As temperatures soar, jewelers are taking the heat out of designs with an icy-cool palette of white metals and gemstones. This refreshing diversion from the yellow gold that has dominated jewelry trends over the past decade is unlikely to fade when the season closes.
White gold and diamonds are natural bedfellows, but there are other options to consider. White agate, pearls and chalcedony can add an opaque texture, while rock crystal can be carved into bespoke shapes and creates an alluring optical illusion when set over other gems.
“I got inspired by 15th-century Italian painter Beato Angelico, because he represented many shades of white in his frescoes,” says designer Rossella Ugolini of her own forays into white materials. “I thought of doing the same thing with satin and polished rock crystal, white diamonds and white gold to obtain an elegant and luminous shade.”
Platinum, which continues to track at about half the price of gold, is also making a comeback. Platinum Guild USA enticed a new generation of jewelers to experiment with the hefty metal at this year’s Couture show in Las Vegas, proffering a design showcase that included brands like Retrouvai, Brent Neale, Spinelli Kilcollin, and Harwell Godfrey.
In Italy, Pomellato has also noticed the shift, unveiling a new, bespoke alloy of 18-karat gold within its Nudo collection: Manganese White Gold, a bright-white precious metal that doesn’t require rhodium plating. The maison has combined it with an achromatic gem selection of white diamonds and milky quartz.
Image: Boucheron
Lightening Up: White Palettes for the Summer
The Bottom Line
- Designers incorporate white metals such as platinum and 18-karat white gold, alongside gemstones like white diamonds, pearls, chalcedony, and rock crystal for a cool, textured look.
- Platinum is regaining popularity, supported by initiatives like Platinum Guild USA’s showcase at Couture Las Vegas featuring brands such as Retrouvai and Harwell Godfrey.
- Pomellato introduced Manganese White Gold, a bright-white 18-karat gold alloy that does not require rhodium plating, paired with white diamonds and milky quartz in its Nudo collection.
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