'Comments' look into the future of gold design

The event, held at The Upper Crust in downtown Manhattan, was produced

together with the VicenzaOro FIRST Fair trade show, the world's second-

largest gold-mining company AngloGold Ashanti and gold jewelry supplier

the Richline Group.

New York--Select members of the wholesale jewelry and jewelry trade and

press got a sneak peek of the shape of things to come in gold jewelry design

on Wednesday night as the World Gold Council (WGC) hosted the New York

City preview of "Gold Expressions: The Divine Style of Spain, 2010"

collection.

The program promotes the innovative design of Italian goldsmiths and the

quality of "Made In Italy" manufacturing to stimulate demand for gold

jewelry worldwide.

Launched in 2004, Gold Expressions (GE) is two of the WGC's leading

research-based promotion initiatives and aims to bring the best of Italian

gold jewelry design to the global marketplace.

While there were plenty of fashion factors in play--including a noticeable nod

to the 1980s, with lots of huge hoops and link chains--the theme of the

evening seemed to be generating lighter pieces that appeal to today's

budget-conscious consumer.

Wednesday night's event--the seventh of its kind--featured pieces from 33

leading Italian gold manufacturers.

Commenting on the event in a news release, John Calnon, U.S. managing

director of the WGC, said, "Despite the economic downturn, recent consumer

research has confirmed that today's global consumer has a growing

appreciation for the enduring inherent value of gold and continues to seek

innovative and stunning gold jewelry design. The Gold Expressions

collections merge Italian creativity and quality craftsmanship with the

ongoing learning from WGC consumer research to ensure the commercial

appeal of the new designs, while consistently maintaining relevance in style,

as well as value."

Those in attendance at the event duly noted this emphasis on creativity and

style, with plenty of remarking on the wide range of appealing designs

available.

Notable trends, according to WGC spokeswoman Duvall O'Steen, included

statement rings designed to be worn on the forefinger, fewer floral motifs

and more geometric shapes, as well as a fascination with textures.

This includes brushed looks and diamond cutting, which adds gemstone-like

sparkle without significantly bumping up the price.

The GE 2010 collection will launch globally in January at the VicenzaOro

FIRST Fair. Following that, the collection will be visible at trade and

consumer events in leading gold markets worldwide. The complete collection

will return to the United States in early June in Las Vegas.

"It's all about textures," O'Steen said.

GE is represented in the U.S. market by Richline Group, which has acquired

the exclusive distribution rights for the GE designs from a huge majority of

GE participants.

Richline's GE collection will be available in New York throughout 2010.

(Article published at http://www.dushangjewelry.com/ )