Jewelery Design is an art that involves the arrangement of gems and metals to create a piece of jewelry. A talented jewelry designer can take a client’s specifications and turn them into an unimaginable work of luxury that the wearer can never take their eyes off.
The determining factor in many jewelry designs is often the gem itself. Whether it’s due to rarity, unique character, or an unusual shape, the gem will dictate how the piece is styled. For example, a free-form gemstone may dictate the direction of the design and influence the decision about symmetry or whether the piece is worn as a ring or on the necklace. A jewelry designer will typically choose a complementary style and design detail to compliment the stone and draw attention to its beauty.
Another important factor in jewelry design is movement. This can be achieved through the use of lines, shapes and colors that create flow and lead the eye from one element to the next. A cascading necklace, for example, can be a great way to achieve this effect. Likewise, articulating earrings or a sculptural brooch can add movement to the design.
A successful jewelry design should also incorporate a sense of balance. The use of asymmetrical elements or contrasting textures can provide a sense of balance to a design. This is particularly true when the design uses a geometric or structured shape, as this can help to offset the imbalance caused by the asymmetrical elements.
Jewelry designers must also be aware of trends in color, form and texture to create pieces that are on-brand. Trends can feel like commercial limitations on creativity and uniqueness for some designers, but for the most successful jewelry makers, trends are a guiding inspiration and an opportunity to leave their aesthetic signature on any design they adopt. Mason & Books, for example, has built a following with bold faceted gemstones in a thick gold setting and the brand’s latest collection includes a series of rings that feature a faceted gem within a gemstone inlay “halo.” Retrouvai also utilizes this type of design in its collections, including in its recent “Lollipop” range.
The best jewelry designers know how to blend the timeless with the now, bringing a contemporary edge to classic styles and incorporating influences from fashion, art, music and even culture and the natural world into their designs. The result is a modern yet traditional, edgy but refined look that appeals to a wide variety of consumers. The likes of Mateo, based in New York, and Los Angeles-based Anita Ko have become synonymous with this style and earned international acclaim for their sophisticated yet edgy creations.
