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Basel Shows Its Colors
by Morgan Beard

April 11, 2005

The 2005 Baselworld trade fair, held March 31-April 7 at the Basel Exhibition Centre in Basel, Switzerland, ended to mixed reviews. Although the official attendance count was about even with last year — a 0.4 percent increase, according to show organizers — exhibitors commented that traffic felt slow. They had fewer buyers, many said, but the buyers who came were more serious and focused.

Jewelry at Baselworld offered some eye-popping visuals. Multicolor mixes were the rule, especially in the rainbow colors of sapphire. Whether the colors involved were vivid jewel tones or more subtle pastels, the styles were unabashedly colorful. One particularly popular look was a chain with a cluster of colorful briolettes dangling from the end. In some cases, the briolettes served as the embellishment for a single large, gemmy drop. In other cases, the briolettes were replaced by cabochons that were bezel-set and linked together in a flexible design that recalled textiles.

The multicolor madness extended to pearls, where wholesalers especially are paying more attention to color combinations. Tahitian pearls with a fashionable green body color were strung together in a single-color strand or combined with South Sea yellows or even freshwater pinks. A new color, bright bronze — produced through enhancement — expanded the multicolor palette, providing a nice complement to either golden pearls or blue-gray Tahitians. And, as Chinese freshwater pearls get bigger and better, they are also more accepted in the market, meaning that jewelers are more comfortable combining them in multicolored strands.

Bowing to the dictates of fashion, jewelers were pulling out every green gem they could get their hands on. The trend led to some creative use of carved emerald, and there were a lot of huge, gemmy peridots in everything from rings to necklaces. Some design houses — particularly in Italy — embraced jade, using it as a springboard for Art Deco-inspired oriental designs. Where it was available, a number of designers combined orange with green for a brighter, more festive effect.

Pink still had its fans, though. This year the trend was very pale, opaque pinks such as light-colored coral or translucent rose quartz, which were either used on their own or combined with other pastels. Sometimes they were combined with white or tranparent gems, like cacholong (or "white quartz") or colorless beryl.

Big, open-link chains continued to hold court, sometimes combined with huge pendants. Other companies opted to pile layer upon layer of smaller chains and chunky beads for the sought-after Bohemian look.

Exhibitors at Basel observed that buyers appeared to be looking for something unique — especially something fun — but inexpensive. High-end jewelry sold, certainly, but retailers have grown cautious about making large orders. Lower price points mean less of a risk, and a piece with a bit of playful charm makes an ideal impulse buy.

Overall, exhibitors were optimistic about the future, particularly the United States, which they noted has picked up in the past few months. With even more markets opening up in Russia and Asia, future options look bright indeed.

Visit: www.baselworld.com

March/April 2005 • Style: Waking up in the Townships • Sources: Lost in Translation • Reader's Choice Award 2005 • News & Updates • In This Issue