Happy Rocks: Pamela Froman quoted in Rapaport Magazine

Pamela was recently interviewed about her use of colored gemstones by Editor-in-Chief Amber Michelle, for Rapaport magazine's August issue, and we just got our copy today! I've transcribed some of the fabulous article for you below:


Happy Rocks
One thing all designers agree on: Colored gemstones make people feel good
By Amber Michelle
(partial transcription follows)

Color has a huge impact on all of our lives. Color psychology finds that personality traits are revealed through color preferences, the color of packaging impacts purchase choices and various colors are said to shift one's mood. Colored gemstones hold appeal for consumers for a range of reasons -- they represent personal expression, they have fascinating legend, lore and metaphysical characteristics associated with them and colored gemstones are the perfect way to complement an outfit. But the main reason people choose a color is because it makes them feel good.

Personality
"Each stone has its own personality," says designer Pamela Froman of the eponymous Los Angeles-based company, who finds that the blend of stones and metals can completely change the look of a piece. "Colored gemstones add another dimension of color to a piece that can't be achieved with gold alone. I've developed my own 18-karat alloys so I have multiple colors of gold to work with and colored gemstones expand my palette. I love to take a unique gemstone, like black rutilated quartz, and pair it with a color metal that is not typical, like 18-karat pink gold."

Runway

Despite the focus on color connected with runway fashion each season, the shows have surprisingly little impact on designers. ... Both Froman and Showers admit to paying no attention at all to the runway shows, choosing instead to design with the colors that they are drawn to at any given time.

Mix & Match

While colored gemstone jewelry often has one luscious center stone that is the highlight of the piece, sometime designers will choose to mix their own colors. All designers mix their gems in a way that expresses their own aesthetic and creativity. "For me, it usually begins with the color of the gemstone," says Froman. "Depending on which shade of gold I choose to use, I can achieve bold contrasts, such as 18k-karat yellow gold with tanzanite or rubellite. Other times, I prefer a more subtle, tonal approach, with combinations like 18-karat pink and yellow gold with a peach moonstone. Each combination evokes a different mood."

Diamonds

Colored gemstones have a beauty all their own, but their beauty is still enhanced by diamonds. Using diamonds in a design allows it to go from day to night with ease, notes Froman, who concludes that "diamonds add sparkle and an element of glamour to my colored gemstone designs. By setting the diamonds next to a stone, it pops the natural color of the gem and brings the piece to the next level."