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	Jewelry Fashion, Trends & Forecasts by Eni Oken

I try to create pieces which will last a very long time, and not just one season. Hopefully my pieces will be passed down to the next generations to keep. Therefore, I try to create pieces which will be interesting no matter what fashion is in style.

HOWEVER... I love watching the trends, and it does influence my work to some degree. For example, I will be more likely to use gold-filled wire instead of silver if the fashion dictates the use of gold metals.

Current Fashion & Trends

For the current fashion trends, try searching for department and boutiques online. These are some of my favorite sites which show the current fashion styles:

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/ : has an excellent section of trends and newest styles for each season. Click on Jewelry & Accessories and then on Designers, Trends or What's Hot.

http://www.barneys.com : click on Women's then on Jewelry.

http://www.ylang23.com/shop.cfm : online store specializes in fashion jewelry, with good fashion trend section.

http://www.fragments.com : online shop specializing in fashion jewelry, selling some of the best designers around. Click on Shop, then on Trends or the name of the current season.

http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/ : online store. Click on Jewelry & Accessories, and then on BG Focus/Looks of the Season.

http://www.moondancejewelry.com: wonderful jewelry boutique in Los Angeles.

http://www.artfulsoul.com: jewelry boutique in La Jolla, carries not only precious jewelry but also artisan work. Fantastic variety of styles. Be prepared to spend a lot of time here...

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com: Saks department store, click on Jewelry and Accessories, and then check out the Saks Spotlights for current trends.

Trend Forecasting sites

Here are some links that might help you to find forecasts for future trends coming in the next seasons:

Accessories Magazine: good forecasting of trends, but better than the site, it's also a good idea to subscribe to the magazine.

Accessories The Show: the sister site to the magazine, they show color and style trends divided by month.

Pantone Trends: some great articles of what is to come -- click on the TRENDS button on the lower left side.

BeadStyle Fashion Forecast: located at Fire Mountain Gems and brought by the magazine BeadStyle, this is a bi-monthly article. Check out also the BeadStyle magazine (you must be registered to enter the site, but it's free to register).

Swarovski Fashion: the ultimate crystal creators keep a great fashion and trend site. A little too focused on their crystals only, but still plent of useful information.

Fashion-Era.com: a site devoted to fashion history and costumes, it has several interesting articles.

Trendzine: A Subscription service, but a quick browse through the site reveals an overview of current trends and forecasts for upcoming seasons . Some specific Jewelry content.

http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/: Sort through the advertising content and you'll find colour and style forecasts from groups such as Pantone and CBI in the one place. Their inspirational collages are worth a look.

http://www.jqintl.com/uploads/features/features_forecasting_0206.asp: The International Jewelry Quorum shows forecasting for 2006 and 2007 in this article.

If you have a forecasting site of interest, send the link to me!

Jewelry Types

The jewelry industry recognizes several types of jewelry, when it comes to fashion and use of materials:

Fashion Jewelry:

Usually created strictly according to the latest trends of each season, this kind of jewelry is not intended to last. Made of base metals and lower quality materials, it is created with more design in mind than preciousness. Typical price range is below $100.

Fine Jewelry

The complete opposite of Fashion Jewelry, this type of jewelry is made to last, made with the most precious materials available. Nothing short of diamonds and high quality precious stones in classic settings with noble metals -- high karat gold, platinum -- made to last for generations. Engagement rings are a typical example. These pieces are also bought for the value of the materials and are intended to pass along as heirloom. Prices start at the high hundreds and usually can cost thousands of dollars.

Bridge Jewelry

A new type of jewelry which is a mix between fine and fashion: these pieces are typically made with nice quality stones and better crystals, silver, goldfilled and sometimes low karat gold (14k). The design follows the trends somewhat, but the jewelry can still be passed along as heirloom. The intrinsic value is not as high as fine jewelry, though.

Brand Jewelry

This type of jewelry relies on its value due to the name of the brand or designer. Tiffany is a good example. The materials can vary from medium to high quality and usually the pieces become collectible over time. Keeping the original box and the jewelry in good or mint condition is usually advisable in this case.

Note: these opinions are my own, based on my own observations. If you have a different opinion, an important fact to relate or simply don't agree with me, hey, let me know, I'll be glad to hear from you!


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