“Colour adds a personality to your look,” she tells Jewellery Business from her booth at Couture. “If it looks good on you, it might not look as good on someone else, and therefore, it’s special to you. Colour adds a special dimension to your wardrobe and it can become your signature piece. Sometimes people say they’d rather wear only diamonds so they match everything, but if your eyes pick out a certain colour, it will look good on you because it’s likely one you wear all the time.”
The right-hand cocktail ring spans Cleopatra to Kate Middleton, says Niveet Nagpal, owner of Omi Gems. “I think it speaks to every woman’s individuality,” he says. “It’s about how it makes a woman feel when she tries it on. It’s about creating a blend between a stone that comes from nature and the art of the piece’s design. When you put those together, it speaks to the person on a deep level.”
With the economic troubles in the United States levelling off to a certain extent, Nagpal says he’s noticed a trend toward brightly coloured stones, perhaps reflecting a more positive attitude toward the future. Demand in the $50,000 to $100,000 market appears strong, he adds, pointing to Europe’s ongoing economic problems as the catalyst for the wealthy to move to more tangible assets.
“You can’t wear a stock portfolio around your neck,” he says. “I think people want to enjoy their money a little more. It’s not an investment per se, but when you’re talking about a high-pedigree coloured stone, then it is an investment or at least a place to park your money that you can also enjoy.”
Masis Hagopian, owner of Makur Designs in New York City, says he’s picked up several new accounts, including Canadian retailers, with his blush-coloured morganite designs set in pink gold. Like other gemstone exhibitors, Hagopian notes strong sales up to $3000 retail and from about $7000 and higher. The mid-range, however, remains slow.
