9 Minute Read
Attending gems and jewelry trade shows is essential for industry professionals in any position. These events bring the global industry together under one roof. From rough discovered in new deposits to finished jewelry from the freshest designers, innovation is on display.
In past years at the Las Vegas shows Couture and JCK, we have told you about jewelry made from unconventional materials like titanium, ceramics, fossils, meteorites, and even dried car paint. IGS has published articles featuring gemstones of different varieties adhered together as one gem and lightweight creations of wood fabricated using ancient cabinet-making techniques.
This year, the trend that caught our attention wasn't some novel technique or material. Instead, everywhere we looked, we saw a classic pairing - yellow gold with sparkling white diamonds. It is a timeless style that most retailers keep in stock thanks to its versatility. Diego van Sommeren, head of digital & brand development for Tirisi, told us plainly that "yellow gold and white diamonds are a best seller for everyone."
However, the popularity of the pairing of these materials means that designers must dig deep to come up with ideas that feel fresh and special. Jessica Busiashvili, the designer of OX, said that she finds this struggle inspiring - "I like the challenge of just working with diamonds and yellow gold. It is difficult to work with just one material".
Designers at the Las Vegas shows like Busiashvili proved that, despite marketplace saturation, yellow gold with white diamonds can still be made into modern jewelry with an unexpected character. Here are some of the exceptional pieces that caught our eye.
It makes sense to begin this journey with jewelry that is directly inspired by historical yellow gold and white diamond designs. Itzak Reiss of I. Reiss speaks about ancient jewelry with reverence and wants the ancient traditions behind his creations to shine - "Gold is yellow. Not white or pink. King Soloman's wife wore it. It is truly an authentic material. We create a distinctive Mediterranean look and don't chase trends. What results is a niche product, so we don't have much direct competition".
Not all of Reiss's inspiration comes from the distant past. He also showed us his take on the classic diamonds by the yard strand, a motif created by Elsa Peretti in 1974 for Tiffany & Co. The first of these strands were made from (you guessed it!) white diamonds with 18kt yellow gold. In the last fifty years, people have worn versions of the strand to children's baseball games, galas, fund raisers, grocery stores, and pretty much any other activity you can name. Reiss took on the challenge of refreshing the much-copied diamonds by the yard design and is proud of his "new look".
Another designer who celebrates ancient jewelry is Demetra Lalaounis, a second-generation jeweler who operates her brand LALAoUNIS. Specifically, Lalaounis likes to show the many ways ancient jewelers worked with gold - "Our specialty is yellow gold with ancient inspiration. We revive ancient techniques like filigree, repoussé, hand hammering, and granulation using 18kt and 22kt metal. It is my goal to show how different gold can look".
Lalaounis showed us how the surface of gold can be molded as anything from mirror smooth to gravelly. Brigitta Luttrell, a brand representative for Leigh Maxwell, told us that a signature of their company is yellow gold and white diamond jewelry that is modernized by creating a soft matte surface polish - "The identity of the brand is 18kt yellow gold with a satin finish. It is gentle and feminine."
Carol Kauffmann takes gold finishes and white diamond setting to another level. She proudly spoke with us about how her highly technical designs could not be realized without the help CAD software. To demonstrate this, Kauffmann showed us pieces from her Rocks Collection which features concave and convex shapes with multiple finishes on 18kt yellow gold and raised bezel set white diamonds. "These designs", she said, "require a precision that can't be communicated to goldsmiths adequately with sketches. You just can't draw the finishes, shapes, and details by hand."
Sometimes, you just want to go all out and wear jewelry that is unapologetically decadent. Jen Insardi, the founder and creative director of JV Insardi, is a tactile designer whose design process includes hand carved wax models. Her jewelry is both substantial and weighty - When you put it on, you know that you are wearing it.
We found more maximalist jewelry at Norman Covan. Lara Covan showed us their "Golden String" collection of rings, the company's best seller for the past four years. While the collection can be made in rose and white gold, yellow gold with white diamonds is the standard. Covan was proud that the Golden String collection has advanced over time, but retains its original spirit - "If you look at the progression from past years, you can see how the vision evolved and stayed with yellow gold and white diamonds."
The Clioro brand has been in business since 1916. Currently, they specialize in handmade gold jewelry fashioned exclusively from recycled metal, and their 18kt gold chains with white diamonds caught our eye. We spoke with Falk Dettinger, owner of the company since 2015, about demand for gold jewelry as prices have spiked dramatically in the last few years. Interestingly, Dettinger said that he has seen demand for high fashion gold jewelry rise - "Higher prices make gold jewelry even more precious."
