There’s a broad spectrum of colors on the horizon for spring 2026 fashion, and jewelers can ride the coattails of every single hue and combination. Everyone knows about the PANTONE Color of 2026—Cloud Dancer or white—but also be aware of teal, canary yellow, candy pink, and violet/magenta. These colors were on fall runways by way of new spring fashions, and they’re being written about in mainstream fashion media.

“Bright color and responsible jewelry remain at the forefront of fashion,” explains Monica McDaniel, vice president and marketing director for Chatham. “Spring fashion trends are leaning more toward self-expression with bold color as well as elevated outfits for leisure and everyday wear.”

For sure, pop culture—think film, TV, and music—also influences trending colors and styles.

“Taylor Swift ‘red’ is an obvious one,” observes Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development for ODI / Original Designs.

There’s also green and pink from the “Wicked” franchise, and Beyoncé is driving a Western aesthetic with denim blue and turquoise from her “Cowboy Carter” album.

“Jewelry is an easy way for people to participate in the current pop-culture story—think ‘Bridgerton’ pearls, ‘Stranger Things’ goth style, and ‘KPop Demon Hunters’, which doesn’t have a jewelry aesthetic, but can still be channeled using flashy, high gloss, multi-gemstone looks, like a mix of amethyst, tanzanite, and pink tourmaline,” she says.

For spring fashion, fabric and silhouette trends include fringe, satin and soft outfits that billow and drape, and layers that Vogue calls “literary chic.” Other outlets point to head scarfs and harem pants, and while animal prints had a big presence on runways in 2025, you’ll still see people wearing them in 2026.

Bold metal-intense designs in silver and yellow gold best complement some of these voluminous statements, but the reality is that most jewelry buyers will spring for more modest pieces and interpretations.

“We try to introduce some colorful pieces and smaller profiles that will be good for spring and summer, Mother’s Day, and graduation in the spring,” confirms Phillip Gabriel Maroof, creative director and designer for the Royal Chain Group.

“Layering and mixed gold are extremely popular this year,” adds McDaniel. “Our brand-new stackable rings are a completely unique expression of these jewelry trends. Each season’s newest fashion trends play well with different jewelry styles we offer. To show this to the consumer, we highlight these jewelry styles with their matching trend on our social media and seasonal blog posts.”

And while all these sources are important for creating directional looks, one more arena remains key to producing trends and influences—the red carpet.

At press time, the first major Hollywood event of the year—the Golden Globe Awards in mid-January—was about to take place. Last year it brought us memorable looks like Chase Infiniti’s butter-yellow Louis Vuitton gown, a color we saw more of two months later on Timotheé Chalamet and Goldie Hawn at the Oscars.

In jewelry, we saw statement necklaces like Salma Hayek in a massive Lorraine Schwartz emerald number and Anya Taylor-Joy in a striking Tiffany & Co. opal and diamond design. Both of these trends—butter yellow and statement necklaces—grew legs throughout 2025 that continue to influence the fashion and jewelry sectors today.

Did you tune in for the Globes? Fingers crossed you took some notes on the hot looks and colors since some tend to stick around for the rest of the year.

While the PANTONE Color Institute certainly surprised everyone with its choice of white—otherwise known as Cloud Dancer—for the 2026 Color of the Year, jewelers can thankfully express their own energy and joy through vibrant colors of gemstones.

The PANTONE Color of the Year largely nods to runway couture and home décor trends, but it matters to jewelers who’ll need to help clients color-block with the new clothing trends. Jewelry brands can easily brighten up white outfits this spring with ample varieties of colored gemstone jewelry. Look to Samuel B., Rembrandt Charms, Marathon Company, MJJ Brilliant, Mastoloni Pearls, Imperial, and many more manufacturers who use not only trending gemstones but also enamel, resin, and other colorful accents to punch up precious metal jewelry designs.

In talking to makers themselves, many are surprisingly pleased with PANTONE’s choice of white. “We think it is an interesting choice and great for jewelry, because it is a color that almost everyone would like,” observes Phillip Gabriel Maroof, creative director and designer for the Royal Chain Group.

Maroof has company, too, in that opinion. “I really love it,” says Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development for ODI / Original Designs. “It’s the polar opposite of the chaos all around us. And it’s the exact aesthetic we need right now—peaceful, restorative, hopeful, uplifting.”

