100 East Fine Jewelry is all about color. We specialize in selling jewelry pieces containing colored gemstones or multiple colors of metal. That’s why we follow the fashion industry with interest and, specifically, Pantone’s annual Color of the Year announcement.
Pantone 2018 Color of the Year
Each December since 1999, Pantone, a world-renowned color authority, announces their Color of the Year for the upcoming year. The Pantone 2018 Color of the Year is:
ULTRA VIOLET, Pantone 18-3838
Quoting from the Pantone website:
“A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.
Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.
Enigmatic purples have also long been symbolic of counterculture, unconventionality, and artistic brilliance. Musical icons Prince, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix brought shades of Ultra Violet to the forefront of western pop culture as personal expressions of individuality. Nuanced and full of emotion, the depth of PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet symbolizes experimentation and non-conformity, spurring individuals to imagine their unique mark on the world, and push boundaries through creative outlets.
Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to Ultra Violet. The color is often associated with mindfulness practices, which offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today’s over-stimulated world. The use of purple-toned lighting in meditation spaces and other gathering places energizes the communities that gather there and inspire connection.
“The Pantone Color of the Year has come to mean so much more than ‘what’s trending’ in the world of design; it’s truly a reflection of what’s needed in our world today.” – Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute
More from Ms Pressman:
"As individuals around the world become more fascinated with color and realize its ability to convey deep messages and meanings, designers and brands should feel empowered to use color to inspire and influence. The Color of the Year is one moment in time that provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design, reflecting the Pantone Color Institute’s year-round work doing the same for designers and brands.”
100 East Fine Jewelry’s purple gemstone jewelry
If your current fashion desires are guiding you towards purchasing jewelry in a purple color similar to Pantone's Ultra Violet, there might be something in the 100 East Fine Jewelry Amethyst Collection that fits your needs. Maybe this set of amethyst earrings is right for you??
This reminds us of our blog about the "Life of an Amethyst Crystal."
What is the Pantone Color of the Year?
Pantone calls the Color of the Year “a symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.” The Color of the Year appears to reflect what’s already trending in the world of color. A New York Times article likens it to a “self-fulfilling prophecy.”
About Pantone, the company
Pantone is a world-renowned authority on color and provider of color systems. They began in the mid 1950’s as printers, noticing how difficult it was for designers, ad agencies, and printers to communicate colors to one another. In the 1960’s, Pantone established a standard language for color communication from designer all the way to the end consumer. Their system allows any printer to accurately reproduce a color specified by their customers. Over the years since, Pantone has expanded upon their color communication system, gaining expertise in color research, forecasting and consulting.
About the Pantone Color Institute
Pantone created the Pantone Color Institute as a color research and information center. They share color expertise with professionals in a variety of industries, including fashion. The Institute is recognized world-wide as a leading source of color information and is used as a resource by many of the world's most influential media.
Through the Color Institute, Pantone studies how color influences human thought processes, emotions and physical reactions. The results of their research provides professionals with a greater understanding of color, helping them to utilize color more effectively.
The Pantone Color of the Year Selection Process
Pantone’s Color Institute establishes a committee charged with selecting the Color of the Year. The rigorous process takes about 9 months, is highly subjective and involves thoughtful evaluation and trend analysis. While the fashion centers of Milan, Paris and New York are major influencers, the committee members travel the globe collecting data from many industries, including fashion, home furnishings, product packaging and industrial and graphic design. They visit car shows, fashion runways and even decorator showcases. The committee members are constantly on the look-out for new color influences. These can include new technologies and materials, the entertainment and film industries, established and new artist’s collections, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles and socio-economic conditions.
After thorough data collection, the committee determines overlaps and significant trends which allows them to narrow the choices, ultimately leading to the selection of the Pantone Color of the Year from the Pantone library of colors.