"Renewal," a term 2010 Vicenzaoro First show organizers use to describe the mindset at the show, might be applied to the jewelry designs, too, as most of the new offerings appeared familiar, the fruits of designers who either extended popular collections or came up with updated versions of previous strong sellers, www.nationaljewelernetwork.com writes.
The revisiting of previous trends also appeared at the 2009 First show, and seemed to be even more pronounced in this latest edition of the fair. With a number of top designers noting that they are waiting for BaselWorld to make the majority of their 2010 product introductions, the freshest of designs were scant.
Among the trends that continue to have legs are pieces featuring nature motifs, especially flowers and butterflies. Exhibitors noted that these designs continue to sell well, thus newer offerings have been rendered in a variety of sizes and with varied gemstones and metals. Some of the latest incarnations offer up hyper-realized takes on nature, with oversized pendants and rings studded with a multitude of pavé diamonds or gemstones revealing a flurry of detail.
Another overarching and long-running theme concerns geometry and architecture, with designers continuing to show a fascination for simple shapes, especially circular links, interconnected to form long, dangling earrings or twisting necklaces.
In materials, pavé, whether shown in colored stones or diamonds, continues to gain steam. Whether a full-on pavé ring, with tiny stones covering any available surface, or a piece with pave sparingly strewn across a matte metal to offer a striking juxtaposition of materials, it seems the demand for this type of accent won't be abating anytime soon.
In metals, yellow gold continues to prevail here in Italy, but exhibitors also noted a continuing interest in rose gold. Blackened gold, too, is a hot topic, with many designers who set darker stones, such as chocolate or black diamonds, preferring to make darkened metal their medium of choice.
The Italians' renowned gold-work was very much on display, revealing a multitude of finishes, from matte to ultra-polished, as well as textures that included hammered, hand-etched and everything in between.
Materials that are less typically used in fine jewelry have also made headway at the show, including designs featuring wood and enamel. Silver, which is also less associated with the Vicenzaoro shows, showed up in new product introductions, with one exhibitor mentioning that the pieces made sense especially for the U.S. market, where silver continues to be high in demand among consumers.
In terms of styles, statement necklaces and rings continue to have their heyday in the United States, but the Italians are moving onto statement earrings, showing a particular penchant for huge hoops and lighter-weight gold designs rendered in three-dimensional form.
Statement rings, though, aren't disappearing. Square and rectangular versions appear to be a new favorite, but amorphous knuckledusters abound as well, and the Italians are also enchanted with dome shapes and signet-style designs, especially those featuring initials right on top, engraved or crafted from diamonds or colored stones.
