How do jewelry techniques vs. traditional setting have evolved ?

IMAGINARIUM- an extremely well chosen title for the 2016 trend directions by Swarovski Gemstones division, took place this week at their London offices.

Dr Birgit Rieder -director of Gem creative & Retail Marketing Gemstones Business, held an instructive presentation about what we can expect from the jewelry world in the years to come. Within four forecast categories – Magic, Eternity, Body Art and Radical Craft -, she showcased how jewels have benefited from thinking-out-of-the-box as well as the fact they are to become second-skin talismans more than ever before, among other facts. She notably discussed the implications of technology versus traditional craft, and how the two can co-exist and mutually benefit each other. The reach was as much about directions for jewelry aesthetics as about us as a society. The correlation between the two was very obvious as among the eight broader trend directions (Main Spirits) identified by Rieder, in other words the near future Zeitgeist, five would directly deal with our sense of community (Retail – New environments, Schooling – e.g. the Van Cleef & Arpels school -, Mindful Living, Gathering Together and New Ethics), two with jewelry as an artful craft (Modern Day Artisans, Jewelry as Art), and one with a sense of the future-is-here (Wearable Technologies). Right after the lecture, we were also shown some of the novelties (stone setting solutions; gradient effect created with minute sapphires paving watch dials, and more) as well as what cements Swarovski on top of the technological game (the TCF technique or Thermal Color Fusion, etc.). Case in point the Swarovski Zirconia 120 Facets Heritage Cut, which was unveiled to celebrate the company 120^th anniversary in April this year. A laser engraving prowess befitting of the milestone occasion.