Italian jewelry is synonymous with top notch gold jewelry. This country has traditionally been a powerhouse in the design of buttery soft gold jewelry design. Of course the Italians do everything else as well when you think of such brands as Casa Damiani, Bulgari and many others. Italian gold jewelry has been the standard bearer in the manufacture of fine 14k and 18k jewelry for the longest time.

Other countries like Turkey have tried to emulate them but the Italians with their Italian gold jewelry are still the foremost purveyors of the finest that precious metal jewelry has to offer. Fine Italian jewelry is for the most part crafted in 18k yellow and white gold. Now with the run up in gold prices more jewelry buyers are wanting to purchase Italian silver jewelry. Of course the same great finishing techniques that the Italian jewelry designers are famous have an equal following in silver.

Companies like Pandora and Trollbeads are based in Italy and have finally staked their part of the silver jewelry market as demand for Italian charm jewelry has gone through the roof. Many jewelry stores that saw a steep drop in the traditional jewelry business saw their branded Italian Sterling Silver jewelry like Chamilia, pandora and troll beads begin to develop quite a following as women of all ages kept coming back to add to their charm bracelets and necklaces. The Italian Murano glass jewelry has been particularly popular with young women, especially the enticing selection of murano glass beads made by the above brands.

The Italian jewelry designer has always been on the cutting edge of European design, especially when it comes to Italian diamond jewelry and Italian enamel jewelry. Italian designers like Roberto Coin, Marco Bicego, Rebecca Italian Jewelry and Phillipe Charriol have pioneered the use of colored gold, textured gold, and innovative jewelry design. Similarly brands like La Nouvelle Bague, Rosato and others have been pioneers in the jewelry enamel arts bringing to market the design benefits of the cold enamel process.

Other innovations by Italian jewelry designers include Mattioli, the Italian jewelry design group that introduced 18k chocolate gold to the world. Chocolate gold has been a big seller especially when combined with rose gold and white gold in bracelets, rings and earrings. This gold goes well with chocolate diamonds and chocolate pearls. Italian mosaic jewelry is one of the foremost examples of antique

Italian jewelry and demonstrates the fine skill of Italian jewelry craftsmen going back to Roman times. Designers from Italy are also not afraid to move forward and experiment with new metals like titanium. The Zydo collection of  titanium jewelry using 18k gold, steel, silver, and fancy colored sapphires shows remarkable innovation in the use of titanium to create textures and colors in jewelry that reminds one of the jewelry that would be on board the Star Trek Enterprise.

Mens gold rings used to be popular in yellow gold with basic stones such as onyx. Nowadays mens white gold rings are more trendy because the white look is considered edgier and racier and diamonds also tend to show up better on white gold. Hip hop jewelry has played a big part the rise of the mens gold ring. The hip hop or iced out look started from rap artists who wanted to express their triumph over the hard lives that they were born into and would sport 18k all the way to 9ct gold mens rings covered with white, black, blue and yellow diamonds. Jacob the jeweler was one of the pioneers in creating this type of look for hip hop artists and white gold or platinum was the best metal to show up the beauty of colored diamonds because it could be made to look mirror bright with some rhodium plating.

Other gold rings for men that are quite popular are mens gold coin rings. The preferred coins to be used are American Eagles, Canadian Maple Leaf or American Indian Head coins. They are at the same time masculine, have intrinsic value and tell a story. Men who are passionate about ancient coins will sport Greek and Roman silver drachmas in gold mountings. Designer men gold rings include some of the Alaskan heritage styles such as real gold nuggets embedded in 14k or 18k gold rings that are symbolic of the Alaskan gold rush.

Mens gold wedding rings is the other big category that frequently needs the bride to be’s approval. Men usually go for simple white or yellow gold bands that have “comfort fit”. The more elaborate men gold ring will have diamonds on the shoulders or top of the ring. Men’s gold rings sporting diamonds come in all styles from solitaire to invisible set diamonds. A mens gold diamond ring used to be a simple affair with either a single diamond mounted on top, or a row of diamonds across the center, usually 3 or 5 round diamonds set in a center channel. Nowadays these types of rings have big skull and bones motifs on top blanketed with pave diamonds in every color imaginable. Colored diamonds have changed the look entirely of mens white gold diamond rings. Treated diamonds now come in all colors, the most popular for men being black and blue.

