Wouldn't it be dreamy to have your pick of the world's coolest jewels as your Valentine's Day present? From all-out fairy tale fantasies to fabulous finds, the latest jewelry looks and trends are all right here in this edition of The Trend Report. Drop a hint!A Little Romance
Let's start with the truly fantastic ... the utterly feminine and romantic Caresse D'Orchidees collection from Cartier. Inspired by the sensuality of the orchid, each piece depicts this very feminine flower in an array of glittering jewels. Here, a single faceted rubellite dangles provocatively from a necklace of diamonds and platinum. Who wouldn't love to open a jewelry box and find this beauty nestled inside?Trend Tip: Truly feminine jewelry is back in style! Flowers, lockets, cameos and other little pretties suspended from glittering chains are a hot trend, especially when they are oversized. Take the look a step further by layering two or more necklaces in the same theme — another hot trend.Love NotesThere are many ways to express love and affection, and the timeless look of the Love Knots bracelet from famed jeweler Verdura is one of our favorites. Simple and sleek in design, each knot is meant to express the bond between two lovers. There are many symbolic designs that are rich
with history and meaning, and the sentiment behind them makes for a lovely jewelry gift — for example, the traditional heart, a knot, an unbroken circle or even a pair of swans, which are said to mate for life.Trend Tip: We love the classic appeal of link bracelets, which are coming on strong as an alternative to the traditional charm bracelet this spring — especially when they have a unique twist in terms of link design (like the knots) or fabrication (such as a hammered texture).From The Heart
The world's most celebrated celebs — from Sean (Diddy) Combs to Sharon Stone, Paris Hilton and Beyonce — all know that "Jacob the Jeweler" is the go-to guy when mega-jewelry is on the shopping list. Visionary Jacob Arabo has just launched a divine fine jewelry collection for women (modeled gorgeously by Helena Christensen), and any one of his to-die-for pieces would make a thrilling Valentine's Day gift. When love is the air, hearts are a perfect choice — we simply adore his heart-shaped diamond pendant on a round diamond chain! Trend Tip: Hearts are a lovely expression whether they're styled in diamonds, gold, silver or even CZ! After all, it's the thought that counts.
Ring MeWhether you go for one-of-a-kind collectibles or vintage-inspired designs, the look of the rarified and the antique is
one of the season's hottest trends. You'll find that major jewelry designers are taking their cues from design archives — a case in point is this stunningly feminine heart-shaped diamond engagement ring from Graff, home of "the world's most fabulous jewels." Who wouldn't love to tie the knot with this beauty on her finger? Trend Tip: Stacking rings — thin rings that are meant to stack on the finger two or three at a time — are a lovely way to start a Valentine's Day tradition. Because they are ultra thin (and if they are jewel-studded the jewels are teeny tiny) they look great ... on a budget.Color Your World
No need to stick to tradition when giving gifts of jewelry — brightly colored gemstones are right in step with all of the new spring trends! Designer Laura Gibson uses colorful, exotic gems for her jewelry, which she thinks of as sculptures that evoke emotional responses. We would certainly have an emotional response to these jewels — her earrings and necklace of lemon citrine, lemon/green topaz, peridot, chrysoberyl, chrome diopside and green apatite set in 22 karat gold are as enchanting as the first day of spring. Trend Tip: If you tend to wear a certain color palette and would love gemstone jewelry in unusual shades — whether you go for citrine to wear with spring brights or topaz to offset neutral work suits — let your significant other know! A little education goes a long way. Judy Gordon is a New York-based style consultant and the “Today” show’s style editor. She has been covering the fashion and beauty beat for the past decade. To learn more about Gordon, you can visit her Web site, TheTrendReport.com, which highlights style trends in America and across the world.
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