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Basel Reveals New Trends and Renewed Spirits

Posted: April 22, 2004

The annual Baselworld trade fair, held April 15-22 in Basel, Switzerland, may not have ended with a bang, but it was far from 2003's whimper. Sales were erratic, with some companies faring badly and some reporting their best year ever. It all evened out to a sense of contentment, a feeling that while the picture was not great, it was better than it could have been.

That was as true at the main show complex as it was in the newly-renovated Hall 6, which housed the international pavilions. In 2003, the international pavilions had been moved out of Hall 3 on the show grounds in Basel to their own building in Zurich, about an hour from Basel by train or car. Although the fair ran shuttles back and forth, the remote location combined with the last-minute barring of companies from Hong Kong and other SARS-affected areas — about half of the Zurich exhibitors — made for a bad show for all concerned.

The new Hall 6, located in Basel about five minutes' drive from the other halls, saw the triumphant return of the Hong Kong exhibitors. The Hong Kong pavilion was given a prominent spot at the front of the show, and exhibitors there reported that sales were good overall. The companies that made trendy jewelry with colored stones did the best and freshwater pearls were also quite popular. Even the companies whose sales weren't exciting said they were satisfied with the show.

The biggest trend in jewelry design was movement, jewelry with loose pieces that could rattle and swing as the wearer moves. Interpretations ranged from rings that had clusters of pearls or beads sprouting from the top to necklaces that made for a variation on the "Y" theme, with merry clusters of colorful beads or pearls hanging from the end of a long chain.

Chains with large, open links were everywhere at the show, a creative continuation of a trend seen at the Vicenzaoro fair three months earlier. With demand growing for jewelry that was bold, dramatic, and well-designed — but as inexpensive as possible — jewelry brands from all over Europe were experimenting with ways to incorporate less gold into their collections. Some did it by weaving that gold into a cloud anchored by colorful gemstones, but more of them embraced large chains as a way to blend fashion and practicality. A number of companies chose to liven up their plain chains by hanging either pearls, gemstone beads, or briolettes from the links, thus creating the essential sense of movement.

While light blue and pink are perennial favorites, the colors of the season were unquestionably orange and green. Emerald was a strong seller, but the trendy were just as likely to use peridot, especially in dangling briolettes. Lovers of pavé tended to use tsavorite garnet. Green tourmaline, however, saw little favor; designers were looking for brighter pastures. In orange, spessartite garnet did well among those who could find the supply they needed, and some companies with lower overall price points used mother of pearl dyed a variety of colors, including orange.

But the hot gem of the show was moonstone, almost always seen in combinations of orange and gray. From the huge cabochons gracing the elegant collections of high-end brands to the smaller stones used in less expensive designs, moonstone fit the mood of the moment. Not only were the colors a perfect fit with current fashion, but it is an untreated stone, which has become more important internationally.

Another big draw for buyers was jewelry that combined the many colors of sapphire, particularly in dangling briolettes or set together in pieces reminiscent of Art Deco's "Tutti Frutti." The colors included yellow, orange, pink, light blue, and light purple, an ode to the pastels of spring — and, conveniently, colors that can be found in unheated sapphire as well as the more prevalent heated type.

Europeans have long been known for their preference for untreated stones, especially at the high end of the market, but demand for these gems has been building around the world. In the United States in particular, more jewelers than ever are looking for untreated ruby and sapphire, and dealers find it easier to sell them other natural stones as well.

March/April 2004 • Style: Fortune, Gods, & Gems • Selling: Tucson '04 Sets the Pace • Selling: Benched • Book Highlights - Alexandrite: The Stone of the Czars • Bonus: Hinduism • Bonus: Dos & Donts from the Bench Jeweler • News & Updates • In This Issue