Elegano.com

This sea creature-inspired ring design from Turkish jewelry designer Sevan illustrates the trend of fanciful, oversized rings.

Las Vegas--Price-conscious buyers and jewelry designs that cater to them have been recurring themes at the 2009 Couture show, displaying the effects the economic recession has had on the high-end luxury sector.

The designs the show is renowned for--innovative, intricately crafted pieces, big, bold styles, and gemstone- and diamond-intensive baubles from the world's leading jewelry designers--are out in full force, but so too is a new breed of designs for this show.

Uber-lightweight gold designs are a prevalent sight, especially in earring form--from simple, thread-through styles that hang from both the front and back of the earlobe, to delicate yet large hoops as thin as wire.

Openwork pieces continue to be seen, allowing for the oversized looks that are in fashion's favor while also catering to price-conscious consumers.

And scaled-down pieces in general have also been a common sight. While brands continue to produce the large, couture-level designs that helped build their names and reputations, they might take the same theme and realize it in smaller form, in a pendant style as opposed to a bib-necklace form, for example.

As for metals, fine sterling silver has made quite a mark on the 2009 show. While jewelry designers such as Robert Lee Morris have specialized their craft in sterling silver for years, an increasing number of brands has added the metal to their offerings. A collective concern, however, has been maintaining a high level of quality while also offering a lower price point, so sterling designs have been highlighted with colored gemstones or are characterized by detailing and texturing throughout.

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