Bead and Jewelry Trends from Tucson

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There is so much to see at the 40+ shows in Tucson, and spotting trends is one of the reasons we visit as many shows as possible. We are happy to report that the number of vendors and shoppers seems to be back to pre-pandemic levels and there is a wealth of jewelry making supplies to be searched for and discovered. Here are a few of the trends we spotted at the 2023 Tucson shows and which we expect to see in the year to come.

Lapis Lazuli at the Tucson 2023 shows. — Lapis Lazuli at the 2023 Tucson shows

Classic Stones

Some years, a particular stone just stands out in Tucson. This year, we saw classic blue lapis lazuli and sodalite at every show, from rough stone to decorative items to beads and everything in-between. Lapis Lazuli has been mined since people were hunter gatherers and its appeal continues to this day.

Peacock-effect beads at the Tucson 2023 shows. — Peacock-effect beads at the 2023 Tucson shows

Updating Old Favorites

Jewelry designer Fernando Dasilva noticed an abundance of beads with a peacock effect applied to the surface. He loves the idea of modernizing a traditional semiprecious stone bead style and says, “this ethnic-chic feeling is perfectly at home in an urban street wear environment.” New materials such as titanium are being used to create these effects.

Turquoise hearts at the Tucson 2023 shows. — Heart-shaped turquoise cabochons at the 2023 Tucson shows

All Heart

Heart shapes are giving off more than just a Valentine’s Day vibe this year. Jewelers are using heart-shaped cabochons to create bezel-set rings, pendants, and more. While turquoise heart cabs were very abundant, we also saw heart shapes in nearly every other type of stone cabochon.

Rainbow chakra beads at the Tucson 2023 shows. — Rainbow strands of beads at the 2023 Tucson shows

Color Banding

Chakra beads and other strands of color-banded stones are popular this year. Yoga jewelry is pushing this trend and companies that sell beads are using different gemstones, glass, and crystal beads to create the rainbow or emulate the colors of a semiprecious stone that naturally occurs in different hues.

Chameleon art object from the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards at the Tucson 2023 shows.

Inspired by Nature

Two of the designs recognized by the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards featured chameleons. We have to wonder, are chameleons having a moment? See all the AGTA Spectrum Awards winner and honorable mention photos on Facebook and keep an eye out for other trends such as combining black gold with jewel tone gems.

See all our Tucson coverage at www.tucsonshowguide.com.

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