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Colored Gemstone
A Love Affair With Color
Colored gemstone engagement rings offer a rainbow of alternatives for brides who dare to be different.
By Brook Showell
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| Kristin Hanson |
A colored gemstone offers a stylish alternative for the bride-to-be who wants a unique engagement ring that carries on a tradition that nods to Victorian times, when gemstone rings were the norm. Now, with celebrity rings like Kate Middleton’s sapphire and Jessica Simpson’s ruby grabbing attention again, color is cooler than ever.
“We are seeing more people asking about colored gems as engagement rings,” says Greg Kwiat, partner of Fred Leighton and Kwiat Diamonds. Beyond the popular blue sapphire, emerald and ruby, experts cite a wide range of desired stones, including fancy yellow or pink sapphire, peridot, pale green beryl, citrine, amethyst and tourmaline. Jewelry designer Mark Schneider of Mark Schneider Design in Long Beach, California, says that while a colored gemstone engagement ring was previously a “once in a blue moon” request, he now works with such customers at least once or twice a month. “It is becoming a trend,” agrees Emily Cohen, director of marketing and public relations for Orange County, California, jewelry brand JudeFrances.
Not that long ago, the color clientele was comprised of unconventional brides who wanted to make a statement with their wedding jewelry. “Somebody looking for color wants something that will set them apart and be different,” says Susi Altman, general manager of Hyde Park Jewelers in Denver, Colorado. But there has been a market shift in the past one to two years, with color capturing the attention of more traditional types as well. “That same customer who once may have only considered a diamond ring may also now look at sapphires as well,” Kwiat notes.
Couples are now often shopping for the engagement ring together, noted Kate Peterson, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of consulting firm Performance Concepts, in her seminar “Promoting Color in Bridal Jewelry” at February’s AGTA show in Tucson, Arizona. Having the woman involved in the decision increases the possibility of an out-of-the-mainstream color choice. A man choosing an engagement ring on his own is more likely to opt for a diamond as a safer choice — choosing among colors would be more intimidating and confusing, not to mention risky if the “wrong” color is chosen.
Experts estimate that the average size range for a colored gemstone ring is about 1.5 carats to 4 carats, somewhat larger than an engagement diamond center stone. Bigger stones tend to look like a cocktail ring, which some customers see as more flashy than romantic. “Some people shy away from the bling. They want something special that isn’t show-offy,” says designer Kristin Hanson, CEO of Kristin Hanson Jewelry in New York City.
Notably, a recent study by The Wedding Report, a Tucson-based wedding market research company, concluded that 73 percent of couples named design or style as the number one factor when purchasing a ring, opening up the market for custom choices. Hanson says most of her requests are for custom work — for example, she recently designed a hot pink sapphire engagement ring with diamond accents set in white gold. Cohen says JudeFrances has sold both a modest blue topaz ring and a statement-making 8-carat kunzite ring from its fashion collection as engagement rings. As for budget, the sky is the limit when working with large natural stones, but a more budget-conscious couple can also get something unique for a fraction of what a diamond would cost. “If it’s size that someone is after, a colored gemstone can definitely be more advantageous in terms of what you get for your money,” Altman says.
The average age of a first-time bride and groom in the United States is now 27.5 and 29.75 years respectively, according to The Wedding Report, which means that couples are waiting slightly later in life to tie the knot. A customer in her late 20s most likely already owns a few pieces of significant jewelry, and therefore may be more open to expanding her collection with a colored gemstone.
To get a feel for a customer’s preferences and make the right gemstone match, Peterson suggests opening the conversation with “tell me about you” and “what do you want your ring to say?” and finding out about her fashion tastes, lifestyle and budget. Educate the customer about the diverse range of hues and intensities within a given stone or color. For instance, Schneider notes, if the woman likes pink, she may be interested in pink sapphire or pink tourmaline. Someone who says she wants a blue sapphire may also be interested in tanzanite, or be open to exploring the range of pale-to-dark blue hues within the sapphire family. “We’ll take a walk around the store and try on different things. Speak to the customers and educate them about the hardness and softness of the stone before they make a decision,” Altman says.
Part of the allure of color is the meaning and back story of a stone, including where it was mined, color symbolism or spiritual properties. In some cases, a customer might have a real affinity with her birthstone. “The attraction is to something that’s ‘mine alone’ and is as much about the story as about the gemstone,” Peterson states. The key at retail, she says, is to build a vocabulary for describing color in ways that communicate your passion to the customer. “This is a piece people treasure and wear for their life. You want to identify that element that makes them feel more connected to the piece. I really like to do my research. It’s a great tie-in to that romantic sale,” Hanson says.
For the jeweler, experimenting with color also presents a welcome style challenge through playing with interesting cuts, metals and settings. “I’d much rather work with a customer who wants to do something out of the ordinary,” Schneider says. With couples more focused on individuality, colored gemstone engagement rings have great staying power. Hanson says, “It’s a trend, but it’s a long-term trend. It’s almost a new generation in bridal, a new era of adding color. It’s exciting, both for the jeweler and the customer.”Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2013. To subscribe click here.
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