With the cost of gold continuing to increase and showing no signs of slowing down, major designers, rising designers and boutique designers are turning to sterling silver for their latest creations. Designers are adding color to silver to complement the color spring fashion trend. Color will come in the form of gemstones, enamel work and multi-metal pieces.
"Spring-summer 2008 is going to be extremely rich in color - bold, sometimes even aggressive color - and combining silver's neutral tones with colored stones is really sophisticated and at the same time wearable for all occasions," says Agostino Magni, president of Rebecca, an Italian jewelry brand known for its bronze and steel pieces. The brand has recently added silver jewelry to its collection, shifting it up market. The new silver collection features chain-link and jewel-bead pendants with semi-precious gemstones, geometric bracelets and big cocktail rings.
One spring collection for Links of London also features gemstones. The Amitie rings are set with rhodolite, tanzanite, aquamarine and green amethyst. The rings are name Amitie for the French word for friendship and meant to symbolize a special bond, be it romantic or otherwise. The other spring collection, Wisteria, has a cascading leaf motif in silver and gold.
John Hardy jewelry shows off earthy hues of green and blue enamel in the spring Bulan and Kawung collections .The main design element in Hardy jewelry is the traditional techniques and motifs - textured finishes, religious symbols, and antique detailing. These elements reveal the tradition and history of silver - it's so called old-world charm and sensibility. A primary pattern of the John Hardy Kawung collection is the Javanese coffee flower theme borrowed from an ancient art pattern of Indonesia.
Silver jewelry is no longer confined to sterling silver hoop earrings. Silver jewelry has become a major player in its own right in luxury jewelry with colorful focal points of gemstones and enamel just in time for the colorful palette of spring.
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