In April pastels once again made headline news and specifically in the jewelry category, when Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez with an 8.5-carat green diamond. The rare and natural light lime colored gemstone proved the couple has a penchant for candy-colored gems. Who could ever forget the 6.1-carat fancy intense pink diamond Ben gave Jen the first time they were engaged 20 years ago? The green diamond also put the limelight (pun intended) on pastels.

The sweetness and light of pastel colored gems has captured the imagination of several COUTURE designers including Bea Bongiasca, Brent Neale, Retrouvaí and Ten Thousand Things. Most of these super talents have long made bold colors an integral part of their design, the newness is the lighter shades in their lines. Find out more about each below.

Retrouvaí

The jubilant Retrouvaí collection designed by Kirsty Stone had quite the high-profile moment last November when Taylor Swift released her video “I Bet You Think About Me” (Taylor’s Version). Actress Blake Lively directed the production and used her own 8-carat heart shape rubellite and diamond Retrouvaí ring as part of Taylor’s costume and she gave it a long loving close up.

The design exemplifies the Retrouvaí aesthetic which is about expressing love through colorful gems and delightful motifs. Now the collection’s color range includes lots of pastels. Pink opal and guava quartz, green turquoise and pink sapphires are just a few of the pretty pastels found in her new pieces. They are intended to be mood enhancers, a fact made abundantly clear in a Rhodochrosite design named the Optimism Pendant.

Bea Bongiasca

Remember the Memphis design movement started by architect and furniture designer Ettore Sottsass in the 80s in Milan with the bold colors, wiggly lines and fun shapes? It runs through Bea Bongiasca’s veins. Of course, the Italian millennial based in Milan gives the look her own stylish spin.

The exuberant results in her collection have been embraced by a laundry list of luminaries with singer Dua Lipa at the top of the list. Dua sports pieces from the collection all the time. While the vast majority of Bea’s work has bold pop colors the pastels are flowing in, which makes sense since Stottsass enjoyed the lighter side of the color wheel as much as the bold parts.

Brent Neale

Brent Neale’s collection always makes me think of the Rolling Stones 1967 hit “She’s Like a Rainbow.” The sixties vibe runs deep in the designer’s “Mantras, Signs and Symbols” where she plays with motifs few have explored like mushrooms and snails. Many come in specially cut pastel gems.

“I’ve always had a soft spot for pastels—especially different shades of opal, including Peruvian and pink, and chrysoprase,” Brent explained. “I consider these colors neutrals that really pair well with all skin tones, making them a no-brainer for gifts and self-purchase.”

Ten Thousand Things

The masterful minimalists behind the Ten Thousand Things collection, Ron Anderson and David Rees, express their signature style through specially cut gem shapes they employ and organically sculpted gold work. Generally speaking, the New York City based designers feature earth tones that match an urban aesthetic. But then there are the pastels that pop through.

“Nothing enhances the face like a pastel stone earring or necklace,” explains David. “Currently, one of our favorite pastel gems is chalcedony with its slight hint of lavender.” Looking at the soft hued shades in the Ten Thousand Things collection is akin to watching a great sunset over the Hudson River from Manhattan when the colors light up the sky. Suddenly you realize pastels, once relegated to beachside living, are as sophisticated as the city.