The Accessories Magazine Census Report that summarizes accessories at the end of every year says the statement necklace continued to sell well in 2010. They go on to say that these necklaces will remain strong in 2011, but evolve into longer mixed-media ropes and looks that will be more tribal in nature. 

MIXED –MEDIA ROPE STATEMENT NECKLACES

The mixed –media ropes often incorporate beading with different types and sizes of chain, forming long swinging necklaces that hardly seem new. All of us have noticed this look in everything from fashion magazines to upscale apparel catalogs. The look continues with some innovations like fire polished faceted beads adding quality components that are anything but ordinary. Other styles use multiple strands of small chain that ties a knot and drops in a tassel with fire polished beads again terminating each chain.   

 

 

What are these fire polished faceted beads? You may have seen them in fashion jewelry without realizing what they are. Small Pleasures web site gives a concise definition as faceted glass (mainly from the Czech Republic) that is polished by glazing in a red hot oven. These are the faceted glass beads that often seem to change from a color to clear with motion. 

TRIBAL DESIGN STATEMENT NECKLACES 

The look of hand craftsmanship is a key element of tribal jewelry. Inspiration is the hand workmanship of different world cultures with India, Africa, and the Hispanic cultures among the most popular. A long necklace with fluted and engraved silver plated beads makes impact as statement jewelry with a look easily identified as inspired by India.

But more familiar looks in statement jewelry—the styles that strut the runways—use bold statement in plated metals that appear to be hand crafted. A bold bib necklace with curved bars creating hatchet-shaped windows and a fringe of wavy spoon shaped disks provides that fashion runway look. 

STATEMENT JEWELRY WITH BOLD BEADING

 
Necklaces with exaggerated bead size are not new this season, but some new designs reinvent the look to help keep the trend going. The season super-sized pearl beads mix with even larger sized beads with a pave’ of faceted fire polished beading. This gives some shimmer to faux pearl jewelry that will not go unnoticed. 

The design has other colors with jet black being most popular after pearl. It’s hard to think of an outfit that couldn’t be accessorized by one or the other of these colors.

 

Another style captures the look of crystals by using faceted acrylic stones. These mix with the oversized faux pearls and a long tassel to create a dressier version of statement necklaces. Here the jewelry can expand to accessorizing an after 5 ensemble. 

SHELL STATEMENT NECKLACES

 
Shell jewelry, especially mother-of-pearl and the darker version, black lip mother-of-pearl enter the statement necklace arena. These shells along with paua shell are players in spring fashion trends in their own right. The shells show up in earrings and other fashion jewelry, but really make impact as statement necklaces. 

 

 

A black lip mother-of-pearl necklace set uses shapes including disks and squared in a design that terminates with a tassel. This fashion jewelry not only meets the statement necklace trend that is on the rise, but the natural beauty of the iridescent shell will grab onlooker’s attention in any setting. 

GEMSTONE STATEMENT NECKLACES

Perhaps the most unusual statement necklace for spring is found in gemstone jewelry. Sliced agates drop from multiple strands of chain. Agates have a semi-transparency that mesmerizes onlookers with intriguing designs created by nature. Agates have a glassy finish when polished and hardness on the Mohs scale of 7. The agates used for this jewelry are slice geodes with many pieces still showing an edge that was the dull grey outside of the round rock. 

 

 A choice of eye-catching colors adds to the appeal. While the natural state is mostly less interesting with shades of grey and brown, chemical treatment achieves vibrant colors customers love. The agate is first boiled in a bicarbonate solution and then soaked in a chemical to achieve the color.  Different chemicals are used for each color. The finished product is a statement necklace worthy of the name because nature’s intriguing designs in the agate slices are sure to turn heads. 

While the statement necklace in past seasons might have seemed over the edge, fashion magazines and runways have familiarized consumers with this jewelry and now your fashion conscious customers are demanding the look. So add some impact to your showcases for spring by including the dramatic look of statement necklaces.