Instagram Jewelry Favorites of 2020

RAPAPORT... Bold designs, unconventional shapes, and big white diamonds are what our Instagram community loved best this year. Looking at the diamond-jewelry posts our 80,000 followers saved the most from @jewelryconnoisseur_by_rapaport, we saw that strong, fierce styles stood out. A "save" means the follower archived the image for future reference, making it a better indicator than a like, since it shows more desire for the piece. Interestingly, this year, white-diamond-set pieces got more traction than colored-diamond ones, while spectacular emerald cuts and pear shapes proved to be the most popular shapes. The colored-gemstone jewelry that attracted the most engagement predominantly featured blue and green stones, a clear sign our jewelry lovers were looking for soothing, peaceful hues in this challenging year. It was therefore not surprising that the only colored diamond that made it to our top 10, in the 10th spot, was a marquise-cut, 12.11-carat, fancy-intense-blue diamond ring that sold for $15.9 million at Christie's Hong Kong in July - making it the highest-value item for the auction house in 2020. Our ninth-most-popular post was also a blue-looking one, but this time, the hue was a result of fluorescence. The distinct glow of this Starlight Signature ring clearly intrigued our followers. Set in 18-karat white gold and centering a 1-carat fluorescent diamond, the ring is by Luminous Diamonds, a brand developed by Russian miner Alrosa. Next up was this high-jewelry masterpiece from Place Vend??me-based Reza: the Moon ring in platinum set with an emerald-cut, 9.88-carat diamond, and two half-moon Colombian emeralds. ?? Emerald cuts were also the stars of our seventh piece on the list, in an enthralling toi et moi engagement ring in platinum set with emerald-cut diamonds of 3.18 and 3.04 carats from the 1930s, with calibrated sapphires, from Hancocks London. While diamond rings dominate the list, the notable exception was these Willow platinum earrings set with a pair of pear-shaped, D-color, internally flawless diamonds weighing 5.24 and 5.28 carats, with diamond pav?(C). Designed by Mr. Lieou, a rising star on the high-jewelry scene, as part of a capsule collection for Sotheby's Diamonds, they took the sixth place. A playful ring by Jessica McCormack inspired by the retro Buzzwire games and funfair structures captured our audience's attention. The designer's Livewire Helix 18-karat yellow gold ring is set with an old radiant-cut diamond for extra dazzle. The fourth most popular piece, Shahla Karimi's Mid-Century Kahn emerald-cut, 2-carat diamond ring and removable cigar band jacket, was a dream for the modern bride looking for a streamlined design. Another Sotheby's Diamonds collaboration ranked third: a glamorous, Art Deco-inspired Solar cuff in yellow gold set with an oval-cut, 21.15-carat, yellow diamond, surrounded by white and yellow pav?(C)-set sapphires, from Lily Gabriella. The second-most-saved jewel was Katkim's intriguing Grande Crescendo Flare ring in 18-karat yellow gold with diamonds. Its curvy, spiraling design made it the ideal self-purchase for women (or men) looking for a statement-making ornament. Making the biggest impression on our community was the striking Rebel ring in 18-karat gold and black ceramic featuring a pear-shaped, 5-carat diamond by Thelma West. Beautiful in its simple, albeit innovative, setting that makes the big diamond the star, this confident creation was a symbol for the resilience of white diamonds and the power of brave design. ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??