Earlier this year, we asked members of the GIA social media team to predict trends for 2014. Since the year is coming to a close, we thought it was an appropriate time to see how they fared.
Doug Glener, copywriter, bet on Industrial Chic – “a cross between Steam Punk and Industrial .” Emmy Rossum was spotted wearing these black tourmaline and diamond earrings by Jorge Adeler, which is an example of this gritty-but-sophisticated style.
Glener also thought that, if Princess Grace of Monaco was successful at the box office, jewelry connoisseurs would adopt her iconic style. We’ll give him an “incomplete” on the prediction, as the movie never made it to American shores.
Kristin Mahan, project manager, PR & communication, tabbed vintage engagement rings as being a hot trend, along with bridesmaids wearing complementary jewelry. Vintage engagement rings are certainly in, as illustrated by Angie Harmon, who is wearing a cluster of faux-vintage rings straight from the display case.
Mike Magee, jewelry manufacturing arts instructor, thought that falling prices of 3D printers were going to attract a new crowd of jewelry-making hobbyists to the industry – a prediction that’s tough to quantify. Falling prices of 3D printers, though, have certainly been making headlines. Mass merchandisers like Target are also letting customers design customizable rings, which are sent off to Shapeways, a 3D printing service, and then shipped back to the purchaser.
McKenzie Santimer, exhibit developer, guessed that long chains would be in style. She also thought that consumers would be seeing jewelry made of unusual materials like plastic and rubber. Lucy Hale wore this long necklace by Sutra, showing that Santimer knows fashion.
Santimer did make a somewhat riskier prediction: “Jewelry designers will be inspired by paintings by the great masters, and will make them part of their designs.” We’re still waiting for designers to reimagine the treasure trove of great art, so don’t count her out just yet!
Ear climbers by Amrapali. Courtesy of D’Orazio & Associates.
Peggy Tsiamis, visual resources researcher, sounded like a fortune teller: “Ear cuffs look to be getting a hold.” 2014 was indeed the “year of the ear,” and ear cuffs (and climbers) were one of the hottest trends. See Halle Berry in ear climbers by Jack Vartanian as proof.
Tsiamis thought Princess Grace of Monaco would influence fashion, so she received an “incomplete,” as the movie never made it to American theaters.
Rose Tozer, senior research librarian, thought that feathers would be a popular motif in 2014. These opal earrings by Sutra Jewels look like they could have been plucked from a peacock.
Russell Shor, senior industry analyst, predicted that caution would rule the diamond industry. Though demand would remain worldwide, he also said that concerns over rough prices, financing and ever-more sophisticated synthetics would dampen the mood of manufacturers and wholesalers.
While the year hasn’t quite wrapped up yet, demand has held up despite the concerns he described.
So how did our team do? Though they did have their share of misses, by and large, they seemed to have a steady pulse on what’s popular. We’ll give them a B+ for their predictions (it’s the holidays after all!)
If you’re interested in exploring more about a trend that was hot in 2014 (and will most likely stay hot in 2015), check out our blog post on jewelry with geometric designs.
