Consumers crave whimsy in their jewels, as 2022 demonstrated with its wild offering of animal-themed designs.
Wearable animal icons have, of course, endured for decades—butterflies, snakes, spiders, and scarabs have rich histories in jewelry form—but there’s a menagerie of new bejeweled creatures on the market.
At the 2022 JCK show in Las Vegas, animal jewelry was a mini trend, a budding category catering to post-pandemic dopamine dressing—particularly in fine jewelry. We had high jewelry versions of elephants, fish, and hummingbirds, to name a few, with some surprising offerings from brands that don’t typically dabble in whimsy.
At this year’s JCK, expect that trend to expand. What was just beginning to bubble to the surface last year should have boiled over into increased consumer awareness, leading to more brands contributing to the market with their own versions of animal jewelry for 2023.
Below, some of the wildest finds you might encounter at the upcoming JCK show in Las Vegas.
Flamingo pendant in 14k yellow gold with 0.2 ct. t.w. rubies and 0.02 ct. t.w. diamonds, $1,225; ShulaFunny frog brooch in 18k rose gold with amethyst cabochon and tsavorite, price on request; Sofragem
Butterfly pendant in 14k yellow gold with diamonds, $1,495; AsherCleo earrings in 18k gold-plated silver, $180; Jorge RevillaSpider ring in 14k yellow gold and silver with reverse intaglio spider citrine, 0.65 ct. t.w. black diamonds, and 0.08 ct. t.w. rubies, $8,000; Alp SagnakButterfly ring in white gold with sapphires and diamonds, price on request; DavianiSnake ring in 18k white gold and black rhodium with tsavorite garnet and 0.3 ct. citrine, $5,369; Supreme Jewelry
Butterfly necklace in 14k yellow gold, $970; Royal ChainSnake pendant in 18k yellow gold, price on request; SongaDragonfly brooch with ammolite, 8.05 ct. citrine, 4.95 cts. t.w. green tourmaline, 3.63 cts. t.w. citrine bullets, 7.44 ct. fire agate, and 0.131 ct. t.w. diamonds, price on request; Brenda Smith
Dallas by Night panther bangle bracelet in sterling silver with 19.61 cts. t.w. black spinel and 0.3 ct. t.w. chrome diopside, $1,750; Dallas Prince
Butterfly necklace in 14k yellow gold with 0.09 ct. ruby and 0.16 ct. t.w. diamonds, $870; Shy Creation
Top: One-of-a-kind sculpted stag brooch in 18k yellow gold with black onyx and emerald, price on request; 18 Carat House
