More than 18,000 visitors attended the VicenzaOro Fall 2014 show, which will henceforth be touted as “The Boutique Show,” an apt description for this small but important fair in northern Italy, where jewelry trends for the coming year are set by the talented designers and craftsmen who exhibit there.

“In January 2015, we will launch ‘VicenzaOro The Boutique Show,’ which involves the introduction of a format that we are confident will revolutionize jewelry trade shows,” said Corrado Facco, the show’s managing director, in an exclusive interview. “The new format is designed to individualize the buyer’s experience, maximizing their exposure to the specific merchandise, companies, individuals, and information that is relevant to each of them, thus making the trade show experience more manageable and successful.” In addition to developing new web-based tools to help buyers prepare their schedules, Facco continued, “We have been assembling exhibitors into homogeneous communities, classified by reference values, type of production and purchasing procedures.”

VicenzaOro Dubai

One of the most significant moves undertaken by the new show management is to hold an event in Dubai in April 2015 called VicenzaOro Dubai. “It will be run by Fiera di Vicenza and will premiere April 23 to 26, 2015—a Super Show with an international profile,” he explained. “It will be of exceptional strategic importance for Italy, and also will be a major addition to the international trade fair sector in general, thanks to Dubai’s position in international business as well as the growth request for jewelry in that market.”

Facco added that this is part of an overall international strategy for the show. “The center of gravity of the world’s economy has shifted from Europe to a wide area that includes the BRIC countries, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific region, and the United States. This understanding has confirmed Fiera di Vicenza’s choice of accelerating its own internationalization process.”

Trends

Trends are at the heart of this show, and Facco acknowledged the importance of the Vicenza shows in communicating the particular genius of the Italian jewelry sector. “Fiera di Vicenza is recognized as the ambassador of the Italian jewelry sector in the world. We promote the international position of our country from an innovative and design perspective to the thousands of international visitors that attend our shows in Vicenza each year, and also through our expanding global platform. In this way, Fiera di Vicenza gives a significant contribution to the growth of the Italian jewelry export and to the notoriety of the so-called, Well Done in Italy.”

The following is a wrap-up of ten important trends spotted at Vicenza in early September.

1. Rings. One of the most prominent trends includes rings in elongated ovals that cover a lot of the finger, often in either a convex or concave curve, set with gems. Multiple band rings, knuckle rings, and large cocktail rings with dramatic center stones are also important.

Convex shaped ring in a long oval, with gemstones set in a swirling floral motif, by Palmiero.(left)
Gold and diamond ring from the Miss Chi collection from Casato.(right)

2. Serpents and flowers. These motifs endure because of their versatility, interpreted in rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, expressed in gold or gemstones. The year of the serpent was 2013, but the motif is still going strong, partly because of the trend toward curves this year, with which the serpent motif is uniquely compatible.

Serpent-motif ring by Palmiero.(left)
Floral motif rings by Paolo Piovan.(right)

3. Long earrings have become as important as the showpiece cocktail ring. Now they are bulkier than line earrings and not quite as elaborate as chandeliers. They are somewhere in between, with lots of open space, and plenty of multi-colored gemstones. Many include fringes of chain or beads, which add volume and movement.

Earrings in gold, diamonds and multi-colored sapphires by Palmiero

4. Mixed colors. There is a strong trend toward mixing and matching colors, usually with many accent colors surrounding a center stone – either in rings, earrings or a necklace.

Left: Prasiolite ring with diamonds, pink sapphires, and tsavorites. Right: Madera citrine with white and brown diamonds and orange sapphires. Both pieces by Moraglione.

5. Curves. Sculptural shapes that twist and fold like fabric are a new way to use gold that makes it light, yet adds volume. The swirling, curvy, feminine lines are also being expressed by setting gems within borders that form swirling patterns on gold surfaces.

Tattoo motif ring that curves around the knuckle, by Dada Arrigoni.

6. Doublets are a big part of the jewelry industry’s current love of color, with a stunning array of combinations that create electric hits of vibrant colors that usually cannot be achieved with a single gem.

Rose gold ring with central doublet using rock crystal from the Anastasia collection by Moraglione.

7. Opaque gems, including cloudy diamonds in gray and champagne tones are taking their place alongside transparent gems as important accent stones. When fully faceted, they have a nice, subdued brilliance.

Serpent motif ring from Casato with diamonds. (left)
Ring with lilac jade and lilac and pink sapphire, by Moraglione.(right)

8. Fringe. The latest modern interpretation of Art Deco is the use of fringe, with strands of gold chain, gold beads or gemstone beads (in ruby, sapphire and emerald – all typical gems of the Art Deco period).

Ruby and diamond earrings by Casato.

9. The big three: Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire. The return of the big three gems is reminiscent of vintage pieces. Ruby is especially hot—in fact red is hotter than amethyst or other purple gems, despite “radiant orchid” having been proclaimed the Color of the Year by Pantone.

Ruby and diamond ring by Casato.

10. Argento. Since the recession, many of the most important Italian brands known for their superior goldsmithing began making fine silver jewelry, producing it according to the highest standards of gold craftsmanship and superior finish. A silver ring with a spectacular fine gemstone or set with high-quality diamonds was not an unusual sight from top brands at this edition of VicenzaOro.

A suite of sterling silver jewelry with gemstone beads by Stefani Argento.(left)
Sterling silver pendant by Stefani Argento. (right)

www.vicenzaoro.com