Black and blue diamonds are quite a bit less costly compared to their white counterparts because they don’t have to be super clean. A one carat round white diamond of medium quality can easily run upwards of $4000. A blue diamond of good quality that has no spots under the table and is a pleasant shade of sea blue will run $1500- $1800. Yet it will have a nice big look and goes wonderfully with 14k or 18 white gold.

Mens gold ring styles continue to change and evolve over time moving away from the old yellow gold styles which are slowly being replaced with white gold and in sleeker, edgier designs. Mens white gold rings are still conservatively styled but its the new kinds of textures and finishes that make the difference. Mens gold wedding rings have traditionally been plain white gold bands with perhpas a comfort fit feature and rounded or convex shape.

Nowadays there are a whole host of metal combination available in this category where most of the metal will be a modern metal like tungsten or titanium with an inlay of yellow or white gold. there are also different finishes like satin, brushed, hammered and polished. Sometimes one metal is matte finished while the other beside it is bright polished giving a variety of textures and looks to the ring. Gold rings for are no longer the same old same old.

There are now a variety of different kind of stones that are inexpensive but good looking and masculine that can spruce up the look of a mens white gold ring. Some of the newer looks that come to mind are the rustic, earthy looks of designers like Todd Reed whose use of raw uncut diamonds is kind of a Renaissance of its own in terms of men gold rings. His signature look of hand forged and hand fabricated gold paired with raw diamond cubes of varying shades of gray, brown and olive for men is truly remarkable.

This is the natural evolution of the old standby, the mens gold nugget ring from the 70s and 80s in yellow gold. Todd Reed’s collection is truly a new breed of mens gold diamond ring. His triple raw diamond eternity band made with sterling silver, 18k gold and raw diamond cubes strung on gold pins is a piece of work and has a manly look that harks back to the wild west. It looks like small rock cubes sandwiched between two rivets for a look that is rustic yet dignified and manly. Yup, these little beauties are what mens gold diamond rings are all about.

Gold craft west is one of those American jewelry companies that have been making their signature 14k yellow gold rings inlaid with 24k gold raw nuggets. These rings fit like a glove and are an inspiration of design. Some of these mens gold rings come as mountings with prongs to accommodate diamonds or any other gemstone that you may care to have. They also come with cool stones like gold in milk quartz and opal.

Mens gold bracelets are no longer the traditional byzantine, curb and figaro of old. Gold bracelets for men have acquired a harder, edgier look with mens white gold bracelets dominating the scene. Black leather and black rubber are often used with white gold and diamond to create a sleek modern look for young men that is both youthful, fresh and manly. Although men’s gold bracelets are no longer as popular as they once were they are just as luxurious. The current generation of mens jewelry has taken a leap forward in terms of design and although not made in gold the blackened steel and sterling silver Mr. Graham collection from Jewelry designer Sarah Graham epitomizes the edgy styling nowadays that is targeted to the style conscious man. The organic sculpted look is just north of edgy and will not appeal to all men.

On the more conservative side are designers like Marco Bicego. His mens solid gold bracelets are quite a design debut for a designer that solely focused on women’s jewelry. The “L’Uomo” collection is comprised of 55 styles with bracelets in 18k yellow, rose and white gold. Hand woven coils and hand etched satin finishes are elements in this architecturally inspired collection that looks to the metropolitan landscape and New York skyline for inspiration. This collection of men gold bracelets range from $2000 and up. The collection includes wide closed bangle bracelets as well as mens gold diamond bracelets on his signature ribbed wound wire flexible 18k yellow gold ring and bracelet material with channel set diamonds in the middle.

As far as 14k gold bracelets for budget conscious men goes, the gold jewelry manufacturer Leslie’s has put out a collection of silver and gold and has appropriately called it OroSilver. The mens gold link bracelets are 14k gold bonded to silver. You could call this gold filled although that may not be the appropriate terminology for the process. The styling is simple mens train track bracelet link styling with hints of cartier links and so on. Its derivative styling that looks decent enough but with great retail price points starting at $495 to $600.

