Following the usual Las Vegas whirlwind, I’ve now arrived at my favorite part of the post–Jewelry Week process: scrolling through the hundreds of photos I took and trying to identify trends that may shape the seasons ahead.
First, a note on some of the trends I was almost certain would dominate the show floor. Whimsy, butterflies, and alternative chains—particularly leather—did, as predicted, appear in abundance. (The Parlé booth at Luxury was positively bursting with butterflies.) Sculptural gold, however, not so much.
A significant number of jewelers seem to be making concessions to the high price of gold. I spotted collections in 10k gold and vermeil, and lots of sterling silver, though designers still appear committed to achieving the look and feel of yellow gold. Several told me that leather, nylon, and silk necklaces were introduced as a way to offset the cost of fine jewelry while still supporting substantial pendant designs.
Perhaps the clearest response to gold prices appeared in colored gemstone jewelry. Where many rings once featured chunky, richly detailed gold settings, I increasingly saw pared-back mountings that served primarily as gemstone holders rather than heavily designed homes.
I found plenty of other recurring themes to explore at the Vegas shows, including fringe jewelry, vibrant enamel, jeweled ancient coins, and animal motifs (Lene Vibe’s Kevin, shown in the excellent NouvelleBox addition to JCK, was a standout). But one trend in particular has stayed with me: kinetic jewelry.
I’m not talking about jewels with movement for movement’s sake. Spinner rings and shaker pendants have their place, but these new pieces are something else entirely. They carry sentiment. They tell stories. They invite interaction. And more than once, they completely stopped me in my tracks.
Falling squarely into the “How did they do that?” category is Yoko London’s collection of zipper jewelry. From pearl necklaces to a sparkling diamond snake ring, the pieces mimic the function of an ordinary zipper, allowing the wearer to slide them open and closed to adjust the fit. Translating such a familiar mechanism into luxury jewelry is equal parts ingenious and mesmerizing.
Sorellina also has taken the concept of kinetic jewelry to another level, with its Postscript collection. One of its pieces, a heart-shape box pendant (in the picture above), unfolds into a golden four-leaf clover (pictured at top), which can be engraved with a personal message.
Another Postscript pendant functions as a true love letter: It’s shaped like an envelope, complete with a flap that opens to reveal a hidden inscription inside. Thoughtful, interactive, and deeply personal, Sorellina’s kinetic jewels serve as keepsakes designed to be discovered again and again.
At Harwell Godfrey, the Wild West–inspired Gold Rush collection yielded one of the shows’ most delightful surprises: a locket-style pendant modeled after the breast pocket of a classic Western shirt. It even has a gemstone-studded snap closure! The miniature pocket can hold a tiny treasure of the wearer’s choosing, blending playful functionality with the collection’s frontier spirit.
These are just a small sampling of the kinetic jewels that caught my attention across the aisles of JCK, Luxury, and Couture. There were also uncoiling snake rings from Luis Morais, an exquisitely crafted gemstone-bearing compact pendant by Jade Ruzzo, and countless others still waiting to be revisited in my camera roll.
If there’s one trend takeaway from this assortment of fine jewelry, it’s that sentimental jewelry is becoming increasingly interactive. These pieces don’t simply symbolize a memory, idea, or emotion—they invite the wearer to engage with it. And if this year’s shows were any indication, designers are only beginning to explore what’s possible.
Top: When Sorellina’s Postscript heart pendant opens up, you’ve got a golden love letter—the clover design can be inscribed. (Photos by Brittany Siminitz)
