The annual trade fairs in Las Vegas are a hotspot for seeing new trends unfold. This year’s JCK Las Vegas show was no different, allowing retailers to eyeball the latest design inspirations, many of which will land in stores by the fourth quarter.

Top trends spied in Sin City include message jewelry and sentimental styles (still!). Zodiac pieces and heraldic symbols were important for ODI according to Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development.

“Anything personal—initials, messages, symbols, and icons—did really well,” she says.

In metal-intense looks, layering chains of all types—from paper clip links to stations—and platinum fashion and vermeil designs sold well because of the price of gold.

“Paperclip-style necklaces and bracelets have officially moved from a trend to a true staple,” confirms Sam Hupp, vice president of sales for Paris 1901, a division of Prime Art & Jewel. “We have them in multiple brands in our fashion house in different sizes, metals, and finishes. They all seem to have a position and need without compromising sales growth.”

For ODI, Cuban links for men were hot. “Bracelets and necklaces are great sellers, especially with black diamonds,” adds Fletcher. And for platinum, bridal is the obvious choice but “delicate, everyday fashion pieces also did great at the show—definitely a lot of interest there,” she observes.

Another important trend is color. Pricing ups and downs in the diamond market are leading many to take a closer look at gemstones for important purchases like engagement rings and for fashion numbers. Color inspires everyone differently, and for every favorite hue, there’s a gemstone found in nature to match.

“We had a lot of requests for color—mostly amethyst and blue topaz,” notes Fletcher. “People asked for fashion looks with multiple stones.”

Color is the focus for Chatham, a maker of lab-grown jewels. At the show this year, clients were interested in two- and three-stone rings as well as dainty cuffs, all set with a variety of manmade gems, including synthetic emeralds. One of its best-sellers? A 5.50 ct. lab-grown oval ruby flanked by 3.30 cts. t.w. lab-grown half-moon-shape diamonds.

“This item was picked up by almost every visitor to that showcase,” says Monica McDaniel, vice president of marketing.

At Imperial, cultured freshwater and Akoya pearls were paired with aquamarine and morganite as well as enamel to create fresh looks for bridal and fashion. “We are pursuing pearl and enamel more and have designed a handful of very beautiful and saleable designs,” says Kathy Grenier, vice president of business relations.

                            Prime Art & Jewel

Finally, some diamond jewelry makers say they’re getting increased requests for cluster styles of natural or mined diamonds.

“Retailers are focusing on offering products with larger visual impacts,” says Eric Wadia, vice president of marketing and corporate communications at Asian Star Company, Ltd. “Innovations in cluster plate designs have become a key strategy, allowing bridal jewelry to appear more substantial and luxurious. This approach helps natural diamonds stand out against the competition from lab-grown alternatives.”