A Brilliant Retrospective: Unveiling the Stunning Birthstone Trends of 2023
Discover behind-the-scenes Instagram reels that showcase the artistry of Stuller’s product design and development team.
The Product Design & Development Department at Stuller, also known as PD&D, takes ideas and images and transforms them into completed pieces of jewelry. Our conceptual and visual artists bring to life thousands of one-of-a-kind jewelry items annually, starting from a basic concept or sketch.
This year we highlighted their incredible artistry in a series of monthly Instagram reels featuring birthstone trends. These time-lapse videos depict our PD&D team creating magic behind-the-scenes in a visually engaging and dynamic way.
How New Styles Are Born at Stuller
Step 1: Stuller’s Conceptual Design team provides the initial artwork for a new style. The artists create new designs through a variety of art mediums, from traditional pencil-and-paint on paper to full digital programs.
Step 2: Working with merchandising, the conceptual designers provide trend analysis from the jewelry industry, our business successes, the fashion industry, and consistent trips to the largest jewelry tradeshows in the world, to name a few.
Step 3: Once a new concept is selected by merchandising, the Conceptual Design team then produces a technical image for the CAD Design team to work from at the next step in the development process.
Step 4: The CAD Design Team represents the bridge between aesthetics and mass production. The CAD Designers work to ensure that the final 3D model meets all the production standards while maintaining the aesthetics of the initial conceptual art.
Magic in the Making
Putting the process into motion, our PD&D team created a series of birthstone videos for each month. Birthstones, associated with the month a person is born in, are unique for each individual and available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. They also evoke different vibes and symbolic meanings. This personalized connection enhances the emotional appeal and sentimental value of birthstone jewelry.
Let’s take a look back at each of PD&D’s stunning birthstone Instagram reels to witness the conceptual design process. Some designs only feature birthstones, while others include birthstone jewelry illustrations. Click on the photos to view each Instagram reel and turn the volume up to enjoy the music and immerse yourself in the experience!
January – Garnet
Deep. Brilliant. Heartfelt.
Garnet’s blood-red shade resembles ruby and offers a less expensive alternative. This oval 6x4mm garnet is set in a gorgeous (72363) 14K yellow solitaire ring mounting with exquisite floral details.
February – Amethyst
Royal. Bold. Vibrant.
Amethyst’s sumptuous shade has cast a spell that extends from ancient times to the present. This 7mm heart-shaped amethyst is shown in a lovely heart ring (72347). The rich purple hue is equally spectacular in white, yellow, or rose gold.
March – Aquamarine
Icy. Crisp. Glistening.
Aquamarine draws its strength from the popularity of its pale blue hue, similar to a clear sky on a summer day. The large primary gemstone is an emerald-shaped 8 ½ CT aquamarine encased in a 14mm x 10mm 4-prong vintage-inspired scroll setting (24888). Also shown are an 18” paperclip-style elongated link chain (CH1095), 12mm toggle clasp (2002435), and this best-selling accented circle bail set with natural diamonds (24137).
April – Diamond
Dazzling. Strong. Flawless.
April’s birthstone is depicted here as an enormous, immense, monumental round diamond, which could probably break a small scale. You get the picture! With their undeniable beauty and timeless appeal, diamonds symbolize strength, abundance, and inner purity. Explore all of our large natural diamonds and large lab-grown diamonds.
May – Emerald
Lush. Untamed. Majestic.
The name emerald finds its root in a Sanskrit word, marakata, meaning the green of growing things. Is it any surprise that we embrace its hue at the height of spring as May’s birthstone? This captivating emerald is shown in a 14K yellow round ring mounting (72379) with 4 prongs.
June – Alexandrite and Pearl
Rare. Magical. Wonderous.
Blue-green by daylight and purple-red by incandescent light, Alexandrite’s bewitching beauty is forever fascinating. Here we have an 8x6mm emerald-shaped alexandrite set in a sleek 14K yellow ring mounting (72361).
Purity. Innocence. Wisdom.
Pearls, revered throughout history for their lustrous allure, symbolize the calming energy of the sea and the soothing properties of water. Discover our wide variety of beautifully accented pearl rings. The pearl shown in this reel is 5mm.
July – Ruby
Passion. Beauty. History.
Wouldn’t it be fabulous to find rubies in a Dum Dums® Lollipop? Our PD&D team came up with this brilliant idea to showcase July’s birthstone. They chose 5x3mm ruby teardrops (RUBY-GEN:122961:G) and set them in a pear accented floral dangle (83475) with a natural diamond accented bar earring top (2000071).
August – Peridot
Fresh. Energizing. Bright.
Called Evening Emerald in ancient Egypt, peridot’s finer shades are a radiant green with a hint of gold. The ring design in this reel is a custom piece shown at different angles. If you’re looking for more inspiration, see all our peridot ring styles on Stuller.com.
September – Sapphire
Deep. Intense. Traditional.
Be mesmerized as this massive round blue sapphire is meticulously brought to life. While the illustration is obviously not drawn to scale, it highlights the true magnificence of September’s birthstone. Our artists and illustrators do dream big! Explore all of Stuller’s blue sapphire gemstones and jewelry styles.
October – Tourmaline
Powerful. Vivid. Energetic.
Feminine and sophisticated, many women choose this October birthstone regardless of their birth month. Since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, pink tourmaline’s popularity has grown even more. Here we have a pair of 6x4mm oval tourmalines set in pretty 14K yellow gold bow earrings (88539).
November – Citrine
Crisp. Bright. Warm.
A member of the quartz family, natural citrine is surprisingly rare. Today, most citrine results from heating amethyst to an orangey yellow hue — the perfect shade for November’s birthstone. This reel depicts a custom piece featuring a massive pear-shaped Notable Gems® Imperial Topaz. The gemstone size is 20.57mm x 8.23mm. Explore our pear-shaped Imperial Topaz Notable Gems.
December – Blue Zircon
Electric. Bright. Energetic.
The illustrated blue zircon in this reel is gigantic. For December’s birthstone, it was definitely “go big.” Not to be confused with cubic zirconia, blue zircon is a brilliant, unique gemstone that’s been said to promote restful sleep and wealth and dispel evil spirits. Explore Stuller’s blue zircon gemstones and jewelry styles.
Looking Ahead to 2024
Overall, Stuller’s product design and development department creates approximately 3,000 new items for our catalogs each year, and this doesn’t include every iteration of each piece.
Our PD&D team plays a crucial role in Stuller’s success by turning ideas and images into tangible products that meet the needs and desires of our customers. Make sure to be on the lookout for many more exciting PD&D Instagram reels to come in 2024!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cheryl Robichaux
Staff Writer
Cheryl holds a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her extensive experience in the radio and print magazine industries along with her love for custom jewelry and people paved the way for her to become a Stuller storyteller.