In fact, Fletcher has four strong reasons why white is ideal for 2026. “First, it’s the ideal neutral foundation for the current jewelry trend of minimal, refined, effortless luxury,” she continues. “And the perfect backdrop for yellow gold, in both ‘clean-girl’ aesthetic (small hoops, dainty rings) and glamorous links and luxe layered looks. Second, it’s a blank canvas for colored gemstones. White doesn’t compete – it frames. You can go monochrome for a clean look or make a bold statement mixing colors. Third, it has a full year fashion arc, playing well in all four seasons, plus bridal. So, your marketing carries through the whole year. And fourth, white is a classic choice for showcases and displays, so you probably already have some available for Pantone-themed vignettes.”

White gems include pearls, opals, and diamonds, as well as white topaz, mother of pearl, and pale aquamarine. Another wildly popular gemstone that speaks to the white trend? Rainbow moonstone, thanks to a pocket found in Madagascar in 2024. That material was of such high quality that top-end dealers and designers were working with it in faceted forms for its high transparency and orange flash.

In lab-grown gems, diamonds, opals, and white sapphires beautifully capture Cloud Dancer while brighter colors of lab-grown gems (think emeralds and blue spinel) will pop boldly against a backdrop of white clothes.

“Bright, vivid colors (pink tourmaline, amethyst) and bold, saturated hues (emerald, sapphire) will deliver the strongest contrast,” adds Fletcher.

“[Cloud Dancer] acts as a blank canvas for your customer’s creativity and personality,” says Monica McDaniel, vice president and marketing director for Chatham. “We encourage our retailers to still promote the power of color to drive emotion and sales since every color pairs beautifully with Pantone’s Cloud Dancer.”

Prices for lab-grown and natural diamonds still haven’t hit bottom, making many in the industry nervous about what lies ahead. What is certain is that labs will always cost less than naturals, and insiders are confident that labs are here to stay. They’re an option for clients who might not otherwise have been able to own a diamond, and buyers are guaranteed a better quality in lab than they would in lower-quality SI natural diamond goods, which was the mainstay of many fashion lines.

“We need to allow both categories to coexist,” says Amish Shah, founder of ALTR, a lab-grown diamond jewelry manufacturer. “I firmly believe there’s an opportunity in both the categories.”

For sure, labs rule when it comes to innovation and more bang for your buck in the bridal arena. In the commitment ring category, oval and elongated lab-grown diamond centers are moving well “thanks to Ms. Swift,” notes Shah. The bulk of his lab-grown diamond sales are in bands, followed by engagement rings, then diamond bracelets and tennis necklaces.

“The lab-grown diamond category is a whole new world,” he says.

Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development at ODI / Original Designs, also sees a commitment ring category future for labs. At her company, labs are popular in 1.0 ct.–2.0 ct. and up and with insert rings, and in ODI’s vermeil fashion pieces like riviera necklaces, tennis bracelets, and larger studs.

“We only entered lab-grown [diamonds] after the price correction and have kept margins intentionally low, so we aren’t dealing with any legacy fallout from earlier inflated pricing,” she says. “And our customers aren’t experiencing the buyer’s remorse, or overpriced, excess inventory from those earlier purchases. The market is saturated. Retailers are sitting on substantial lab-grown inventory, so the challenge is in identifying the right niche within their existing assortments.”

At Cirari, most of its lab-grown diamond jewelry is fashion-forward pieces (bridal isn’t a big category for the jewelry manufacturer). Mark Funk, vice president of sales and marketing, knows that labs are an important part of most retailers’ businesses.

“I haven’t talked to anyone lately who doesn’t sell lab, some almost exclusively in engagement rings,” he says. “I know a jeweler who stayed away from labs for nearly 10 years, and his accountant told him he’s probably off about $50 million in sales because of that decision. And you know what? He still doesn’t sell lab. He said, ‘I’ve already taken my beating. There’s no point in changing now.’ I said, ‘You may want to reconsider that because it’s not going to die tomorrow.’ Maybe two years from now, maybe three, but if you can do $3 or $4 million a year in it, give the people what they want.”

