Attending Stuller’s three-day Bridge Conference is one of the best ways to stay informed about trends in the fine jewelry market—from the macroeconomic headwinds and tailwinds affecting business to the key trends driving sales.
Stuller, the Louisiana-based supplier, started the Bridge Conference series in 2011, holding multiple events each year (except for 2020 during the pandemic). Over the past decade, AIDI has made Bridge a core part of its fall travel plans. When the enthusiastic team at Stuller invited us to attend the first Bridge event of 2024, we were thrilled to accept.
The conference wrapped up on September 10, just before Hurricane Francine swept through this corner of Louisiana, also known as Cajun Country. Nearly 100 retailers attended, including a group of young Australians in their twenties (representing Nationwide Jewellers, a buying group headquartered in New South Wales) and a fun, lively team from Worthmore Jewelers in Atlanta.
If they were anything like us, they came for in-depth education, including an excellent first-day session focused on trend discovery and curation, with an emphasis on gold jewelry, and stayed for the epic Cajun hospitality.
The one-hour lecture, led by Stuller Bridal Director Katelyn Meche and Senior Designer Austin Zarobell, was like a mini masterclass on understanding and interpreting trends. After listening to the presentation, we were convinced: If you haven't embraced the three gold trends outlined below, you're missing out on major profit opportunities this season.
1. "More is More"
“It’s all about maximalism,” Zarobell said in her opening remarks, explaining why designs with a high metal content in gold are resonating with fashion-forward buyers. “Clothing styles are big, with lots of all-denim outfits and metallic fabrics. Jewelry has to scale up to compete.”
This explains why ’70s-style gold relief pieces, chunky dome rings, and classic cigar bands are currently so popular. Zarobell also highlighted hoop earrings with latch-back closures (“hollow designs are great because gold is expensive,” she noted), chunky chains with sailor links, and freeform shapes that add fluidity to offset the relief effect.
Meche added that the maximalist spirit is also thriving in bridal jewelry. “Women are looking for wider, heavier styles,” she said, noting that broad bands and thick shanks for engagement, wedding, and anniversary rings are all trending.
New brides are also gravitating toward contour styles and fluid, organic shapes, along with bold multi-stone looks featuring fancy-shape center or side stones, Meche said.
2. "Girlish Glam"
In stark contrast to the "More is More" trend is the second major influence driving gold sales this fall: fun, flirty, and feminine styles.
Playful, poppy pink tones with nostalgic elements are perfectly matched with flirtatious jewelry designs, complementing clothing adorned with silk bows and lace ruffles. Think of multifaceted gems paired with cabochons, whimsical motifs like bows, and botanical designs in saturated colors like blues and greens.
But if there’s one motif that best represents the girlish glam trend, it’s the once-sweet, now-chic heart shape—seen in clasps, chains, gemstone cuts, and more.
In the bridal sector, this trend shines in details such as floral elements or honeysuckle patterns on ring shanks and settings. Meche also pointed to avant-garde ring enhancers like pearl contour bands that add a touch of whimsy to wedding rings.
3. "It’s Personal"
The third and final macro trend driving jewelry sales—especially gold—is personalization.
“It’s a huge market, but it’s evolving,” Zarobell said. “We’re seeing lots of tarot cards and symbolism, like Taylor Swift’s cat signet ring, where the meaning is secondary or hidden.”
From new gold-centric "mom jewelry" (think “Mama Bear” pendants instead of traditional birthstone pieces) to animal motifs (snakes!), customizable engravable charms with ornamental details, and zodiac or spiritual icons, the world of personalized styles is vast, with something for everyone.
Meche added that the personalization craze extends—perhaps especially—to bridal jewelry, noting a rise in demand for specially engraved wedding bands. “We’ve seen engravings on wedding bands reach a new level,” she said, showing an image in her PowerPoint presentation of a wide gold band engraved with a mountain scene.
This fall, these trends are poised to make waves in the gold jewelry market, offering a wealth of opportunities for retailers to tap into consumer preferences for maximalism, femininity, and personalization.
Content provided by AIDI International Smart Diamond Association (www.aidi.org). If you’re passionate about jewelry design, join AIDI’s initiative to discover global independent designer brands! For more information, contact: info@aidi.org.