Jewellery Trends In History - Part II
Last week, we talked about how jewellery trends from the Art Deco, Golden Hollywood, and nature-inspired Seventies, reflected the way people felt about the world around them. Whether it was the hope in modern technology, an escape from tragedy, or feeling experimental, the materials, shapes, and final products all reflected collective wants and needs.
In this week's post, Jewellery Trends In History Part II explores the hyper-glamour of the 80s, the energetic 2000s, and the self-expressed 2010s.
The Eighties
Big. Bold. Beautiful. The glamour of the 1980s had no limits - if we had to choose a slogan for this era of jewellery trends it would be "More is MORE, darling!" While gold was still the metal of choice, faux pearls and gemstones were perfect for way-over-the-top looks. Brooches and scarf clips were donned on power blazers as more women strutted into offices, the phrase "Women can have it all!" ringing in their ears. For the rebels, punk fashion included pieces that were made from plastic (perfect for chunky neon pieces available for cheap), or layers and layers of metal chains (bonus if they were mixed with studded pieces) with a few crucifixes to enhance the anti-establishment theme. Individuality was especially important in the 80s, and the practice of mix-matching pieces - like wearing one dangling earring, was common.
While we don't have any plastic pieces, the One-Off Emerald Ring In Yellow Gold With Ceramic Detail and the One-Of-A-Kind Sapphire Ring In Platinum With Ceramic Detail are both unique and eye-catching - the 80s would approve.
The Early 2000s
The 2000s was a busy time in jewellery trends, with a lot of layered, and slightly confusing looks. The mish-mash of pieces came from celebrities and regular people experimenting with looks to make them as personalised as possible. No material was left unexplored as gold, silver, rhinestones, plastic and wood were mixed to create more glamorous versions of bohemian chic. As hip-hop culture became more mainstream, diamond-encrusted platinum chains were the pieces of choice, the more and the heavier the better. Men's jewellery is a trend firmly back in fashion at this point, with entire jewellery collections and lines focusing on male clients.
For the layering-lovers reading now, the entire Blossom Collection is all about stacking pieces in fun colours. Earrings, rings, bracelets and necklaces are all made with coloured gemstones set in 18k yellow gold, and come with the kind of price point that makes super-stacking a breeze.
The 2010s (Today)
While we're too close to define this era of jewellery in retrospect, today's jewellery trend seems to reflect personalised pieces that express values as well as preferences. Yellow gold and platinum are back in style for engagement rings, and coloured gems that represent birth months, shared values, or personal affirmations don't seem to be going away anytime soon.
Natural, imperfect shapes (think baroque pearls) paired with lab-grown gems (diamonds being the most popular) create special pieces for the wearer and the environment. Men's jewellery went a step further in mainstream acceptance, which was confirmed when Tiffany's released an engagement ring collection exclusively for men last May.
All these unique and special meanings in jewellery have made the bespoke process a practical choice, with celebrity jewellers opening up about working with their star-powered clients during the creative process.
If the idea of having custom jewellery made scares you, don't worry, we have a post that explains the entire process here, testimonials from previous, repeat clients here, and the contact form to get in touch with Richard here.
Which of the jewellery trends are your favourite? If you could go back in time for a day, which trend would you want to wear? Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @harunifinejewels for more jewellery inspiration and knowledge, we have a sparkling good time over there!