Another jeweler friend of Funk’s has a small chain of stores, and 80%–90% of his inventory is lab grown. Before labs took off, he was like every other jeweler in terms of categories and offerings.

“I think that more retailers will get into it heavier than they already are or get into it for the first time if they haven’t,” he continues. “I’ve looked at our orders in the last couple of months, and more retailers have bought more of our fine beautiful fashion [lab] stuff. I think we’ll see more of that next year because the consumer wants more.”

Most interesting about Funk’s views is that he originally didn’t want to be in the lab diamond category at all, telling his employer not to sell them. This was just a few years ago.

“I really did think lab was on its last legs,” he says. “I told our company that it wasn’t our forte and we’re not a grower, that I didn’t want to be a lab wholesaler. We’re a prime source manufacturer. I was wrong. I think lab-growns will still be a big push in 2026.”

In a crowded jewelry marketplace in the diamond-loving U.S., manufacturers are making some definitive choices about new designs and what gets lab-grown versus natural diamonds. To that end, a clear demarcation of the two categories is taking shape, with directions that surprise few: quality and rarity lovers buy naturals, and the fashion- and flash-loving public goes for labs.

Industry insiders reveal that affluent jewelry collectors are largely scaling up and buying rare natural diamonds as are lovers of quality jewelry in modest sizes. “Natural diamonds are perfect for gold and platinum in understated, minimal designs with smaller diamonds, where the cost differential between lab and natural is not as pronounced,” observes Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development of ODI / Original Designs.

“Our Simply Platinum Collection features classic bridal and fashion designs in natural diamonds. The inspiration was the marriage of two of the rarest, most luxurious, natural materials.”

Among those natural diamond fans are the ones interested in traceability, country of origin, and knowing the diamond’s journey from rough to polished. That’s an area that Leo Schachter Diamonds is working hard to deliver.

“These are for the consumer who wants something that means something, unlike labs that lack worth and trade-in value,” explains Lenny Kramer, executive vice president of sales.

Value and worth are traits that only the natural diamond category can provide, both in white diamonds and in natural fancy colors. These “have only appreciated over time because they are genuinely, authentically rare,” observes Amish Shah, founder of ALTR, a lab-grown diamond jewelry manufacturer. “There will always be a segmented consumer in the bridal category—about 20%—that will look for newer designs consistently in the earth-mined diamond category.”

Included in that segment are some of Cirari’s wealthier clients who seek out better-quality natural diamond jewelry, a niche that the manufacturer is happy to serve.

“What we’re doing is building finer, higher price points in goods,” reveals Mark Funk, vice president of sales and marketing. “That’s our design trend—design what the higher-end consumer wants in better natural goods. We’ve got a beautiful emerald-cut white and yellow natural diamond line necklace that retails for between $150,000–$200,000, depending on weight. We’ve sold four in the last month. This is what we’re doing in natural for the consumer who’s not affected by the economy, the dollar devaluation, gold price, or anything else. They’re just buying what they want because they have the money. These folks are usually in the upper 10%–20% of clients of retail jewelry stores. We’re building goods for them.”

Meanwhile, the rest of the jewelry-buying public is going after the look-for-less option of lab-growns. In that arena, there’s plenty to offer because designers and manufacturers can experiment freely due to the low cost of production.

Funk’s lab-grown diamond jewelry buyers have dozens of new designs to choose from across all the styles, with many featuring multi-stone looks of clusters of stones in large carat weights.

“We have one ring with a 4.5 ctw. of lab-grown diamonds that looks like a million dollars on the finger,” adds Funk. “That’s the direction where our design team is focused, plus flexible bangles with labs.”

The real beauty of lab diamonds, however, stands out in the innovative minds of producers and designers. From custom cuts to custom colors, “the world of created diamonds allows designers to step outside the traditional lines to visualize, imagine, and then allow manufacturers like us to translate ideas into beautiful diamond cuts for designers to craft into fine jewelry,” says Shah.

Among his firm’s innovations? Letters cut from lab-grown diamonds and a plethora of unique lab-grown diamond colors, such as lilac and pumpkin, in myriad fancy shapes.

“There is a consistent evolution in colors and diamond cuts,” he adds.

One of his most special creations yet is coming soon for his niece.

