Sevan Bicakci, who presented this ring featuring diamonds set against darkened gold, was among the Couture 2010 designers that showed a flair for darkened metal designs mixed with diamonds.

Las Vegas–In 2009, high-end jewelry designers focused on tried-and-true sellers–and wisely so–but for Couture 2010, exhibitors were back with a re-energized spirit and a product mix destined to turn the heads of retailers perusing the industry’s premier jewelry-buying show, which ends today at the Wynn Las Vegas.

As in 2009, designers continued to make small changes to retail favorites, but there was clearly an experimental attitude, too, with designers test-driving everything from lesser-known colored gemstones to metal treatments, while also keeping a close eye on how wearable and salable their creations would be.

In gemstones, milky, opaque stones, such as carnelian, bloodstone and moonstone, garnered much attention from designers, as they have in the past, but at Couture 2010, labradorite appeared to be the stone of the moment. Those integrating the grayish-blue stone into their latest creations included designers from Emily Armenta–known for ornate, Spanish-inspired oxidized sterling silver and 18-karat gold designs–to Robert Lee Morris, renowned for sculptural silver styles.

Morris, like a number of designers at Couture, was introducing more colored gemstone-accented pieces into his eponymous collection this year. The designer offered up fresh new sculptural designs in the “Futura” collection, but was also experimenting with color in the new “Midsummer Night’s Dream” collection featuring gemstones, including labradorite, in “moody” hues–grays and greens inspired by forests and vegetation–according to the brand.

John Hardy, also best known for its silver designs, was moving further into color, too, with its “Naga Lava” collection featuring black sapphires, smoky quartz and purple amethyst, all of which added flashes of hue to the designer’s familiar Naga dragon motif. And De Latori, a new brand, introduced Couture exhibitors to its sterling silver designs accented with blue and yellow stones, including turquoise and druzy.

In diamonds, many exhibitors went for a black-and-white motif that deployed diamonds set against the backdrop of darkened metal, either blackened gold or oxidized silver. From the booths of designers such as Sevan, Yossi Harari and Moritz Glik, among many others, the darkened settings provided a surface upon which the diamonds popped, offering up an antique look, but one less feminine and more edgy than the vintage-style designs that have been popular over the last year.

In terms of styles, designers responded to the current consumer quest for value with a variety of versatile pieces, from designs that can be worn in multiple ways to pieces that can be worn and styled with other jewelry.

For example, Pamela Froman introduced visitors to her “Mommy Earrings” featuring stud and drop components, with the latter being easily removed and thereby kept away from the pull of little hands. Tresor, meanwhile, discovered a hit with its “Interchangeable” collection of drop earrings, said designer Puja Bordia. The line features a variety of gemstone briolettes that wearers can switch in or out to suit their moods or match the clothing they are wearing.

Another value-conscious trend spotted at many a booth: Stacked and layered pieces, from rings and bangles to tiny, delicate necklaces and long strands of gemstones and chains. Designers called out their strong potential for sales, given that such designs can be bought one at a time and worn with other pieces within the same collections or with pieces that are already in consumers’ jewelry boxes.

Source: National Jeweler Network