MajorsOct 16, 2026
Katy Chen Appointed Executive Vice President of Graff USA Chen, who worked at Cartier and Tiffany & Co., will lead retail sales and operations for the luxury jeweler’s 11 U.S. stores.
Events & AwardsJul 29, 2013
Show session outlines what’s hot for fall
Industry professionals got the inside scoop on jewelry trends for the fall season at an educational seminar held Monday afternoon at the JA New York Summer Show.
This Bochic cuff is carved black jet with 18-karat white gold and diamonds ($41,850). Black-and-white jewelry is a predicted trend for fall 2013.
New York--Industry professionals got the inside scoop on jewelry trends for the fall season at an educational seminar held Monday afternoon at the JA New York Summer Show.
Amanda Gizzi, Jewelers of America’s director of public relations and special events, conducted the session, outlining the predicted trends as well as what shapes those predictions and how jewelry professionals can forecast trends on their own and pass them on to their customers.
The seminar came on the second and final day of the show’s JA-sponsored educational program, which kicked off with high attendance and enthusiasm on the first day of the show.
Gizzi identified seven major trends for fall 2013.
--Opal opulence. “Consumers know opals, and often think of them as old-fashioned, but designers are changing that now. It’s all about being able to play off many different colors. Every stone tells a different story, so look for opals with different characteristics, not just your traditional opal,” Gizzi said.
--Glorious gold. “With gold prices before, there was a scale back--designers used lighter weights, more cut-out designs. But the gold prices are dropping. The media is talking about it and designers are getting excited. We’ll see the heavier gold pieces coming back, styles will become chunky, and there will be a lot of texture, pieces that look antique or hand-worked,” she said.
--Colorful engagement. “We’re seeing an increase in color for engagement rings, primarily with colored diamonds. As women get married later (in life) they are more established, they know what they want and they want something different. They may not want to be traditional, so this is where the colored diamond comes in. It’s not only colored center stones; colored side stones serve as a bridge into engagement ring color,” she said.
--Geometrics. “We’re seeing a lot of the open cut-out design and repetition of patterns. The geometric trend also goes back to the Art Deco style, but takes a modern turn on it,” she said.
--Pretty punk. “This is very wearable, very feminine. It’s nothing too crazy or over the top. But looking at skulls, spikes, accents of these motifs are very big for the fall season,” she said.
--Black and white. “This is one of the biggest trends on the runway. Black and white can be all black, it can be all white, but primarily it’s the black and white coming together. Look for blackened
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
metals and stones being offset with white,” Gizzi said.
--Fashion forward. “The line between fashion and fine jewelry has definitely diminished over the past five to 10 years. Metal prices and customer buying habits have affected consumers’ overall understanding of what jewelry is, so being that source of jewelry for them is important. Finding lower-priced alternatives and making those pieces fashion forward--like cuffs and edgy rings--that will get women into the store for the things they will buy for themselves,” she said.
This is also a macro trend, which means it is comprised of smaller micro trends. Stacking sterling silver rings or bracelets would be an example of a micro trend within the fashion-forward trend, Gizzi said.
When it comes to color, Gizzi named color authority Pantone as the go-to resource to see what hues will be trending each season. Pantone releases a spring and fall color fashion report each year, highlighting the 10 major colors for each season, and also identifies a color of the year.
“Play off this. Consumers are talking about it; everyone uses Pantone for trending colors. Take a look at what these colors are to see what your consumers are going to want this season,” Gizzi said.
She also advised attendees how to become a trend authority.
-- Read style magazines, watch E!. This will make it easy to pick up on trends, like noticing people wearing statement necklaces everywhere, or stacking with bangles.
-- Pay attention to stars and their weddings. What celebrities wear trickles down to what non-celebrities want.
-- Watch awards shows. All the stars gathered in one place makes it easy to spot what’s “in,” both in the sense of style--necklaces, drop earrings, cocktails rings--and metals, such as platinum, yellow gold or white gold.
-- Pay attention to cultural events, exhibits and auctions, such as the Christie’s auction of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry collection in 2011
-- Be knowledgeable about the price of metals. The drop in the price of gold is bringing the metal back in a big way.
-- Use technology and social media. A good way to find out what’s happening in trends, quickly. Follow Twitter hashtags during awards shows to get engaged in the conversation of what kind of jewelry the stars are accessorizing with.
-- Know what’s on the runway. Jewelry trends follow what is seen on the runway. Many of the trends Gizzi predicted for fall--geometrics, color in bridal, punk looks--were all part of the fashion shows of major clothing designers.
Visiting and keeping up with fashion and jewelry websites, as well as blogs, also are a way to get information as a trend predictor, Gizzi said.
“Trends aren’t always really clear to the customer. If you’re trying to be seen as a trend forecaster or a trend expert, what you want to be able to do is tell that story and explain it to them,” she said.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
WatchesOct 15, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb’s New Movado Watches Are Made for Your Wrist StackMovado teamed up with the New York-based fine jewelry designer on a new collection of Movado Museum Velura watches.
Weekly QuizOct 15, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingOct 15, 2026
Signet Jewelers, Richemont May Join Bidder for De Beers, Report SaysThe two companies are reportedly in talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium, led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny, as per Bloomberg.
CollectionsOct 15, 2026
Wolf x Marla Aaron's New Jewelry Box Is for Some (Not All) of Your ThingsThe “Some of the Things” box follows the two larger “Everything” box designs with the look and function of antique sewing and toolboxes.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
IndependentsOct 14, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Coleman and Mitchell ClarkFourth-generation jewelers Coleman and Mitchell Clark exemplify the best qualities of their predecessors: humility, modesty, and confidence.
SourcingOct 14, 2026
Manuel Marcial de Gomar, ‘The Emerald Whisperer,’ Dies at 90The gem hunter, whose 70-year career was defined by adventure and exploration, is remembered for his steadfast faith and sense of wonder.
FinancialsOct 14, 2026
LVMH’s Jewelry Brands Turn in ‘Very Good’ Performance in Q3 Tiffany & Co. continued its full-scale store renovation project while Bulgari’s high jewelry collection generated “record-breaking revenue.”
MajorsOct 13, 2026
David Webb Owner Purchases Lugano JewelryThe high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
AuctionsOct 13, 2026
Christie's Geneva To Auction 'Bulgari Pink' DiamondThe 24-carat fancy intense pink diamond ring could fetch up to $18 million at the November sale.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
AuctionsOct 09, 2026
8-Carat Blue Diamond Goes Unsold at UK Jewelry Auction The top lot of Elmwood’s recent fine jewelry sale in London was a 1.84-carat, D color Tiffany & Co. solitaire diamond ring.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