“She would love a pink teddy bear,” he reveals. “And I mean a single diamond cut into a teddy bear, in pink. So, this is where the trends are evolving. It’s new conversations for wider and newer marketplaces.”

In the retail landscape of diamond jewelry, consumers have an extraordinary number of choices, starting with the diamond category—lab grown or natural? The rise of lab-growns in the past decade has upended the diamond jewelry market, causing wild fluctuations in prices of both lab-grown and natural. Consumer interest in lab-growns has been a major driver of their successful sales; a diamond type chemically and optically identical to mined diamonds at a fraction of the price? Yes, please, say many consumers!

Cirari / Color Jewels

But how do consumers view the two diamond categories? For sure, the choices have drastically changed the market. First and foremost, labs have made the “diamond dream” a reality for everyone, not just those who can afford a natural, mined diamond.

“Labs have opened up the diamond world to consumers who could never before afford a diamond,” says Lenny Kramer, executive vice president of sales, Leo Schachter Diamonds. “That’s a good thing for people who can’t spend on a natural, but it has skewed the units sold in the engagement ring market to labs.”

Amish Shah, founder of ALTR, a maker of lab-grown diamond jewelry, knows this firsthand. His company’s research shows that lab-grown diamonds account for 70%–80% of what’s sold in stores that offer lab. In fact, ALTR conducted research in 2017 to study its customer base and learned that its single largest group was the second-time bride.

“Lab-grown diamonds are for every age group, any type of relationship, and any type of occasion,” he says. “From my brother’s daughter who is 10 and wants a pink diamond to an 87-year-old gentleman who got his wife a pair of diamond studs from us.”

In fashion-forward, nonbridal jewelry, Shah says that labs account for as much as 30% of what’s sold but estimates that by next year that will rise to 50%.

“There will always be a very respectable place for the earth-mined diamonds, while lab-grown diamond jewelry will occupy a wider position in the market space in units,” he adds.

    ALTR

Ninety percent of what Cirari sells in lab grown is fashion jewelry, and that business has been strong, according to Mark Funk, vice president of sales and marketing. Many friends and associates of Funk can afford naturals, but they buy lab grown. “I’ve had good friends and family call me and go, ‘I’m looking for a lab-grown tennis bracelet. What do you got?’ And I’m like, ‘Why wouldn’t you buy beautiful, earth-grown, natural diamonds instead?’ It’s the price, and because the lab-grown product looks so beautiful. The lab-grown diamonds are so white, so fire. They’re so everything, and they’re like pennies.”

“I don’t think it’s just the young crowd buying a 3.0 ct. oval, which I got one for a friend’s son a couple months ago,” Funk continues. “Certainly, people between 30 and 60 are buying [labs] as well. And as [lab-grown] diamond prices continue to fall, of course [natural prices] will bounce back. But as [labs] continue to fall, consumers will see an even better perceived value in earth-grown diamonds. Just not in 2026, I don’t think.”

Some say lab-grown diamonds are enroute to costume jewelry status—like cubic zirconia—but that’s a bold statement. Still, many lovers of natural diamonds are hoping for that scenario, observes Kramer.

“There’s a whole set of retailers who prefer to sell naturals,” he adds.

Natural still reigns in perception as the ‘forever’ diamond, notes Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development at ODI / Original Designs. However, “second- and third-time [married] couples might have a different perception of ‘forever,’” she clarifies. “As education around lab-grown diamonds increases and consumers become more aware of their lack of long-term value, lab-grown diamonds are less likely to be seen as traditional fine jewelry and more likely to be considered demi-fine, bridge, or trend/fashion,” she continues.

ODI/ Original Designs

“While lab-grown diamonds are strong in fashion, sales are split between couples who don’t feel the need to invest in another expensive ring [in bridal], and those who still want the traditional heirloom. As a non-investment, guilt-free, affordable gift or self-purchase, lab will stay strong. In the bridal category, which is about 50/50 now, I think we will see an uptick in natural. But I think lab will still be strong in larger total weights. With consumers now more educated on pricing, retailers will need to adjust expectations from the very high margins of the past.”

As for when the pricing of mined diamonds will stabilize, Shah suspects that will happen when the category is better able to compete with labs.

