James Pounds, president of Dominion Diamond Marketing Corp., envisions lab-grown diamonds becoming a business in itself.
“We have no problem with synthetics,” he says. “What worries us and all producers, as well as everyone in the jewellery business, is the misrepresentation of synthetic as natural. That is very damaging to everyone involved. We’re happy to see whatever happens in the legitimate synthetic diamond business because we see it as complementary to our natural diamond business. It’s the malfeasance that we’re worried about.”
Chain of custody is high on the list of priorities at the consumer level, Pounds says. It is one of the reasons Dominion is revitalizing the CanadaMark hallmark.
Independently audited to be of Canadian origin, CanadaMark diamonds are cut from rough that was responsibly mined in the Northwest Territories and tracked at every stage from country of origin to polished stone. Every diamond is laser-inscribed with the CanadaMark logo and a unique serial number.
“Consumers responded to the brand itself, the concept of purity, good stewardship, and confidence in Canadian mining codes,” says Pounds of the research Dominion conducted.
Sustainable and responsible materials are gaining more interest among consumers, particularly with companies like Tiffany & Co., signing on with campaigns like No Dirty Gold. The initiative operates on its ‘Golden Rules,’ which set out criteria for more responsible mining, including respecting human rights as outlined in international conventions and law, as well as workers’ rights and labour standards.
Los Angeles-based designer Alberto Parada says he knows of only a handful of designers who use reclaimed gold, despite growing consumer preference.
“A lot of designers manufacture overseas, so they feel being sustainable is difficult and the higher cost doesn’t make sense for them,” Parada tells Jewellery Business from his booth at Couture.
From the aisles of both shows, notable trends included floating diamond pendants, negative space rings, ear climbers and cuffs, rose gold with black diamonds, and sapphire slices.
Designers also leaned toward classic jewellery that can be worn with dressier attire or more casual garb. Symbols like crowns, wishbones, hearts, and stars with diamonds dangling daintily from a chain also peeked out from numerous showcases.
Personalization—particularly when it comes to engravable signet rings and signs of the zodiac—continues to be a hot trend, fuelled by a ‘what’s old is new again’ philosophy, says Ashley Brown, Stuller’s executive director, marketing and public relations.
This ‘back-to-basics’ approach is the driving force behind Stuller’s selling systems, which are designed to take the guesswork out of retailing.
“Case space is valuable these days,” she explains. “It’s all about organizing jewellery for retailers and making it easy for them to sell.”
Andrea Maine, co-owner of Chrysalis, says retailers are looking for price points that complement more expensive pieces. The company’s expandable bangles in plated base metals feature initials talismans and spiritual symbols, which resonate with consumers. “Gift price points create traffic for retailers,” she adds.