This will make a great man’s gift because the gold is bonded to the silver so you can’t say that its vermeil because that would mean it was just gold plated to 5 microns. You see this process in John Hardy’s collection of hammered gold on silver where the surface is hammered gold but when you look underneath the piece the backing is silver. So although its difficult to tell how much gold there actually is, the idea is to give an impression that there is a gold plate there sitting on top of a silver backing but how much gold it is is any one’s guess. nevertheless, the manufacturer wants to make it clear that this collection of mens gold id bracelets and link bracelets have value and are a 14k gold and silver bracelet.

Rose gold is not usually one of the metals that one thinks of as part of a new trend. We usually think of more avant garde metals like palladium and titanium. However rose gold rings have been experiencing a resurgence of sorts the first of which took place several years ago in bridal jewelry when colored diamonds were first surging in popularity as as fashion forward center stone choices.

It all started with the engagement ring stone and canary and fancy pink diamonds graced the red carpet like never before and thus was born the rose gold engagement ring. First yellow gold and

Three Tone Asscher Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

then rose gold was used to highlight their respective complimentary colored diamonds. Rose gold for fancy pink diamonds and yellow gold for fancy yellow or canary diamonds. Sometime just a dash of rose gold is needed as in this splendid engagement ring to the right by Stardust which also has a smidgen of yellow gold on the shank for a wonderfully fresh yet contemporary take on the fashion forward three tone  engagement ring.

The role that the rose gold ring plays in fashion jewelry these days has taken us beyond rose gold engagement rings and rose gold wedding rings in bridal jewelry to the fashion jewelry enclave. Women always like to step into jewelry stores or online storefronts to see what is new and rose gold is definitely being used in new ways by designers and jewelry companies.

At the higher end you have complimentary colored stones like padparadscha and imperial topaz that would be previously mounted in white gold to show off their pure color. Nowadays these exotic gemstones are being mounted in a rose gold diamond ring mounting to provide a more fashion forward contrast that looks feminine while at the same time is elegant. The primary focus is no longer the high value gemstone itself but more the overall look of the piece and its novelty and striking color combinations. The colorless small round diamonds make this type of a ring feminine, pretty and very girly.

For daytime wear rose gold rings show up with oversize cuts of pink and red stones like pink topaz and spinel for that big rock look that is at once sensational but tempered by the use of rose gold to soften up the overall look. Women are also looking for softness in earrings and have no problems

18kt rose gold ring with pale amethyst , amethyst and pink topaz for a delightfully pastel and feminine look

adding rose gold earrings in popular silhouettes like hammered flat discs and lacy drizzles of rose gold frills on rose gold hoop earrings. The ring to the right is an 18kt rose gold ring with pink topaz, pale amethyst and regular amethyst from Marco Molinario .

The rose gold wedding ring has also gone up a notch in terms of style and the rose gold eternity ring has shown that wedding bands can be pretty in pink. Most women have gotten this idea from designers like Roberto Coin who loves to use different colored golds in the simple rose gold band ring. This then begs the question, why not an eternity ring in Rose gold ? Many bridal jewelry designers like Whitney Boin now use rose gold in their eternity rings.

Rose gold as been making its way through the jewelry market for several years now but it wasn’t till recently that rose gold began to be used in more thoughtful ways. Previously rose gold was

Rose Gold ring from Levian with Cushion Cut Kunzite

restricted to rose gold rings or rose gold engagement rings on the part of the mounting that held a center stone that was pink in color like pink topaz , pink diamonds,  morganite or kunzite like this Levian ring to the right.

Now what we are seeing from designers and manufacturers is the use of rose gold to accentuate certain types of looks or to complement certain gemstone colors that are not pink or red but brown, black or paler color stones. Rose gold is not going to replace yellow gold or white gold for the foreseeable future but rose gold is deliberately being selected as the dominant precious metal for the purpose of creating a new look that appeals to both the beginning jewelry buyer as well as the buyer that already has a collection of jewelry.

The rose gold diamond ring has been growing in popularity partly because it puts a new spin on an old formula, that of gold and white diamonds. Micro pave is the most common format for pairing with rose gold mountings because you still get that scintillation that you do with regular gold but now you have a softness and delicacy that white gold does not have. Rose gold rings along this these tend be more lacy and feminine in look even though they might be more voluminous and elaborate. Check out this diamond butterfly ring below to the left.