“While this sounds completely out of line, this is how the consumer looks at it,” he says. “The entire concept of store of value, and I repeat, store of value that was sold to the consumer is no longer being bought by the consumer. Hence, the value is in the creation, not the component.”

While America’s love of diamonds still outshines all other categories of fine jewelry, the U.S. diamond market in 2025 had another rough year—and that’s on top of a challenging 2024!

In November 2024, Analyst Paul Zimnisky told The Financial Times, “A generic lab-grown diamond can be bought for as little as one-twentieth the price of an equivalent natural diamond.” By spring 2025, he doubled down on his lab-grown diamond observations, telling JCK that prices were down 90% to 95% compared with prices in 2015, and that within five years “a ton of lab diamonds would sell on Amazon and Alibaba. The industry will gravitate back to natural.”

Amish Shah, founder of ALTR, a lab-grown diamond manufacturer, sees the price fluctuation as well, calling the wholesale pricing of earth-mined and lab-grown diamonds for the past 24 months “a roller coaster.” Still, he’s not worried about the future of his products.

“Lab-grown diamond prices are a direct translation of the marketplace, which is demand and supply in today’s free trade world. Lab-grown prices under one carat are stable and under a half carat are currently higher than they were last year. Lab-grown prices between 1.0 ct. to 3.0 cts. are stable. Lab-grown diamond studs are running way over last year, almost doubling up over last year—the number of units has gone up. Plus, 80% of bridal center stones set in earth-mined diamond semi-mounts or lab-grown diamond semi-mounts are lab-grown diamonds.”

And their natural counterparts? It’s complicated.

At the JCK Las Vegas Show last June, De Beers unveiled its Ombré Desert Diamonds initiative to cast a spotlight on natural-colored diamonds in tones of warm white to champagne, brown, and amber. De Beers is supporting this promotion with marketing budget. This effort may distract consumers from the issues surrounding white diamonds, which are the ones with wildly fluctuating prices, and pave the way for greater sales of an oft-disregarded segment of diamonds—the nonwhite and included ones.

Everyone can see that white diamonds are still taking a beating. According to Shah, in the last 24 months at the wholesale level, the [natural] SI-quality diamonds “have seen a drop of 25% to 35% in pricing. In earth-mined smaller goods (one carat) with reports, prices are close to 50% off.”

Mark Funk, vice president of sales and marketing, Cirari, sees this reality as well.

“What’s happening is there’s more and less expensive SI1 to VS2 goods coming in the market at a very low price, which devalues the stuff that might be SI2 to I1 products,” he explains.

Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development at ODI / Original Designs, calls this current scenario a “price crash” brought about by lab-growns.

“They pulled down the perceived value of diamonds in general, contributing to weaker demand,” she says.

This fallout and resulting “value confidence” problem, as she calls it, could be one of the biggest issues for jewelers in 2026. Add that to tariffs and the price of gold, and there’s a minefield for merchants to navigate next year.

“We’re constantly repricing due to diamond and precious metal prices and tariffs,” confirms Fletcher.

Funk, too, has had his share of repricing events—about four in 2025. But the questions that consumers have about diamond jewelry pricing all relate to the price of gold, not the diamonds. And while his company’s sales were slower in August and September 2025 than the previous year, October was phenomenal and November was strong.

Leo Schachter Diamonds has weathered many a turbulent selling season, but Lenny Kramer, executive vice president of sales, sees a light on the horizon for this one.

“Now [natural diamond] supply is restricted in better goods, so prices are starting to firm up,” he explains. “We’re waiting to see how the consumer acts during the holiday season. A lot rides on it. But we don’t believe in museum pieces—we’ll reprice and sell appropriately as the market dictates.”

Some insiders suspect that early lab-grown diamond jewelry costs and subsequent markups are coming back to bite retailers. Anecdotes shared in jewelry industry Facebook groups confirm that some consumers with lab-grown diamond engagement rings from broken betrothals were devastated to hear their buy-back offers—if any at all.

Issues aside, everyone can agree that lab-growns aren’t going anywhere, and the market for naturals won’t dry up anytime soon.

“The biggest diamond trend for 2026 is more lab, more lab, and more lab,” Funk says confidently. “I think in the naturals, it’s going to come back only for unique pieces.”

