The jewelry trends of 2026 favor bold, individualized pieces that tell a story. Rather than a simple accessory or bit of bling, brands, and shoppers are using jewelry as a vehicle for self-expression and personal style.
For jewelry brand owners, this means a clear shift away from the previous trend of quiet luxury and minimalist jewelry and embracing statement pieces that don’t just complete a look, but have something to say all on their own.
In this guide, you’ll find tips from James DeMolet, vice president of brand and creative at Betsey Johnson, about key 2026 jewelry trends across materials, silhouettes, and styling, along with tips on how ecommerce brands can respond.
Top 2026 jewelry trends
- Weathered materials
- Statement earrings
- Thoughtfully styled brooches
- Flowers and bows
- Pre-loved pieces
Reflecting consumers’ desire for individuality, jewelry with personality is taking center stage in 2026—think bold sculptural forms and weathered materials. Below, James breaks down what specific jewelry trends he’s seeing on the runway and the streets.
Weathered materials
James says that when it comes to materials, he’s noticed more of a trend in how the materials are treated, rather than what specific materials are used. “I’m seeing oxidized metals, hand-painted enamel, and pieces that feel like they’ve been impacted or weathered by a human touch,” he says. “It’s not a singular concept and more of a feeling.”
James specifically calls out Brooklyn-based jewelry designer Martine Ali for her treatment of a specific material. “She’s been staying within this lane of creating pieces with edgy chain materials,” he says. “It started with wallet chains, but she’s been able to evolve that into finer materials and get really specific about what the chain link is.”
Statement earrings
Of all the statement jewelry currently trending, earrings are having the biggest moment, with colorful gemstones and sculptural shapes taking center stage. “I think the trend has pivoted from a statement necklace to statement earrings. Especially on red carpets, I’m seeing more of an earring that hits the shoulders and is also kind of elegant,” says James. “Nothing is more chic than a bare neck and giant earrings.”
James points to Jennifer Behr’s earrings as being perfectly on trend. “Everybody knows her for the Met Gala headpieces and, if you’re a fancy bride, you wear the veils, but her jewelry is so good,” he says. “The details there are so amazing. She shows that crystals can be done really beautifully.”
Thoughtfully styled brooches
Brooches are also in vogue, but James is noticing a shift in how they’re being styled. “I think the way that they’re being worn, especially by guys, is really thoughtful. People aren’t just adding a brooch like Carrie Bradshaw would do,” James says, referring to a more spontaneous and playful mode of accessorizing. “It’s more to enhance the elegance of the outfit, like adding a fine jewelry touch like Connor Storrie’s brooch at the Met Gala,. It was so thoughtful, and not, like, ’I’m ticking the box of a brooch.’ It draws your eye up.”
That thoughtful approach is evident in Verdura’s archival diamond wing brooch, shown below. Pinned against a simple knit, the brooch draws the eye and elevates the outfit without feeling randomly placed or overtly decorative.
Flowers and bows
According to James, this year’s recurring motif, both within the worlds of jewelry and fashion, is the 3D flower. “It’s really beautiful, especially the way that people are able to work with textiles and materials now with 3D printing,” he says.
James is also picking up on a bow motif within the jewelry world. “I’ve been seeing them done with graduated crystals, and within fine jewelry collections,” he says. “Miu Miu is kind of diving back into bows and pearls, and I think we’re also seeing that return to classic motifs at Chanel.”
Pre-loved pieces
What’s old is new again. More and more, the fashion set wants their pieces to tell a story, which often means they’re turning to vintage or archival pieces with history, says James. “I loved that moment of Margot Robbie on the red carpet during the Wuthering Heights press tour wearing Elizabeth Taylor’s necklace,” he says. “I think it’s really emblematic of this trend of wearing pieces that are conversation starters or that you feel an emotional connection with.”
This trend presents a perfect opportunity for vintage and antique jewelry retailers like Tesori Belli to showcase the unique history behind their pieces.
Tips for selling trending jewelry
- Highlight the product details
- Tell the whole story of the piece
- Seek inspiration in unexpected places
- Balance trends with classic pieces
Here’s some advice from James and industry experts on how ecommerce brands can approach 2026 jewelry trends, whether they’re selling costume jewelry or heirloom pieces.
Highlight the product details
When it comes to showcasing your jewelry pieces, let the details shine rather than focusing on an aesthetically pleasing product shot. “One thing most jewelry brands get wrong is spending too much time trying to tell a story of the brand with polished on-figure imagery and not enough time showcasing the actual product details,” says James.
“Some of the most compelling jewelry content is incredibly simple. I love the close-up videos Brent Neale creates because they let the stones, craftsmanship, and details do the talking. There’s a real white space for beautifully shot iPhone content that makes people obsess over the piece itself,” he says.
“My biggest advice would be to spend less money on traditional campaign imagery (or none at all!) and more time creating content that makes people fall in love with the details. A model on a beach wearing a tennis necklace is completely interchangeable. A close-up that teaches me something or makes me notice a thoughtful detail feels valuable and drives conversation,” James says.
Whether you’re using an iPhone or a professional camera, you can perfect your detailed product photography by paying attention to exposure, focus, natural lighting, and a clean background.
Tell the whole story of the piece
Similarly, James encourages ecommerce brands to tell the story of a piece and not just list its name and price. “I’m a huge fan of Will Kahn’s Notebook,” says James, referring to the Instagram account of jewelry consultant, editor, and stylist Will Kahn. “He understands that people don’t just want to know what something costs—they want to know why it matters. The history, symbolism, craftsmanship, mechanics, and design references are more interesting than any product description.”
“I also think more jewelry brands should embrace storytelling and humor, because that’s the only content that travels. Even more than a celebrity endorsement. If a ring costs $20,000, don’t just tell me it’s worth $20,000. Give me a creator documenting how long they saved for it, what they gave up to buy it, and why it mattered enough to be their dream purchase. Give me an end cap of how much better their life is now that they have the ring. We all know that story (because we’ve all done it), yet I’ve not seen it done within this space. It’s so much more interesting than a luxury photoshoot,” he says.
“Alexis Bittar has done an amazing job incorporating storytelling and humor into his marketing. He built a world people want to follow, whether they’re shopping for lucite jewelry or not, and that’s an incredibly powerful place for a brand to be,” says James.
Seek inspiration in unexpected places
In a world where we spend much of our time on social media, it’s easy to only look for inspiration within the confines of our feeds. But Shane Vitaly, cofounder and CEO of Compound Studio, recommends searching beyond our screens.
“I’ve always been big on watching what’s actually happening in real life,” he says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. “I’m not a huge consumer of things on the internet. I don’t spend a lot of time looking at Instagram to figure out trends. I just spend time walking around the city. And I know that sounds silly, but I find that it’s the most authentic representation of what’s happening in the world right now. And so that’s my market research; I just look around and go, ‘OK, what are people starting to do right now? Where does that naturally go from here?’”
Balance trends with classic pieces
Though it may be tempting to fully pivot into the current trend of bold, maximalist jewelry, classic pieces designed for everyday wear, like a simple yellow gold chain, still have a place in the jewelry market, especially when their details and stories are on display for consumers, as mentioned by James.
Danny Buck, cofounder of men’s jewelry line Craftd London, says on Shopify Masters that longevity is more important to consider than what’s trendy. “When I was 18, I would buy a very simple Figaro chain. I would wear a Figaro chain around my neck. And it had been around for 30-odd years or so,” he says. “It shows that the market can last. The trends might change, and different styles might change how people do it. Fashion will always change, but there is longevity to it. I’d consider that first and foremost.”