Dramatic Rose Gold butterfly pave diamond ring

White diamonds are not the only diamonds to be used in Rose gold. Cognacs and Cinnamon diamonds look a good deal more novel when set in Rose gold as does smoky quartz. Diamonds with a brown hue stay brown in a white gold setting but come alive in rose gold because the color of the gold brings out the saturation of the stone and the other less earthier color components in the diamonds.

Perhaps the most dramatic use of Rose gold is when it is paired with black stones like black diamonds, onyx or black tourmaline. This can be seen in Sonya Ooten’s 14k rose gold hand crocheted deco necklace punctuated with black tourmaline. It is an entirely delicate look enhanced by the dramatic pairing of rose gold and black tourmaline which has some hints of a haematite gray to it.

Even more dramatic is the classic rose gold diamond ring but instead of white diamonds as is often the case with rose gold wedding rings black diamonds are now being used. The contrast between the soft rich feminine glow of rose gold and the hypnotic black shimmer of black diamonds is a match made in heaven. You will often see this look in rose gold band rings and rose gold stackable rings. Some rose gold earrings designs are also starting to pick up on this stunning combination. The rose gold ring has indeed come of age. Check out the dramatic rose gold and black onyx ring below by Jewelmak.

Rose Gold and Black Onyx ring from JewelMak

Gold jewellery has been around since Egyptian times when some Egyptian masks were discovered in tombs to be made of 24kt gold. In the far East the standard for gold content in gold jewelry is 18k to 22k and the standard in the US is 14k to 18k. The recent upward spikes in the price of gold to highs in the $800 to $900 per ounce has been a benefit for gold jewellery in the sense that the price points that gold jewellery used to occupy in the $40 to $80 range for a decent pair of gold earrings no longer exists. Nowadays whether you shop at Walmart, QVC or a high end jeweler, the opening price points for that type of gold product is now $200. The status of gold jewellery has gone up and now those $40 opening price points are now occupied by sterling silver jewelry.

This is an interesting turn of events for jewelers because they have a choice as to whether they want to take up precious showcase space with budget gold items whose pricing will be simply balked at by customers wanting a cheap gold piece. Jewelers have more choices than ever with silver to occupy these price points for the budget conciiouss but when it comes to yellow gold or white gold jewellery they are much better off going up market. This is also a benefit to the consumer who will no longer bang their heads against a wall looking for that gold jewellery gift  for under $70 because it simply won’t be there in the case because the smart jeweler would have realised that investing in design intensive, high brow pieces upwards of $800 will give the best return because the customer’s issue will no longer be a price issue at this level of merchandise but a design and style issue. Gone are the days of i would call gold costume jewellery pieces made on the cheap to sell for under $50.

Gold jewellery designs have taken a step forward both from generic manufacturers of basic items like gold jewellery necklaces for pendants to fine gold jewellery one of a kind pieces from designers. Designer gold jewellery has always been about the look and what yellow gold jewellery is known for is the ability to showcase texture. From the hammered texture in some of John Hardy’s designs to the fine detailed handwork in gold jewellery designers like Alex Sepkus and Henry Dunay, there is really no metal quite like gold. Gold jewellery is also available in a range of colours from varying shades of pink to red gold all the way to blue,peach and black gold. Charriol makes good use of peach gold  some of their newer collections like Celtique that uses their proprietory misture of yellow and pink gold with the brown steel cable.

Mens gold jewellery has for the most part gone all white, at least in the Western world, however in the far east for gold jewellery India is the place where men still consider 22k yellow gold to be the standard for mens wedding jewellery. This is also the case for diamond gold jewellery for women although that trend is changing fast with many women now wanting their mangal sutras to be in 22k white gold instead of the traditional yellow gold.  Men in the Western World who buy gold jewellery are nevertheless heavily into white gold jewellery because white metals to them are more masculine and edgy. Women in the Western World have also leaned over to white gold for bridal jewellery like engagement rings and wedding bands but are starting to give yellow gold a second look when in a gold jewellery store and will not hesitate to start a gold jewellery collection in yellow gold. Perhaps women’s bridal jewelry will always be partial to white gold but for gold fashion jewellery and pearl gold jewellery women are increasingly liking the assortment of  textures and designs that are showing up in yellow gold collections.