No one has a business crystal ball but even so, it’s clear what’s top of mind for most in the industry—gold, diamond prices, and tariffs. These are influencing mindsets, planning, and product directions and inspiring makers to get creative and enhance non-product-specific efforts (think customer service).

Despite industrywide concerns and market realities, some are still expecting a strong holiday season. Parag Desai, president of the independent division of S.D.C. Designs, is among them.

“This holiday season will tell a lot, but we anticipate being slightly up,” he says.

Driving the growth is continued interest in yellow gold, which is spurring the creation of lightweight gold jewels (and some silver). An ongoing interest among consumers for lab-grown diamonds also will not wane.

“I think business will be up in 2026, duty and custom imports will come to conclusion, and gold will stabilize and go down,” predicts Adam Bassalali, cofounder and vice president of Lali Jewels. “Earth-mined diamonds might have a good year, too, because labs have bottomed out.”

Russell Schachter, executive vice president of sales and new business development for Indigo Jewelry, is trying to respond to market conditions in a timely manner but concedes that it’s hard when you “don’t know what landmines could be thrown at you the next day,” he says. “We are still in the midst of figuring out if gold will go to $5,000 an ounce.”

Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development at ODI / Original Designs, suggests that many suspect that business would drop because of these issues, but she is convinced sales and interest will remain steady.

“People who like gold will still invest in gold, and older pieces in showcases are suddenly worth much more,” she explains. “Hopefully tariffs will encourage investment and development in American jewelry manufacturing.”

In terms of product, 2026 trends include religious jewelry, pieces with sentimental messaging, and colored gemstones, among others.

“In America, it takes a while for trends to transition to the center of the country or the South,” says Bassalali. “It’s a 2- to 5-year cycle until something changes.”

Fletcher anticipates a big Made in America trend, not only because of tariffs on imports but also because of the U.S.’s 250^th birthday celebration in 2026. In products, that trend can be addressed in symbols featuring the iconic Route 66 Centennial. She also expects the minimalist trend to flourish, and for large colored gemstones to grow in popularity.

“The market has been so oversaturated with lab diamonds this year,” she says.

Meanwhile, Matthew Behnam, president of Everspark, a sister company to Samuel B., reminds us that a big part of our industry’s future lies in the strengthening of relationships and customer service.

“It’s not just about having the lowest price—value comes in many forms,” he says. “What better way to service customers than to build something truly unique for them, as opposed to selling them something that another thousand people already have?”

Here, he’s referring to his ever-growing custom jewelry manufacturing business.

“Custom is one of the fastest-growing categories—if not the fastest growing—in jewelry,” he adds.

High-profile Valentine’s Day gifts (we’re looking at you, Travis Kelce, and your gold and diamonds gifts to T. Swizzle in 2025) may have higher price tags than what the general public spends, but that doesn’t mean they are any less sentimental or endearing. From color combinations like pink and red to traditional symbols like hearts to designs that are nontraditional but even more thoughtfully executed than obvious symbols of affection, there are myriad ways to express love for others through jewelry.

The duo of pink and red isn’t a straightforward choice for Valentine’s Day, but it does pack a powerful and graphic punch.

ODI / Original Designs

“Red and pink sapphires have been popping in the last few months,” explains Adam Bassalali, cofounder, vice president, Lali Jewels. “And even more so for Valentine’s Day.”

Prefer pink alone? Bassalali can offer that, as well as specific motifs (think infinity symbols and friendship bracelets). And few have ever turned down rubies and diamonds.

“Those are always great gems for Valentine’s Day,” observes Theresa Namie, merchandise manager at Ostbye.

Other motifs include butterflies, such as the ones from Asian Star, and keys and crown motifs from Prime Art & Jewel. Padlocks are also symbols of love, and they can be unisex. That’s how Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development for ODI / Original Designs, sees the symbol. They used it in a new collection that includes Valentine’s gifts for men.

“Our padlock pendants say, ‘You’re my safe place’ and have iconic symbols representing strength, loyalty, leadership and protection,” she explains. “Most of what you see advertised for Valentine’s Day is women’s jewelry. These padlocks are designed to be worn by anyone.”

