Tangerine Tango is hardly feeling like ancient history to me but now that we are settled comfortably in 2013 let's take a look at what Pantone has to say. What a palette! Tangerine Tango has evolved into Nectarine, grayed jade is dreamy and predictions for Pantone Color of the Year 2013 were hands down Monaco Blue. A soft version of navy blue and my favorite color when I was six and described as a blue that "falls between bright cobalt and sapphire blue but with a shot of sparkle." Without a shot of sparkle? I personally find that distressing. But wait. The predictions were all wrong and the Pantone color of the year is Emerald.
Monaco Blue vs. Emerald
I'm lapping up both but find emerald more challenging to wear beyond some stones on my earlobes. The regally named blue for the fairy tale Monaco represents continues to draw me in. At least theoretically. The interpretations of Monaco Blue that I'm seeing in the marketplace are not always well executed. Usually erring on the bright side or the green side they're just wrong. And then my personal idea of color perfection landed in my inbox from that amazing fashion monster juggernaut: J. Crew. (Should've known, they'd nail it.)
Navy: The Perfect Neutral
Navy is elegant. Navy is simple. Navy is neutral. But a complicated neutral. If ever there was a Goldilocks color this is it. It needs to be dark but not too dark. A touch of violet and then it's just right. Whenever I look in my closet I'm amazed at how I have been drawn to navy for years and years. Navy, navy, navy, brown, gray, navy .. Oh there's one black dress in there. Really quite smashing, but never worn.
Blue Gemstones
In my world when people think blue, they think sapphires. And they'd be right. Except sapphires also come in green, gold, pink, white, yellow... almost every color of the spectrum. But here are other blue stones and one of my favorites is iolite.
The color quality ranges from a grayed navy to a violet blue that rivals the finest tanzanite or sapphire. A soft stone, it is more appropriate for earrings or pendants than a ring. And far more affordable than that other color of the year... emerald. The example shown is very fine.
More on emeralds soon. None have crossed my desk lately. But I think that's about to change. It is the year of the emerald, after all.
Meanwhile, which speaks to you? Emeralds or sapphires? Or iolite?
