PANTONE’s New Hue

Every December, as many eagerly stock up on presents for loved ones, PANTONE, the color authority, gifts the world an extra-special lagniappe called the Color of the Year. The hue aims to excite consumers about the directional force that color can have and is seen across many categories—from clothes to interior design to accessories. For 2024, the shade is Peach Fuzz, and jewelry manufacturers are hurriedly mapping out how they can help retail clients offer appropriate merchandise.

Chatham, Inc.

“Color is a powerful psychological tool that should be used by retailers to convert sales,” says Monica McDaniel, vice president, of Chatham, Inc. “Different gemstone colors evoke specific emotions and associations. Understanding this can help market and sell gemstones more effectively.”

PANTONE tells us that Peach Fuzz “is a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul … capturing our desire to nurture ourselves and others.”

Makers agree with the choice, calling it a good one for all the uncertainty the world is currently experiencing.

McDaniel says that it’s “human nature to seek out things that bring us hope and joy. With its warm and inviting tone, Peach Fuzz is an endearing color that accomplishes just that!”

Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development for ODI, says the Color of the Year “influences everything from textiles to interior design to graphic design and … consumers’ jewelry choices. The Pantone color trend report can be a useful tool when choosing a product for your store.”

   Shefi Diamonds

Surbhi Jain agrees. “It’s crucial to emphasize its role in driving sales, enhancing brand image, and connecting with the ever-evolving tastes of consumers,” says the marketing director for Shefi Diamonds. “Encouraging retailers to embrace this annual color trend positions them as forward-thinking and responsive to the dynamic landscape of design.”

In terms of product, Peach Fuzz offers many opportunities to match its color and complement others. For starters, nearly every firm interviewed calls Morganite a near-perfect match for the PANTONE color.

Shefi Diamonds has a Peach Blossom brand featuring morganite in both bridal and fashion styles, and its Cinnamon Dulce collection pairs morganite with champagne diamonds, creating a “harmonious combination,” says Jain.

ODI

Lab-grown gemstone maker Chatham is well prepared for Peach Fuzz requests given its three different shades of champagne-color lab-grown sapphire, one of which has “richly saturated peach dominant undertones,” notes McDaniel. In Chatham’s upper-end Legacy Collection, lab-grown champagne sapphires are set in 18k rose gold. Chatham even planned to expand offerings in this material before the PANTONE announcement was made.

“We started to see an increased demand for this color preference since this past summer of 2023,” McDaniel continues. It’s a similar story at Imperial, which debuted rose gold, morganite, and freshwater pearls—peachy pink and white—together long before the Color of the Year was a consideration.

They did so because it was pretty, and now Kathy Grenier, vice president of business development, wonders if Peach Fuzz will “reignite interest” in its morganite selections. Regardless, sharing trend information like the Color of the Year “helps establish Imperial as a source retailers can count on not only for pearls,” she explains.

Royal Chain, too, is banking on the appeal of rose gold and white freshwater pearls, and is positioning that look as an ideal companion for Peach Fuzz–color gems and accessories.

And while Lali Jewelry’s Perilynn Glasner, marketing and design director, will use Peach Fuzz as a backdrop on social media to make her company’s SKUs—some with complementary shades of aquamarine, blue topaz, and green amethyst—pop, others are keen to pair last year’s shade with this new one.

Fletcher is among the enthused. “Because this year’s color falls right next to last year’s Viva Magenta and almost directly across from 2022’s Very Peri, Peach Fuzz blends nicely with either one,” she explains. “So, if you’re someone who buys into the color every year, you now have some great stacking opportunities.”