Jewelry is, of course, a sculptural medium. It should not be flat in almost any circumstance though I have seen my fair share of pancake-flat pieces. The best jewels have a lot more to them. There are various things designers do to maximize a jewel’s potential. Sculpt curves to make the eye travel around. Employ a flexible setting so the jewel flows over the body. Add gems as points of interest or pops of color.

Fringe is a fabulous detail that goes above and beyond the classic elements. In certain jewels it is almost like an adult fidget toy—all absorbing and fun.

Find out about the fringe designs from COUTURE talents EMILY P. WHEELER, JENNA BLAKE, JADE RUZZO and NIKOS KOULIS below.

Emily P. Wheeler

Los Angeles-based designer Emily P. Wheeler is the kind of Californian who has the spirit of the state running through her veins. She always dresses in bright colors and her personality and jewelry collection are equally vibrant. At COUTURE this year, Emily’s innovative Resistance collection, based on patterns found in her vintage tie-dye T-shirts, offered a totally Californication experience. Then there is her Fringe collection.

Emily’s appreciation of jewels that are interesting to touch ignited the idea for the Fringe designs. “We are often playing with the pieces we wear as a child might twirl her hair,” Emily explains.

The Fringe jewels include mini and maxi sized earrings with a gold bar in the shape of a crescent moon suspending a row of collet-set gems. There are one-of-a-kind long shoulder-duster fringe earrings and baguette cut gem fringe necklaces.

You just know Emily could pop on any one of these earrings as easily during the day with a T-shirt and jeans as she might at night, headed out to dinner at the Sunset Tower Hotel in, well, a pair of jeans and a sparkly Dries Van Noten jacket.

Jenna Blake

Almost everything Jenna Blake makes is a hat tip to antique jewelry. The Los Angeles based designer who has collected vintage for eons, reimagines ribbon brooches, chandelier earrings, charms and chains from the Victorian and Georgian eras in her own unique way. Now she’s doing the same for gem-set fringe necklaces which have roots in both periods.

Jenna’s fringe jewels come with a wide range of gemstones. She does a hat tip to her sources of inspiration by using antique Old Mine diamonds in cut down, blackened or bright gold settings. These elements are strung along a slender gold snake chain. Elegant emeralds light up a gold box chain choker. And then there are all kinds of colorful stones mixed together in rainbow styles or set monochromatically on slender gold necklaces.

Jade Ruzzo

Jade Ruzzo came to jewelry by way of years in fashion and personal styling. Her expertise in what makes a look work is clear from her designs. She calls them “understated,” but they are actually kind of major. To say they finish off an outfit is not to do them justice. Perhaps her most eye catching pieces are the creations in her Tennessee collection which feature a row of gem-set fringe.

Jade makes fringe rings, bracelets, earrings and torque necklaces. The perfectly placed gems in the jewels have a sense of modernity and whimsy. The designs are just the kind of thing that would light up an urban dark hued look in New York, the city where Jade’s jewelry is carefully crafted by hand.

Nikos Koulis

The fringe in Nikos Koulis’s collection is unlike any other. The great Greek designer applies all his signature modes to the fringe parts. There is woven gold chain and long strands of baguette cut diamonds. Some of the fringes have little diamond-shaped arrows at their ends, perhaps to emphasize that these small parts could move in an instant.

Nikos makes his fringe swing off sweet necklaces and dramatic earrings. I suspect we will see these jewels dance down the red carpet during the upcoming Awards Season. Nikos is always a favorite among celebrities who like the kind of charisma fringe serves so very well.