Jennifer Heeber

PGS had the pleasure of welcoming jewelry journalist Jennifer Heebner to Chicago this past week, following her trip to the Tucson Gem Show. Jewelers and enthusiasts alike gathered for her talk at the Maller's Building to learn about upcoming trends for 2026.

Heebner has been covering the jewelry industry for over 25 years, tracking and predicting trends in the industry. She served as senior editor for JCK magazine for 19 years and now serves as editor in chief of AGTA's Prism magazine. Additionally, Heebner has contributed to many publications, including The Jewelry Book, Rapaport, Instore, and Gem Guide.

A 9.30 ct oval cut and a 4.12 ct triangular cut of a new type of moonstone from Madagascar featuring an orange flash effect. Photo by Robert Weldon; courtesy of Dudley Blauwet Gems.

Heebner shared her process for tracking and predicting trends, and what is on the rise in the new year. One of the key ways she scopes out trends is by scoping out what is consistently appearing at high fashion runways and what celebrities are wearing on red carpets. Seeking out reappearing colors and silhouettes translates to what jewelers will be offering in the ensuing seasons. Heebner also shared her inclination to observe what she identifies as "mother nature's annual offerings". She noted the latest findings of rainbow moonstone in Madagascar and saw more of these stones faceted and set in precious metals, rather than in cabochon cuts.

NAKARD 3D Baguette Pyrite Tile Chain Bracelet

Prada Couleur Vivante Collection

Moreover, Heebner follows how big brands are investing their marketing dollars, noting that if you put something in front of the consumer for long enough, it will eventually catch their interest. For example, Prada and Bulgari runways have been saturated with colored gemstones, contributing to the continued growth of the colored stone world. Positioning common stones such as amethyst and citrine as fine jewelry can allow for a hefty markup. Along with the soaring prices of gold, Heeber has also seen more jewelers looking into other precious metals such as pyrite. Obtaining market data can be very helpful, but expensive to obtain. For this reason, general business trends can be a very effective method of predicting trends. Based on her recent trips to trade shows and editorial coverage, Heebner has shared some of the notable trends she has collected.

Without further ado, here are some of Jennifer Heeber's 2026 trend predictions...

Ombre

Emily P. Wheeler Ombre Collection

Ombre is a visual gradient effect of colors fading into eachother. While it has been on and off the runway for years, it has had a resurgence in jewelry trends. It is being seen within loose gems, as well as gradient layout effects, pearls, pave bands, enamel, gold, and as rainbow designs.

Elongated Cushion Cuts and Old Mine Inspired Cuts

In the past decade, the demand for vintage style has skyrocketed. Vintage and antique-inspired jewelry has been trending in the trade for many years. These timeless styles target buyers' nostalgia and guarantee their investments will last.

Taylor's ring is estimated to be worth around $550,000

Taylor Swift's engagement ring is a great example of the elongated cushion cut. Her Victorian-inspired ring, designed by Kindred Lubeck, features an Old Mine cut diamond reflecting the intricate handwork of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Brown Diamonds and Zircon

The Desert Diamond “football” earring designed by Marvin Douglas. (A Diamond Is Forever)

De Beers recently unveiled their "Desert Diamonds" campaign at the JCK Las Vegas show. In an effort to revive the appeal of natural diamonds, the collection challenged the traditional white diamond with an array of desert hued stones. Heeber noted the 2025 Pantone color of the year being Mocha Mousse and the correlating prevalence of brown diamonds and zircon shes been seeing. Just last weekend, Bad Bunny wore a football shaped De Beers dessert diamond stud during his halftime show performance at the Super Bowl.

With years of experience, Heebner has become an expert in jewelry trend tracking and prediction, providingthe industry with much needed insight to keep up with today's market. While these are only a few of the trends shared with us, Heebner assures a wide variety of market trends and buyer demands. We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to gain insight on today's markets from a long-term industry expert and learn the skills needed to navigate the trade.