Lace is in. Big fashion houses are filling the pages of women’s magazines with haute couture lace clothing – dresses…shirts…scarves, and jewelry designers are no exception.
The handcrafted look is also popular, and it’s stoking demand for products with an antique appearance. These trends have trickled down to jewelry, and you’ll find beautiful pieces with lace-like qualities.
Technological advances, ironically, are also behind the antique look. Groundbreaking laser technology is allowing designers to make jewelry of unmatched complexity. It’s also enabling them to create the illusion of more jewelry with less material – something increasingly important as the price of precious metals rise.
Limelight Couture Précieuse necklace. 18K white gold, set with diamonds. Image courtesy of Piaget.
This one-of-a-kind Limelight Couture Précieuse necklace by Piaget is the epitome of femininity: soft, flowing, and decorated with flowers and honeycomb shapes. A modern take on Edwardian classic, it’s a luxurious piece for the true jewelry connoisseur.
Earrings by Amrapali.
These earrings by Amrapali show a wonderful use of positive and negative space. The lacey designs, in fact, come to life because of the negative space.
Courtesy of Neil Lane Jewelry
Making platinum look like ribbons shows the spectacular craftsmanship of Edwardian Era jewelers (platinum is a difficult metal with which to work). This Tiffany corsage (circa 1905) is fluid in appearance and has an impressively delicate quality.
“Blue Sapphire Tattoo Ring” by Jason Dow.
This “Blue Sapphire Tattoo Ring” by GIA alum and 2013 Palladium Alliance International Design Contest Finalist Jason Dow finds inspiration in the Henna tattoos worn by Indian brides. Dow says about his Tattoo line, “Like a second skin, the lace-like designs elegantly cover your fingers and wrists.”
Main image 18k Rose Gold Lace Earrings. Image Courtesy of Mary Esses.
