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Colored Gemstone
A Toast to Marsala
The rich tones of earth and wine mix to create the top color story for 2015.
By Sheryl Jones
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| Jewelry Television (JTV) |
Earthy, warm and cozy, Marsala has been named the 2015 Pantone Color of the Year. The wine red color is described by Pantone as sophisticated and versatile. It was chosen by a group of representatives from various industries ranging from fashion, textiles, home decor, beauty, floral and cosmetics to culture and trend forecasters. They considered many factors, including consumers’ mood, trends and world affairs when selecting this rich, robust color.
Marsala is an earth color with brown tones and gemstones in this range will be a staple in any jewelry collection because it complements so many different colors. At the same time, the color projects feelings of warmth, security and nurturing, making it a grounding color to wear.
So how will this dominant fashion color play out in gemstones and jewelry?
Several gemstones are similar in color to Marsala — including red zircon, carnelian, fossil coral and mystic topaz — but the deep, rich, rose to raspberry to purple-red to brick-red and brown tones of several garnet varieties are an ideal match. And their ready availability will undoubtedly propel them to greater visibility this year. Garnets have been a staple in jewelry collections dating back to Roman times. They have remained popular throughout the years because in addition to their rich color, they are durable — with a 7 to 7.5 score on the Mohs scale of hardness — and they have a high refractive index, which makes them shine brilliantly.
The most common garnets in the dark red with brown tones of the Marsala color range are almandine and pyrope. The difference is that almandine is formed in larger crystals but is usually more opaque and darker, whereas pyrope, found in smaller crystals, is more transparent and clean and a more vibrant red color. The third garnet option is rhodolite garnet, a mixed crystal of almandine and pyrope that is very popular due to a color that ranges from raspberry to lavender or violet red.
In response to the news of the Pantone designation, Jewelry Television (JTV) is highlighting four types of garnets showcasing the spectrum of tones within the Marsala color range during its April Gem Days event. JTV is offering the stones in both women’s and men’s jewelry. Since the Marsala color name is proprietary to Pantone, JTV is describing its similar color shades as merlot, another red wine.
Kristie Carson, style reporter for JTV, says, “We are featuring several proprietary gemstones in this warm and inviting color. They are Vermelho Garnet, a reddish merlot, and Masasi Bordeaux Garnet, a purplish merlot color. We are also featuring Brazilian Peony, which is not a garnet but a vibrant, iridescent mystic topaz on the same color spectrum, and rhodolite garnet in cinnamon and pinkish tones.”
Designers are sourcing their own Marsala-shaded stones and experimenting with cuts and shapes in creating jewelry around them. Designer Joan Scarabelli of Scarabelli Jewellery Design in Vancouver, British Columbia, says that in addition to using garnets, she is working with red zircon because “it is a winey red color and has a lot of dispersion, as well as carnelian beads and cabochons because of their reddish brown tones and fossil coral cabochons because of their color and texture.” Scarabelli says she has been using rose-cut garnets in sterling silver stacking rings because “the dome in the cut adds depth to the color.”
Geoffrey Watt, sales and internet technology manager for Mayer & Watt gemstone dealers in Maysville, Kentucky, says, “Usually garnet material is dark or black, requiring great cutting to bring out color and vibrancy, but the garnet material I am seeing in this Marsala color from Tanzania is prettier than I have seen in a while.” He adds that popular shapes are cushions and ovals in 4 carats to 8 carats.
Gene Lisiten, owner of Gems by Gena in New York City, creates one-of-a-kind necklaces and earrings. “I have found great Marsala-colored garnet, carnelian and cognac quartz material in briolettes, faceted and smooth roundels and diamond-cut round shapes from suppliers such as Taj Company in New York City,” she says.
Then, there is the question of what metal most flatters Marsala-colored gemstones. Carson says, “Garnet set in rose gold is the perfect combination because it encompasses all the color characteristics of the stone.” Scarabelli also loves the “tone on tone” look of rose gold with garnets.
Cynthia Renée, a fine jewelry designer and owner of Cynthia Renée Inc. in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, says, “Garnets set in yellow gold add warmth and set in palladium, they have more of a modern, Scandinavian look.”
Scarabelli finds Marsala “much more versatile” than 2013’s Pantone color, Radiant Orchid, “because Marsala looks great on any skin tone.” This makes it easy to pair with lots of other different colored gemstones.
Renée has developed a Color Palette System that is based not on skin color or trends but rather on tones and hues that work in combination. The five palettes are groupings of colored gemstones that harmonize and contrast well visually. One of her palettes is Serengeti, which features colored gemstones in yellows, deep reds like Marsala, oranges, browns and greens.
Some designers are using Marsala colors as the center stone in a ring or necklace with accent stones on the side in complementary colors. Others prefer to use them as accent stones. For them, Lisiten says, “depending upon the red, violet or brownish tones, gemstones such as amethyst, Swiss blue topaz, lemon citrine and yellow citrine are great to pair with the Marsala color.” Renée adds that “turquoise, black pearls or woodland shades of peridot and crysoberyl” would also be nice in creating a contrast with the color.
Marsala’s designation as Pantone’s Color of the Year provides gemstone dealers and jewelry designers with numerous varieties of stones to work with. But garnets, with their rich color depth, durability and availability, make them one of the most likely choices to reflect the color theme.Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2015. To subscribe click here.
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