with a stunning fancy color yellow diamond center stone.

Color Explosion
One trend seen from home décor to fashion to jewelry is the explosion of color. While it used to be that nearly every engagement ring featured a solitaire diamond, that trend has shifted with a number of brides choosing colored gems. Fancy yellow, pink, cognac and champagne diamonds, and also gemstones like sapphire—due in part to royal trendsetter Kate Middleton—are continuing to rise in popularity.

Desiree Hartsock’s engagement ring is a diamond, platinum and 18K rose gold “Romantic Entwined Ring” set with a central cushion-cut diamond.

Mixed Metals
The color trend isn’t limited to the center stone. Designers are incorporating mixed metals into engagement rings for a unique and colorful look. While platinum is still a top choice, the mixing of different colors of gold—white, yellow, and rose—creates a look that appeals to many brides looking for something distinct and versatile.

Scarlett Johansson shows off her Art Deco-inspired engagement ring.

Vintage and Art Deco
There’s something about vintage design that captures the romance for many brides-to-be. Vintage rings have increased in popularity over the last decade, and 2013 saw a particular interest in the Art Deco period. Many appreciate the intricate detailing, and the popularity of period shows like Downton Abbey and The Great Gatsby film have continued to fuel interest in designs iconic to the era. While many men propose with current interpretations of vintage or Art Deco designs, some, like Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, choose true vintage pieces, as when he proposed to Behati Prinsloo earlier this year with a 1930s ring.

Olivia Wilde’s engagement ring features a stunning halo design of emeralds surrounding the center diamond

Halo
While the double halo has been regaining popularity the past few years, 2013 took it up a notch.. Two tiered halo settings create the impression of an even larger center stone. The halo (or double halo) setting is often paired with a square or cushion-cut diamond, in place of the traditional round brilliant.

If you were engaged in 2013, tell us about your ring design. Does it follow one of these trends? Or do you wish one of these trends was around when you got engaged?

The post 2013 Engagement Ring Trends: Beyond the Diamond Solitaire appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Even the slightest change in diamond color can affect the quality and value of a diamond. Although most diamonds are thought of as colorless (that is, not fancy-colored), most colorless diamonds actually contain hints of brown and yellow. These differences in color are often very subtle –  so subtle that an untrained eye can’t tell the difference between a nearly colorless diamond and a colorless one. Yet these minute color variations can have a significant impact on the purchase price of the stone.

All non-fancy diamonds sent to GIA for grading are graded according to GIA’s internationally recognized D-to-Z color-grading scale, with D representing the top end of the scale, as a completely colorless diamond, and Z the bottom end of the scale, representing the obvious presence of a light yellow or brown hue. Each letter in the scale denotes a combination of tone (lightness or darkness) and saturation (intensity), creating a value called “depth of color.”

When GIA color graders grade a D-to-Z diamond’s color*, the diamond  is viewed table down, under highly controlled lighting conditions. It is compared to a set of carefully assembled master comparison diamonds (“master stones”) where each diamond corresponds to an alphabetical grade from D to Z.  This grading protocol ensures that the grade assigned is precisely the letter designated by GIA for that color.

Although each letter in the GIA D-to-Z color scale designates a specific color range, letters are also grouped into broader categories:

• D through F: Colorless. These diamonds are the most chemically pure of the D to Z range.
• G through J: Near colorless. Coloration often unseen except by trained graders. Very valuable.
• K through M: Faint. Coloration still difficult to see by the untrained eye.
• N through R: Very light. Coloration can be seen in larger stones by untrained eye.
• S through Z: Light. Colorations can be seen in many sized stones. Distinctly yellow or brown but not so colored to be considered a “fancy” diamond.

Overall, the important thing to remember is that the lower the letter, the higher the grade, and the more valuable your diamond.

*Color Grading “D-to-Z”Diamonds at the GIA Laboratory, Gems & Gemology, Winter 2008

The post A Guide to Diamond Color: D-to-Z appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

A diamond solitaire refers to any piece of jewelry with a single diamond. Diamond solitaires can be a ring, necklace, earring or even men’s jewelry. They have come to mark some of the most significant occasions in one’s life, like sweet-sixteen, anniversaries, and the most notable, an engagement proposal.

A diamond engagement ring is a known symbol of lasting love and fidelity. When a man kneels and places the diamond ring onto his fiancée’s finger, it is a moment to be remembered forever. A woman may look at her engagement ring thousands of times over the course of her lifetime; for this reason, the ring ought to be expertly matched to the bride.

Many engagement ring buyers choose a solitaire setting for its classic elegance and its ability to showcase the beauty of the stone. In fact, in a recent survey of over 7,000 engaged women, TheKnot, found that 25% had received solitaires. Within the solitaire category, there are many settings to consider when purchasing that perfect engagement ring.

Since the diamond will be the centerpiece of the ring, most people begin the selection process with the shape of the diamond. The most popular stone shape for a solitaire ring is the round brilliant (53% of all engagement rings, according to TheKnot); this creative, multifaceted style is cut to sparkle and show off the depth of the stone. This cut is arguably the most brilliant of all solitaire choices because it provides the maximum amount of light return through the top of the diamond. Other popular styles for solitaire diamond rings are cushion, princess, radiant, and pear.

Once the shape of the diamond is selected, buyers consider the best setting style for the stone. Although the first demand is practical–that it will be secure enough to hold the stone safely in place–there are many aesthetic concerns as well. For solitaire rings, popular setting styles include prong, cathedral, bezel and tension. A prong setting is minimalist in nature, holding the stone like a claw from beneath. The prongs are small wires that bind the stone, welded to the band to ensure its safety. Yet they suspend the stone high enough off of the band to show its size and detail, offering maximum sparkle. The Tiffany 6-prong setting, introduced over 125 years ago, serves as the iconic image of an engagement ring. This look served to popularize the giving of diamond solitaire rings for engagements, and it remains a popular, and often imitated, style.

Cathedral setting*

A cathedral setting allows the diamond to be visible, with slopes on either side to protect the stone. The cathedral setting gets its name from its aesthetic similarities to an old cathedral—its sweeping nature is reminiscent of the vaulted ceilings and pleasing arches of these places of prayer.

Bezel Setting"

A bezel setting is sleek and modern—the metal of the band is used to completely surround the diamond, following exactly the stone’s shape. This is an ideal choice for an active lifestyle.

Tension setting*

A tension setting allows the ring to act as a spring, holding the diamond in place. This setting type is known for its unique appearance, allowing the diamond to appear to be floating. Further, there is no metal underneath the diamond, which means the stone can be cleaned easily. Diamonds are natural grease magnets, so when dirty, they appear duller in appearance.

No matter what stone shape and setting type are selected, a diamond solitaire ring is sure to please any bride-to-be, eliciting a smile from her lips each one of the million-plus times she glances at her ring in years to come.

*Photos courtesy of Platinum Guild International

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