Costume jewelry, or what we now call "fashion jewelry", no longer dictates that traditional expensive metals and stones be used. Gold has skyrocketed in price over the years and you will even find the wealthiest of celebrities wearing fashion jewelry - not necessarily because of the price, but because of the brilliant designs and the ability to have a different set of fashion jewelry to complement each and every outfit. You will see the newest trends worn in full view of a world-wide audience at the Oscars, Golden Globes and other awards ceremonies. These ceremonies showcase all the new work of top designers.

Today, with Swarovski and Zirchonia as well as many other man-made gemstones, the ordinary girl in the street is able to wear out of this world "Bling" which looks real, is of the most up-to-date design and make them feel fantastic.

Besides the bright and shiny baubles of gemstone jewelry, today all materials are grist for the mill of the modern designer. Beads are huge news and they seem to get bigger everyday, magnificent coral, and lemon jade are both big color stories this season. Carnelian, garnet and other semi-precious materials woven into designs which surpass the imagination are not only exquisite to wear, fantastic to offset every outfit and beautiful, they are also very good for your health. Virtually every natural crystal and semiprecious stone has its own healing or well-being promoting properties and this is another very good reason to wear trendy fashion jewelry designs.

Eco and "green" trends are very in and as spring designs are already being showcased these two themes work together dynamically. Dramatic is in, so black and white is big news as are statement necklaces and chandelier earrings. Indian designs are big news, but this is nothing new, wholesale jewelry designers always look to India for inspiration, and amazonite greens as well as translucent turquoise make for a cool spring palette.

Worn finished metals and mixed textures are being used and you can pretty much guarantee that 2010 is going to be a fashion jewelry design year like no other. Huge rocks and stones, massive wooden beads, metal disks, leaf designs, feather motifs and giant metal flowers feature in statement necklaces and these designs have real attitude! Big and bold is definitely in, and this includes massive cuff bracelets also featuring big stones.

Nature is definitely leading the way with a lot of designers making use of natural crystals and stones, interspersing them with swarovski and other man made "sparklies" for dramatic effect. As big is in and rings are always big news, cocktails rings which feature huge stones are also big news. As yellow and coral are in colors a massive canary diamond cubic zirconia substitute should be top of the list of your seasonal purchases. In other words think big - think "Tiffany Diamond" and have fun.