When it gets so hot out, I like to cool off by making plans for fall and winter shows.  My first thoughts are about the colors that everyone will be buying in the fall.  The Pantone Color Chart  is a big help and the most universal system directing the upcoming trends. Using the Pantone forecast, I then identify possible gemstones that will coordinate.  This guides me in coordinating my jewelry with the fashion world.

These are the top 10 Colors for Fall 2013.  The fun part is pairing up gemstones with the season’s color chart and this one from an article at Jewelry Making Daily  is a great beginning.  My additions are added in Red … feel free to add others you would suggest In the comments below.

		Grayed Jade: This one is easy, it does look like jade–but shades of chalcedony and larimar could also work, along with faceted apatite and fluorite. Aquamarine in this slightly greenish shade is my favorite color for that gem.  Amazonite, bowenite- in the  serpentine family
		Tender Shoots: For this springy green, peridot comes to mind right away, along with grossular, tsavorite, and demantoid garnets. Some turquoise works here, Chrysoprase, Phrenite Rutile, some jades.
		Emerald: Even though it’s called emerald, this color looks a little more blue-green than emerald-green to me. Chrome diopside is another rich green option, but apatite and tourmaline will give you that hint of blue.  Malachite, Beryl
		Dusk Blue: Lovely sapphire and spinel as well as topaz and aquamarine could serve as this color in your gemstone creations, along with certain shades of chalcedony and larimar.  Blue Mist Chalcedony, Peruvian Blue Opal, Zircon
		Monaco Blue: This blue could also be served with sapphire and spinel, as well as lapis lazuli, iolite, sodalite, and possibly even very fine tanzanite.  I can’t add to this right now… my favorite colors.
		African Violet: Kunzite, fluorite, and amethyst have just the lovely shades of purple to match this color. Some tanzanite, charoite,ametrine,
		Nectarine: Fire opals, as well as spessartite, mandarin, and hessonite garnets, match up with this juicy color, along with citrine. Red Adventurine – a lighter shade, peach stone, peach moonstone, peach calcite, peach agate, peach colored adventurine, fire agate and carnelian.
		Lemon Zest: Lemon quartz is a good match for this one, along with yellow sapphire, tourmaline, chrysoberyl, yellow beryl, and topaz. Also look for Mali garnet, some citrine, and some members of the grossular garnet family. Mmmm…can’t top this list either. However, I do love the New Yellow Jade Nephrite.
		Poppy Red: Even though rubies are a little more blue-red than this red, rubies certain fall in this area, as do spinel. Pyrope and other garnets can be this color, as can dark fire opals.  Red Jasper can work here, red coral, orange jade.
		Linen: This pretty color immediately makes me think of pearls (surprised? ha!), but rose quartz and morganite might be a better match. Mother of Pearl, bone, several jaspers, rutilated quartz.

If you’re a jewelry maker you might want to display your work with a lovely fabric in each of the colors.  This photo is from an earlier exhibit at The Gift Gallery in Tappahannock, VA and it really shows off the jewelry.  A few matted covers from magazines with the latest styles helps customers make up their minds, especially if you use shots of current styles in local stores such as Chicos, Ann Taylor, etc.