And while hearts have been trending, many women still don’t care for them. Still, they’re “an easy expression of love for a romantic gift and rarely get returned,” says Namie. Brevani has some cute oversize ones set with pavé diamonds, and Imperial Pearl has a large, fun silver pendant in a heart motif silhouette of cultured freshwater pearls.

A unique idea to express love? One of Ostbye’s retail clients runs a campaign called Rooted in Love utilizing the manufacturer’s floral and leaf designs.

“We also recommend stackable rings as they can be added onto over the years and can be worn all the time for any occasion,” she adds.

Another out-of-the-box expression of love? Ostbye’s Heartstrings collection that one of its retailers suggested and helped design. Gifts are packaged as suites containing an earring, a pendant, and “one very fun heart!” says Namie.

“This has symbolism using the strings for the one that pulls at your heart and the two diamonds that represent the two that are bonded in love,” she explains.

          Ostbye

And while she concedes that the concept isn’t brand new, Ostbye realizes that “there is a whole new generation of customers that love them,” she says.

Another subtle symbol of love? Initials—especially when using those of a loved one. Aneri Jewels has oversize cursive ones in yellow gold and diamonds, as does Chatham Gems, with fancy cuts of created colored gemstones like rubies. Royal Chain Group even has gold ones that resemble filled helium balloons.

And when gold prices are high and seem out of reach for clients, remember this practical insight from Namie: “Valentine’s Day is typically lower price points, so using silver and 10k gold is an easy sale.”          

Just when you think the price of gold can’t possibly climb higher, it does, and manufacturers feel the pinch! The price of gold—at press time, it was over $4,600 an ounce—is currently the biggest issue in the jewelry market, followed by tariffs and diamonds—lab and mined.

Product directions for 2026 are a direct reflection of these market factors.

For example, the disruption and price fluctuation in the white diamond market has driven some consumers to better appreciate colored ones. DeBeers’ latest Desert Diamonds campaign casts a spotlight on natural brown diamonds, the timing of which dovetails with the 2025 PANTONE Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal suggests another trend among consumers who wear brown diamonds: they’re showcasing their taste in naturally occurring gemstones as opposed to white or colorless diamonds, which can be lab or natural. When diamonds are brown, they’re natural; nobody is growing brown diamonds.

“It’s more fashion oriented, and a popular color, confirms Adam Bassalali, co-founder, vice president, Lali Jewels, who has only ever sold natural diamonds, never lab.

Another ongoing trend in diamonds, lab grown and mined? Fancy silhouettes, including antique-type diamond cuts inspired by Taylor Swift’s engagement ring, according to Russell Schachter, executive vice president of sales and new business development for Indigo Jewelry. The pop star’s 8.0–10.0 ct. elongated antique cushion-cut diamond set in yellow gold inspired a rush for the cut, which had already been trending in the trade in diamonds and colored gemstones, for upwards of eight years

When it comes to gold prices, lighter-weight pieces, vermeil, and silver designs are all options for manufacturers to make.

“With the price of gold on the rise, we are working to reduce our gold weights where possible,” explains Jessica Zerega, merchandising director, Goldstar Jewellery. “We are working to keep our gold weights down but keeping the perceived value of the styles still really high, with larger lab grown diamonds and unique design elements.”

Valerie Fletcher’s clients are relying heavily on vermeil because of the price of gold. The plating on their designs is 2.5 microns—“Thick enough to withstand everyday wear, and because the base is silver, it is 100% precious metal,” explains the vice president of design and product development for ODI /Original Designs.

“And vermeil plating can be done on any type of product, so you will never lose a sale due to the price of gold,” she continues. Combined with lab-grown diamonds, we can offer a luxury look at an affordable price.”

Zerega knows how important the category of gold is to clients, but current prices are driving them into “a bit more sterling silver and plated merchandise,” she reveals.

Paris 1901, a division of Prime Art & Jewel, is well equipped to provide silver jewelry, calling itself one of the leading sterling silver manufacturers in the world,” according to Susie Wilty, director of sales.

“The versatility of sterling silver plays in our favor, too, as 14k gold plating gives the customer the option of that look without the heavy price tag,” she adds.

Among her predictions for 2026? Sterling silver will be important to new design directions, from sleek minimalist pieces to vintage-inspired ones to personalization and more.

