Exploring the art of color transitions in fine jewelry.
There’s a kind of magic in the middle, where one color gives way to another and neither wants to let go. In fashion, ombre is movement made visible: silk that shifts from coral to rose, chiffon that dissolves into dusk. In gemstones, it’s the choreography of hue and light, sapphires that melt from sky to sea, spinels whispering pink into violet. Ombre in Motion is a celebration of those in-between moments, where color becomes a language of emotion and design.
At Prima, we’ve watched this fascination with color flow take shape in the world of fine jewelry. Designers are moving beyond singular color stories and leaning into gradient harmony, creating pieces where colors don’t just complement but converse. Ombre gemstones are making their way into everything from statement rings to tailored earrings, where tones flow seamlessly from one to the next. It’s a trend that celebrates movement, a reflection of how light, color, and emotion coexist in every piece we create.
Creating a true ombre, however, is an art form in itself. It’s not simply about lining up shades, it’s about reading each stone’s undertone, clarity, and presence until the sequence feels alive. “Every layout has a rhythm,” says Thomas, Quality Control Specialist at Prima Gems. “You’re not just building by color, you’re building by energy. The transition has to feel like breath, not just a pattern.”
That philosophy took form in one of our proudest achievements, a suite of 23 Portuguese-cut Zircons totaling 228.64 carats, which earned Third Place in the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards. Arranged in a gradient of fiery ambers, peach blushes, and honeyed golds, the suite captures the full spectrum of warmth in a single arc of light. Each stone was selected for its brilliance and personality, its color shift subtle enough to feel natural yet intentional.
Suite of 23 multicolored Zircons (228.64 ctw)
Awarded 3rd Place, 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards – Designer: Jaimeen Shah, Prima Gems USA
A Small Note in Color
We also love seeing how ombre comes to life in the hands of designers.
These rainbow sapphire pieces by Kimberly Collins show the spectrum at its most joyful — a quiet reminder of how powerful color flow can be when each stone is placed with intention.
Rainbow Ombre Necklace & earrings – Kimberly Collins Colored Gems
Courtesy of the designer
From Spectrum to Studio
Ombre doesn’t just exist in finished jewelry, it begins in imagination. Each gradient tells a different story, and our team loves capturing those possibilities through color studies that designers can interpret in their own way.
Our latest Montana Sapphire Mood Board explores the cooler side of ombre, tones that shift like a skyline at twilight, from icy teal to moody denim to deep cornflower. It’s a palette that feels grounded yet ethereal, perfect for both contemporary and heirloom settings.
Montana Sapphire Mood Board – Prima Gems USA
A study in tonal balance and design potential.
If you love these palettes as much as we do, we’d love to create more! Leave a comment and let us know what colors you'd like to see! At Prima, we offer custom mood board collaborations for designers seeking inspiration, curated directly from our gemstone inventory to match your vision. Because every gradient begins with a spark of color, and sometimes, all it takes is seeing the right stones together.
At Prima, we love how our gemstones lend themselves naturally to this creative language. Each one carries its own tonal nuance, subtle enough to build transitions that feel alive, not engineered. Whether paired across earrings or cascading through a pendant, the right gradient feels less like design and more like discovery. Because in the world of fine jewelry, movement isn’t always about motion, sometimes it’s about the shift from one shade of beauty to another.