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Colorful gemstones are often eclipsed by diamonds, but don’t underestimate what the flash of green, red, blue, or orange in a colorful earring can add to an ensemble. Think of the instant lift coral, turquoise, or malachite give a breezy white summer dress, or what emeralds, rubies, and sapphires give to a classic button-down shirt or a cocktail dress.
Embracing colored stones in earrings can bring a desired warm or cold tone to the face. They needn’t be the most complicated of earrings—often the best are simple. Jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth has made a name for herself with her whimsical designs that embrace stones of all hues. “I love using the same color values with different colors next to one another,” she says, “so when you squint your eyes, it looks similar, but when you look more closely, they are different.”
Just as with diamonds, there’s an ethical wave in the colored gemstone arena. Gemfields has made strides in responsibly sourcing gemstones. It has recently partnered with the conservation charity Space for Giants in partnership with Net-a-Porter to create a collection called Walk for Giants that raises money and awareness for conservation in Africa. Programs such as this make a colorful piece’s origins far less of a worry.
Neuwirth doesn’t give weight to one stone being better than another. “Any color! All the colors,” she says. Artist palettes at the ready: time to add some fun to your ear game.
Simple
As with many things in life, often a simple approach to gemstone earrings is the most successful. There’s no need to go wild to get the point across.
Studs and Huggies
Short and sweet, studs and huggie hoops that sit close to the earlobe are great ways to add some color into your jewelry.
Drops
A touch longer, and a tad more bold, dangle drop gemstone earrings are a larger canvas for your chosen color palette.
All Out
These fall under the “go big or go home approach” when it comes to color.
