Margie's Muse

Fall Colors Abound

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Fall, my favorite season, is a flamboyant time of year. Rich and brilliant colors drift down as if from the sky and blanket the ground. Pumpkins and squash cover the dinner table. Fall spawns flaming reds, amber yellows, and the deep tawny forest hues reminiscent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Its time to pull out the autumn colored gemstones and beads:
-jaspers & agates
-citrine
-African brown rhyolite
-hematite
-obsidian
-black onyx
-aventurine
-malachite
-olivine
-tourmaline
-serpentine
-jasper
-unakite

And of course, the must-have metals of:
-copper
-bronze
-silver
-gold

Autumn’s tones are burnished or darkened, and slightly lowered in intensity. With the exception of warm reds, they are never pure colors. The key is tone: mellow, rich, and warm. Greens come in shades of olive, forest, cypress or fir—always toned down. Blues are limited to a slightly green-blue such as deep teal or peacock blue.

To reflect autumn’s syle, design with line and form that is well delineated, with focus and a sense of drama. Autumn flair is robustly sensual, giving the impression that you can smell, taste and hear the colors and textures. Jewelry jangles and clanks because of such unusual artifacts as dZi beads, carved fetishes, scarabs, and coins. Texture and pattern is bountiful. Planned textures of basketweaves, checkerboards, or distinct geometrics capture the eye. Organic, mottled or grainy textures of bark, leather, and pottery give an earthy substance.

Autumn resonates with natural patterns and motifs: animal prints of leopard or snakeskin, and leaves (especially with points, such as maple and pine needles). Achieve flamboyance with luxurious, exotic motifs inspired by Persian and Moorish geometrics, or Arabian and Byzantine ornamentation. And don’t forget the Orient, especially China.

Metals are essential to this earth-based season. Autumn-inspired beadwork should give off a burnished glow, so weave radiant gold and/or warm bronze into every palette. The sheen of copper beautifully augments autumnal greens and blues.

The autumn palette is the perfect setting for stones because, like metals, they are of the earth. Many stones embody autumn’s essence. Most notable are tiger eye, jasper, and agate, all of which feature requisite texture. Consider dramatic carnelian, the glowing yellows of amber and citrine; peridot’s yellow-tinged green, and the low-intensity greens of aventurine and jade. Don’t overlook smokey quartz and nuggets of turquoise in its dark, matrix-filled versions. (Avoid the clear, light and bright versions.) Autumn invites branched coral. It’s not a stone, but oh, what texture!

Metallics, gilt-lined, and gold lusters afford a palette the burnished autumn look. Avoid demure finishes such as pearlescent. Mix several surface finishes for a textural effect.