Another company that strives to modernize traditional chain designs is Studio 24. Brand representative Shaelee Hansen showed us two iterations of the company's ball chain necklaces made in 14kt yellow gold which you can see below. One strand featured a pear-shaped diamond solitaire "bauble" and was displayed so that the diamond encrusted clasp was visible from the front. The shorter strand is Studio 24's "Dangle" necklace set with eleven white diamonds.
Designer Tara Maria Famiglietti of ONDYN is particularly drawn to the combination of yellow gold and white diamonds, saying, "it has a sense of wonder and magic". Indeed, most of the jewelry you will see on her website is fashioned from 18kt yellow gold. Famiglietti's jewelry has a contemporary spirit that is inspired by the physical movement of the human body.
It is hard to come up with an entirely new way to wear jewelry, but that is exactly what YEPREM accomplished with their "Claw". Virna Chakardemian, creative director and managing partner for the company, said that their yellow gold with white diamond jewelry "has been a best seller for us in the last few years." She agreed with the sentiments voiced by other jewelers that buyers are increasingly feeling that "yellow gold jewelry is more exclusive", thanks in part to its' increasing value. When exclusive materials are paired with inspired designs as they are with the Claw, you get something truly special.
Couture has multiple categories of competition for exhibitors. In the category of Best in Gold for 2025, Lunar Rain took home first prize. This year, they showed a collection of 18kt yellow gold zodiac-inspired pendant designs with white diamonds.
There were plenty of creators whose vision pushes the bounds of conventional jewelry. Enrico Peruffo of Peruffo loves playing with movement, particularly with yellow gold - "Gold is the essence of our jewelry. Our work is mostly gold with diamond accents. Yellow gold specifically lets you see the shape and form and movement."
We would be remiss if we did not include current innovation on display at the shows that widens the future possibilities for gold and diamond jewelry. Peter Schmid, head designer for Atelier Zobel, gave us a glimpse into that future, showing us one of his cuffs, seen below. This piece features 24kt gold fused with palladium and bleached sterling silver set with diamonds, not an easy thing to do. Schmid explained that he is particularly drawn to stones and metals that carry recognizable character - "The beauty is the imperfection. People create a relationship with abstract pieces." Indeed, on the wall of Schmid's booth was the slogan, "not perfect, not simple, but real".
If these shows proved anything, it is that materials used together for thousands of years can still be made to create jewelry that is relevant and innovative. We saw new takes on ancient designs, items that are daringly modern in their conception, and caught a glimpse of the future fabrication techniques. It's safe to say that yellow gold and white diamond jewelry will continue to be a popular option for many years to come.
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Attending gems and jewelry trade shows is essential for industry professionals in any position. These events bring the global industry together under one roof. From rough discovered in new deposits to finished jewelry from the freshest designers, innovation is on display.
In past years at the Las Vegas shows Couture and JCK, we have told you about jewelry made from unconventional materials like titanium, ceramics, fossils, meteorites, and even dried car paint. IGS has published articles featuring gemstones of different varieties adhered together as one gem and lightweight creations of wood fabricated using ancient cabinet-making techniques.
This year, the trend that caught our attention wasn't some novel technique or material. Instead, everywhere we looked, we saw a classic pairing - yellow gold with sparkling white diamonds. It is a timeless style that most retailers keep in stock thanks to its versatility. Diego van Sommeren, head of digital & brand development for Tirisi, told us plainly that "yellow gold and white diamonds are a best seller for everyone."
However, the popularity of the pairing of these materials means that designers must dig deep to come up with ideas that feel fresh and special. Jessica Busiashvili, the designer of OX, said that she finds this struggle inspiring - "I like the challenge of just working with diamonds and yellow gold. It is difficult to work with just one material".
Designers at the Las Vegas shows like Busiashvili proved that, despite marketplace saturation, yellow gold with white diamonds can still be made into modern jewelry with an unexpected character. Here are some of the exceptional pieces that caught our eye.
It makes sense to begin this journey with jewelry that is directly inspired by historical yellow gold and white diamond designs. Itzak Reiss of I. Reiss speaks about ancient jewelry with reverence and wants the ancient traditions behind his creations to shine - "Gold is yellow. Not white or pink. King Soloman's wife wore it. It is truly an authentic material. We create a distinctive Mediterranean look and don't chase trends. What results is a niche product, so we don't have much direct competition".
Not all of Reiss's inspiration comes from the distant past. He also showed us his take on the classic diamonds by the yard strand, a motif created by Elsa Peretti in 1974 for Tiffany & Co. The first of these strands were made from (you guessed it!) white diamonds with 18kt yellow gold. In the last fifty years, people have worn versions of the strand to children's baseball games, galas, fund raisers, grocery stores, and pretty much any other activity you can name. Reiss took on the challenge of refreshing the much-copied diamonds by the yard design and is proud of his "new look".