“Consumers are moving toward more personal, expressive jewelry (customization, layering, mixed materials) and silver works well for that,” she observes. “Younger buyers in particular lean toward pieces they can afford but still feel special or designer driven. By 2026, sterling silver should again be well-embedded in the fashion vocabulary.”

Technological advances in fine jewelry manufacturing move at a dizzying rate. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing and scanning, and CNC and lasers have streamlined some areas of marketing and production that have given many in the industry a boost.

The simplest type of tech aide may be point-of-sale software for data analytics. This is a help to Adam Bassalali, cofounder and vice president of Lali Jewels, for trunk show scheduling and selections and to eliminate manual data analysis.

“We’re diving deeper into tech to better review our best sellers and make reorder suggestions,” he says.

Considering the ongoing tariff situation for U.S. importers, manufacturing practices such as 3D castable resin “has become a game changer,” explains Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development, ODI / Original Designs. “CNC and laser technology are becoming faster and more efficient, with the ability to create crisp, precise, repeating patterns like sunbursts, waves, and geometric designs. It’s a great way to add luxury detailing at minimal cost. I can still create the CAD with my design team in India but have the resin grown on a 3D printer here in New York so it’s ready for local casting.”

Another benefit to castable resin? “It preserves the most intricate details that would be softened or deformed using a rubber mold,” adds Fletcher.

Others note the importance of 3D scanning. Matthew Behnam, president of Everspark, sister company to Samuel B., offers this scenario to explain its importance: a customer has a ring and wants another to fit snug against the original.

“Certain scanners we use to do that,” he says. “They’ve come a long way in the last couple of months, with the detail and ease of scanning.”

For AI, opportunities are huge. AI can help users parse options for collections, which is one of the ways that Behnam uses it.

“From a design perspective, you can have designers sketch ideas for new concepts and submit the sketches into AI image generators,” says Behnam. “Within seconds or minutes, AI provides you with many different iterations or angles on that idea. AI figures out what else you can do and is prompt based, as in, ‘We want to make this pendant and see what it looks like if it’s melting.’ AI does it right away. It’s not a replacement for a human design but enhances and speeds up product development.”

Behnam’s AI tools of choice include Google Gemini and Picasso AI, both of which are image-based AI tools.

Behnam’s real pride and joy? The custom jewelry manufacturing platform he’s building for retail clients to use. Many stores still aren’t sold on custom because they lack the time and tools to bring jobs to life, but Behnam’s efforts give them a dedicated interface for ordering.

“It’s too hard to send multiple emails and confirm every aspect of a job—is this a 2 mm ring or not?” he says. “It’s too overwhelming for a lot of people, which is why we built a platform to improve the process.”

Custom work means communicating a concept through images and storytelling. Behnam has streamlined the process by allowing clients to upload images and tell the story of designs with an assist from AI.

“It reads what the client is typing and suggests, ‘Here’s how I think you should modify the design,’ or ‘Is this what you really meant?’” he adds. “We CAD it, price it in different metals, and provide a 3D rendering so retailers don’t need to quote manually on the phone. Stores just approve it and track the manufacturing process until it’s delivered. The overarching concept behind it is to provide full transparency for stores and stop mistakes from happening. As opposed to solely dealing with phone calls, the platform allows stores to have more bandwidth. Did I order right color? It’s all right there on the dashboard.”

Another way to use Behnam’s platform is for private label manufacturers to request assistance with retail pricing. Should you mark up 2.5 or just 2?

“We are using an AI comparative shopper to scour the web for like items, such as a 1.0 ct. diamond channel-set band, to see how others price pieces,” he continues. “We have these running all the time; once a day AI searches the entire internet for prices—we’ve turned AI into an employee to do a very specific task. It’s the framework of Chat GPT that is called an agent, and we tend to use agents a lot.”

For merchants who want a little tech in the shop, Fletcher suggests they purchase a laser engraver.

“Even an entry level one lets you quickly personalize a piece for your customer, adding value to the sale,” she says.

But if you’re a retailer with strong manufacturing partners, “you don’t need to be investing in this stuff,” says Behnam. “If Everspark manufactures for you, you will need a wax and you will have one the next day.”