The New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”
4 Trends from Baselworld 2016
Small, thinner watches and jewelry that transitions easily from day to night were among the trends our editor-in-chief spotted in Switzerland.
To me, every trade show has a different feel.
In Basel this year, I would describe the mood as a bit subdued and that’s understandable. Baselworld is a global show and, right now, the world outside of Basel is facing a slew of economic and social problems.
As one well-known jewelry designer I interviewed at the show put it: “Politically, religiously, the economy--nothing makes so much sense, even for intelligent people. So we’re not quite sure--and the politicians are not doing a good job--how we can relax today. Because we truly don’t quite understand the problem.”
That is why I observed what I did in Basel: watch and jewelry brands being more conservative with their new collections and working to create pieces that appeal to consumers in every possible way.
Women at work, and our more casual society
Do you know what my favorite Barbie was when I was younger? It was Day-to-Night Barbie. Her daytime skirt suit (that was pink, of course) concealed a sparkly top and turn-around bottom that she could wear to go out in the evenings after work because, like so many women today, Day-to-Night Barbie did not have time to go home and change.
As a young child I found her adaptability appealing and, looking back on it now, I guess I always liked the idea of being a working woman, hence the way I’ve chosen to live my life as an adult. My younger self also was a big fan of her little briefcase that held various office necessities, including a newspaper, business magazines (Day-to-Night Barbie obviously was an advocate for solid journalism) and calculator.

Today, the day-to-night lifestyle played out by this doll is a reality for many women. According to a study published in 2014 by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the percentage of women in the paid labor force in the U.S. has risen from just above 50 percent in 1984 (the year Day-to-Night Barbie debuted) to nearly 60 percent today.
That is why we continue to see designers creating jewelry that works for both day and evening wear--something not too flashy to wear around the office during the day yet not
I realize the idea of day-to-night wear is not brand new but it was, in my opinion, more prevalent at Baselworld this year.
Another factor contributing to this trend is our more casual society; people rarely, if ever, get dressed up anymore.
If you don’t believe me, take a walk around New York’s Theater District in the evenings when the plays and musicals are letting out; no one thinks twice about wearing jeans to the theater.
If Times Square isn’t enough punishment for you, accompany my mother to church one Sunday. When I attend mass with my parents, my mom often will remark on the way people just don’t dress up for church anymore, and she’s right. I don’t remember ever being allowed to wear jeans to mass, even in the summer when they were more casual and (thank God) shorter. Now, it seems like the norm. Oh, the horror.
A more casual society demands more casual jewelry.
The unbearable lightness of Baselworld 2016
The world’s watchmakers are in constant pursuit of superlatives, and the “-ests” many were after this year seemed to be thinnest and lightest.
There was Breitling’s 50 mm Avenger Hurricane, made with a trademarked polymer composite the brand dubbed “Breitlight.”It definitely did not feel like a 50 mm watch on your wrist.
In addition, there was Bulgari’s super-slim minute repeater and the Eco-Drive One from Citizen, which the brand said is the world’s thinnest light-powered watch.
Swatch Group-owned brand Rado, meanwhile, called its 2016 collection “lightness inspired” and introduced three very slender watches--the True Open Heart, True Thinline and Hyperchrome Ultra Light.

The thin trend falls in line with watchmakers’ overall desire to make watches that are smaller, less conspicuous and, perhaps most pointedly, more affordable.
Straps and colors
I saw a lot more NATO straps at Baselworld this year than I have in years’ past, and for good reason.
The usually colorful cloth straps, which, according to WatchTime, were created by Great Britain’s Ministry of Defence in the early 1970s, represent another way for brands to bring down the price of their timepieces, in addition to making them smaller.
NATO straps also give the wearer options. They can swap in a NATO strap for their bracelet to create a more casual watch to wear to work or on the weekends and then switch back to the bracelet for more formal occasions. (This also relates to the first trend I outlined above, creating pieces that transition from day to night.)
Oris showed me a number of new NATO strap options for its Divers Sixty-Five watch.
Italian fashion house Gucci rolled out a few as well, as did Rolex, Tudor and the Swatch Group’s highest-end brand, Blancpain, just to name a few.
Color-wise, I observed much of what our (newly minted) Senior Editor Brecken Branstrator did at the Tucson gem shows earlier this year: a lot of pink and blue.

Pink (Rose Quartz) and blue (Serenity) were christened the Colors of the Year for 2016 by Pantone, and I noticed both watch and jewelry brands incorporating them into their designs at this year’s show.
Have any thoughts the trends I outlined here? Feel free to send emails, kind, spiteful or otherwise, to michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com or comment below.
The Latest

The latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.

The new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

Participants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.


The investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.

Smith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

The counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.

The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Casio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.

Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.

Originally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.

Allison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.

The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.

Its investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.

Nicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.

Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.

Longtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.

The full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.

Model Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.

The board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.

Three winners will receive a custom ring from Honest Hands Ring Co. inlaid with a piece of history from Denver-based distillery Stranahan’s.

JD Sports and Wawa were among the fastest-growing retail companies in the U.S. last year.

The new inventory, all untreated, features vibrant hues and unique bicolor combinations.

Acquired by a tech investor, the historic brand will continue to focus on jewelry, accessories, and timepieces.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the pause on higher tariffs to November as negotiations with China continue.