Why big gold jewellery is back – and how you can pull it off
All parents like to tease their teens about their dress sense, so when 16-year-old Poppy appears in the living room to say her goodbyes before heading off to a party, her dad can’t resist a little joke. “Who sponsored you tonight – Armitage Shanks?” he quips. Like all her friends, Poppy is wearing a surfeit of chains. They snake around her neck, her wrists and even her fingers, giving an effect not entirely dissimilar to the one favoured by Ali G, the hip-hop-loving “voice of da yoof” comedy character created in 2000 by Sacha Baron Cohen. Like Ali, Poppy is a staunch fan of gold chains and hasn’t met one that she’d reject as being too chunky. In fact, her jewellery may well weigh almost as much as she does.
Poppy’s chains are bought inexpensively from H&M and ASOS, but at the higher end of the market, the demand for big, bold jewellery is the same – only the price tags are different. Whether they are about to close a deal, rent a private island or have just finished their GCSEs, women from all income brackets are rejecting delicate pieces such as braided bracelets and stacking rings in favour of chunky, maximalist styles whose impact can be seen from halfway across a room. The trend is partly the result of fashion’s current love affair with the Seventies and Eighties, but is also indicative of a new exuberance sweeping through fashion which sees people wanting to express themselves in a fun, unapologetic way.
“We’ve definitely seen an uplift in sales of bold jewellery, particularly unique, one-of-a-kind pieces,” confirms Tanika Wisdom, jewellery buyer at Matches, who cites brands such as Irene Neuwirth, Dezso and Viltier as especially popular this summer. “People are becoming more comfortable buying jewellery, especially online. They like the idea that with one fabulous piece of jewellery you can completely change your look.” Despite talk of recession, Matches is still seeing strong demand at the higher end of the market, where a necklace can cost five figures. “Our customers are looking for special investment pieces, so we haven’t seen any price resistance.”
Marilyn Monroe may have opined that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but in this bold new world of jewellery one-upmanship, diamonds aren’t always the most prized status symbol. Big rocks of the sort favoured by celebrities such as Beyoncé, Paris Hilton and Serena Williams will never go out of fashion, but in 2022, those wanting to scream their status from the rooftops are going for gold. When luxury brands, including Chanel, Dior and Chaumet, showcased their new high jewellery collections as part of Paris Couture Week earlier this month, gold pieces were very much in evidence, including bold cocktail rings and chunky chains. This was in stark contrast to previous seasons, when gold tended to take a back seat in favour of more delicate pieces which ensured the focus was on precious stones.
Galling as it may seem to those whose budget merely extends to H Samuel, it is gold’s scarcity which is propelling it up the most-wanted chart. For centuries, gold has been used to symbolise wealth and status, as far back as Egyptian times when it was used both as jewellery and currency. Central banks and private investors have long used gold as a store of value, particularly during periods of wild currency fluctuations, when tempestuous exchange rates make financial investments a greater risk. Gold tends to hold its value well during inflation and recession, which is why over the last 20 years its value has grown by over 500 per cent. Current global economic uncertainty has caused an upsurge in the purchase of gold coins and bars, with the result that gold is currently trading at near record prices.
All of which is music to the ears of artists such as Rihanna, Jay Z, Kanye West and Drake, who have long been of the opinion that gold is a cooler, more credible way to show off your status than diamonds – not that they’re averse to those either. In the hip-hop world, customised gold chains have been a status symbol for decades: in 2010, the rapper Rick Ross commissioned a gold chain of himself wearing a gold chain, at a cost of $1.5million. One of the biggest drivers of the current bold, maximalist jewellery trend is undoubtedly Rihanna, one of the best-selling artists of all time and also one of the most sartorially influential, with 134 million Instagram followers and 107 million on Twitter. When she announced her pregnancy in February via some carefully-staged paparazzi shots featuring her bump bedecked in a vintage Lacroix crucifix and a Chanel chain belt, the images went viral and the trend for bold “bling” jewellery was reaffirmed.
According to Marisa Hordern, CEO and creative director of British demi-fine jewellery brand Missoma, the trend for show-stopping pieces is a reaction to lockdown. “After the last couple of years, it’s no wonder that customers want to go bolder and indulge their playful sides. The ‘bling’ trend is all about standing out from the crowd with pieces that express your identity.” She identifies the “neckmess” as a popular trend among her customers, in which necklaces are layered over each other in a no-holds-barred, maximalist style. “Layering shows the world who we are, whether that’s with gold chains, semi precious gemstones, bright enamel colours or all three together.” A current bestseller is the Harris Reed x Missoma Labradorite cocktail ring. “This style was popular in the 1920’s Prohibition era, so it makes sense that there’s a renewed interest in it now.”
Another proponent of the bold trend is Swarovski, the 125-year-old crystal manufacturer, who in May 2021 appointed former Vogue stylist turned brand consultant Giovanna Engelbert, 42, as its creative director. Under her tenure, the brand has been modernised to include spiky necklaces in vivid purples and pinks, whose eye-catching style has found favour with celebrities including Dua Lipa and Jennifer Lopez. “It’s about expressing yourself through accessorising in a bold and unapologetic way, and not being afraid to sparkle,” Engelbert told me when we spoke last year. In the quest for world – or at least jewellery box – domination, Engelbert finds herself in friendly competition with her husband, Oscar, scion of the Scandinavian jewellery brand Engelbert, founded in 1920. Fans include the Swedish royal family, influencer Chiara Ferragni, model Bella Hadid and entrepreneur Emma Grede, who co-founded the shapewear brand Skims with Kim Kardashian. When I interviewed Grede last week and remarked on her bold gold bracelet, she said it was by Engelbert and she’d been wearing it all summer.
A quick Google revealed it to be the brand’s yellow gold “Flat Iron” bracelet. Alas, all hope of buying one disappeared when the price was revealed to be £13,000. But those of lesser means can still embrace the bold trend, which can as easily be achieved with inexpensive costume jewellery as with gold and precious stones. As with applying a dash of lipstick, adding a statement necklace, trophy earrings or a chunky cocktail ring to an outfit is a quick win in terms of refreshing your look and a handy style hack when funds are too low to purchase a new one. With one flourish, an old purchase will have new life breathed into it. Whatever your budget, bold jewellery is dopamine dressing at its best.
Add some bling to your look
Lucent cocktail ring, £250, Swarovski (swarovski.com)
18kt gold-plated curb-chain necklace, £188, Fallon (matchesfashion.com)
18kt gold-plated Good Vibes enamel hoop earrings, £125, Missoma (missoma.com)
18k gold “The Flat Iron” bracelet, £13,151, Engelbert (engelbertstockholm.com)
Fish charms necklace, £22.99, Zara (zara.com)
Graduated crystals necklace, £68, Butler & Wilson (butlerandwilson.co.uk)
Gold-plated heart of glass hoop earrings, £68, Sandralexandra (libertylondon.com)
1980s Vintage Renaissance revival clip-on earrings, £135, Susan Caplan (susancaplan.co.uk)
