With the exception of the fashion-forward Miami scene and the glitzy glamour of Palm Beach, Floridians err on the conservative side when it comes to jewelry, says Avant Gold Jewelers owner Jeff Abeles. The Tampa jeweler says David Yurman is a top seller, from his signature cable bracelet that launched the luxury brand back in the early '80s to his newer cascading chains with bezel-set diamonds. Many of Abeles' customers, like Shari Middleton, can't get enough. Middleton, an assistant vice president at Wachovia in Tampa, collects Yurman jewelry. She likes his large, substantial pieces that work dressed up or dressed down. "People identify me by it," she says. "It's been a different way of networking."
WATCHFUL EYE
Watches are a bigger fashion statement than ever this year --literally. The trend is oversized -- and technical -- says Fort Lauderdale jeweler Robin Levinson. A 44-mm watch face is normally considered large, Levinson says, but this year 50-mm watches are all the rage. And the more complicated, the better. Finer watchmakers, like Chopard, are coming out with big watches this year. "Watches have become an accessory. People are collecting them." Women are buying several at a time, sports watches as well as luxury timepieces. Women want the high-tech, complicated styles, but they're also buying more offbeat colors: Pinks, blues -- even oranges.
MOTHER NATURE'S SURPRISES
Ask custom jeweler Pamela Rossi about one of her latest designs, an 18-karat gold necklace with pink, green, purple and bright yellow gemstones, and she'll tell you it's a sapphire necklace, even though there's not a deep blue sapphire-looking stone to be found on the piece. The Lauderdale-by-the-Sea jeweler says fancy-colored sapphires -- as these rainbow-hued stones are called -- are gaining popularity along with other fancy-colored gems. And they're real gems -- in this case, real sapphires -- not fake or dyed. They come out of the ground that way, and they're popular because the colors add versatility as well as another tier of uniqueness to custom jewelry.
Black diamonds are another of Mother Nature's surprises and also are sought-after among the well-jeweled set. A client from England recently commissioned Rossi to design a men's "suite" for her husband to match some of her own black Tahitian pearl jewelry. Rossi chose black and white diamonds to complement the wife's pearls for the matching ring, tie tack and cuff links set. Price tag: $12,500.
PRECIOUS TIME
PowerCerv CEO Marc Fratello has a passion for watches. He has owned Rolexes, Blanctains, Franck Mullers and IWCs, among other high-end brands. Fratello typically owns eight to 10 watches (mechanical only, never quartz), valued between $2,000 and $10,000 apiece. And he gets just as much pleasure out of wearing them as he does trading them on the internet. He rarely keeps a watch for more than a year but has a soft spot for Rolexes. His favorite is a stainless steel Daytona that cost him $6,000. He says he could trade it easily for $8,000 but won't. "It's a long-term keeper." Why the passion for watches? "Time is too precious to spend staring into something that's ugly."
WHAT'S HOT
Platinum: People are still buying it.
Big Rings: Obscenely large rings were de rigueur at the European trade shows, but Florida-based jewelers wonder if the Florida market will wholly embrace that style.
Watches: Oversized, complicated, technical.
Color: Fancy-colored gemstones, colored pearls, black diamonds.
WHAT'S NOT
White Diamonds and Yellow Gold: Color has taken hold.
DESIGNERS IN DEMAND
Technomarine: A highly stylized dive watch turned luxury timepiece. It's known for its techno look and colorful plastic wristbands. Cost: $200 to $2,000. Its higher-end model, the "Diva," features an 18-karat white gold set with white diamonds, a mother of pearl sub-dial and a pink crocodile band for $16,800.
David Yurman: Great price point and wearability with a classic, yet fashion-forward look. Cost: From $300 for sterling silver and $2,500 for 14-karat gold pieces with gemstones to $3,000 and up for 18-karat gold with diamonds.