This is a year of quiet reflection and soothing restoration, warranting a palette of serenity and transformation as reflected in the 2026 picks of global colour trend experts. 

The Pantone Color Institute has selected Cloud Dancer, an airy white, as the Colour of the Year. Consumer trend forecasters WGSN and Coloro meanwhile champion Transformative Teal, a fluid fusion of dependable dark blue and aquatic green, for 2026.

Both shades encapsulate a year shaped by freshness, tranquillity and renewal. From minimalist everyday jewels to avant-garde couture pieces, these hues encourage innovation rooted in emotional resonance.

 

 

Cloud Dancer: Calming Influence 

With Cloud Dancer, Pantone underscores a universal longing for clarity and balance amid an extended period of uncertainty and fluctuation. This soft, ethereal tone evokes purity – a foundation upon which jewellery designers can explore refined simplicity in light palettes such as pastel and neutral tones.

The clean and calm aura of Cloud Dancer is captured in white diamond, pearl, opal and  moonstone along with the white variants of jadeite, topaz and quartz. Options also abound in mother-of-pearl, enamel, ceramic and crystal. 

 Moonstones and sapphire bracelet by Oscar Heyman

Moonstone and pearl jewellery pieces, in particular, take on renewed relevance. Designers are incorporating these gems into modern silhouettes that emphasise the quiet power of understatement. 
 

Rift ring with white jadeite from the Integrated Collection by Ken Chan

White enamel detailing, brilliant white diamond accents and rock crystal also capture Cloud Dancer’s mood of ethereal sophistication.

High-polish white metals such as platinum, white gold and silver likewise oblige.
 

Vetrata diamond and onyx necklace from Cartier’s En Équilibre High Jewellery Collection

Transformative Teal: Depth and dynamism

Transformative Teal, a nuanced blend of blue’s stability and green’s restorative energy, resonates with consumers’ growing call for enhanced ecological consciousness, according to WGSN.
 

 

Reflecting the diversity of nature, the hue taps into an Earth-first mindset, represents change and redirection, and encourages resilience in the face of complex climate challenges.
 

Paraiba Tourmaline and diamond earrings by Goko Co Ltd

In the fine jewellery world, transformative teal’s most compelling expressions surface in gems that naturally embody this fluid blend of blue and green. 

For instance, teal sapphires effortlessly reflect the essence of blue-green shades while Peacock-colour Tahitian pearls exude an iridescent green glow. The neon blue-green sparkle of Paraiba tourmaline and the mesmerising shades of lagoon tourmaline further demonstrate the vibrant versatility of teal, as do black opal, turquoise, apatite and teal-toned diamonds.
 

Quadrafolium reversible necklace with teal sapphire and diamonds by Folium

Transformative Teal also complements various metals and finishes. Designers are pairing teal-toned gems with yellow or rose gold for contemporary contrast or framing them in sleek platinum to enhance their cooler undertones. Meanwhile, teal-coloured titanium jewellery pieces offer a contemporary style that appeal to younger and design-savvy consumers. 

 

Necklace in 18-karat yellow gold with a blue topaz by Bulgari