Another designer who celebrates ancient jewelry is Demetra Lalaounis, a second-generation jeweler who operates her brand LALAoUNIS. Specifically, Lalaounis likes to show the many ways ancient jewelers worked with gold - "Our specialty is yellow gold with ancient inspiration. We revive ancient techniques like filigree, repoussé, hand hammering, and granulation using 18kt and 22kt metal. It is my goal to show how different gold can look".
Lalaounis showed us how the surface of gold can be molded as anything from mirror smooth to gravelly. Brigitta Luttrell, a brand representative for Leigh Maxwell, told us that a signature of their company is yellow gold and white diamond jewelry that is modernized by creating a soft matte surface polish - "The identity of the brand is 18kt yellow gold with a satin finish. It is gentle and feminine."
Carol Kauffmann takes gold finishes and white diamond setting to another level. She proudly spoke with us about how her highly technical designs could not be realized without the help CAD software. To demonstrate this, Kauffmann showed us pieces from her Rocks Collection which features concave and convex shapes with multiple finishes on 18kt yellow gold and raised bezel set white diamonds. "These designs", she said, "require a precision that can't be communicated to goldsmiths adequately with sketches. You just can't draw the finishes, shapes, and details by hand."
Sometimes, you just want to go all out and wear jewelry that is unapologetically decadent. Jen Insardi, the founder and creative director of JV Insardi, is a tactile designer whose design process includes hand carved wax models. Her jewelry is both substantial and weighty - When you put it on, you know that you are wearing it.
We found more maximalist jewelry at Norman Covan. Lara Covan showed us their "Golden String" collection of rings, the company's best seller for the past four years. While the collection can be made in rose and white gold, yellow gold with white diamonds is the standard. Covan was proud that the Golden String collection has advanced over time, but retains its original spirit - "If you look at the progression from past years, you can see how the vision evolved and stayed with yellow gold and white diamonds."
The Clioro brand has been in business since 1916. Currently, they specialize in handmade gold jewelry fashioned exclusively from recycled metal, and their 18kt gold chains with white diamonds caught our eye. We spoke with Falk Dettinger, owner of the company since 2015, about demand for gold jewelry as prices have spiked dramatically in the last few years. Interestingly, Dettinger said that he has seen demand for high fashion gold jewelry rise - "Higher prices make gold jewelry even more precious."
Another company that strives to modernize traditional chain designs is Studio 24. Brand representative Shaelee Hansen showed us two iterations of the company's ball chain necklaces made in 14kt yellow gold which you can see below. One strand featured a pear-shaped diamond solitaire "bauble" and was displayed so that the diamond encrusted clasp was visible from the front. The shorter strand is Studio 24's "Dangle" necklace set with eleven white diamonds.
Designer Tara Maria Famiglietti of ONDYN is particularly drawn to the combination of yellow gold and white diamonds, saying, "it has a sense of wonder and magic". Indeed, most of the jewelry you will see on her website is fashioned from 18kt yellow gold. Famiglietti's jewelry has a contemporary spirit that is inspired by the physical movement of the human body.
It is hard to come up with an entirely new way to wear jewelry, but that is exactly what YEPREM accomplished with their "Claw". Virna Chakardemian, creative director and managing partner for the company, said that their yellow gold with white diamond jewelry "has been a best seller for us in the last few years." She agreed with the sentiments voiced by other jewelers that buyers are increasingly feeling that "yellow gold jewelry is more exclusive", thanks in part to its' increasing value. When exclusive materials are paired with inspired designs as they are with the Claw, you get something truly special.
Couture has multiple categories of competition for exhibitors. In the category of Best in Gold for 2025, Lunar Rain took home first prize. This year, they showed a collection of 18kt yellow gold zodiac-inspired pendant designs with white diamonds.
There were plenty of creators whose vision pushes the bounds of conventional jewelry. Enrico Peruffo of Peruffo loves playing with movement, particularly with yellow gold - "Gold is the essence of our jewelry. Our work is mostly gold with diamond accents. Yellow gold specifically lets you see the shape and form and movement."
We would be remiss if we did not include current innovation on display at the shows that widens the future possibilities for gold and diamond jewelry. Peter Schmid, head designer for Atelier Zobel, gave us a glimpse into that future, showing us one of his cuffs, seen below. This piece features 24kt gold fused with palladium and bleached sterling silver set with diamonds, not an easy thing to do. Schmid explained that he is particularly drawn to stones and metals that carry recognizable character - "The beauty is the imperfection. People create a relationship with abstract pieces." Indeed, on the wall of Schmid's booth was the slogan, "not perfect, not simple, but real".
If these shows proved anything, it is that materials used together for thousands of years can still be made to create jewelry that is relevant and innovative. We saw new takes on ancient designs, items that are daringly modern in their conception, and caught a glimpse of the future fabrication techniques. It's safe to say that yellow gold and white diamond jewelry will continue to be a popular option for many years to come.
