Pantone, the trend-forecasting colour institute, has announced that Mocha Mouse is the shade to watch across fashion, beauty and interiors in 2025, dubbing it an “aspirational” brown, with the richness and comforting quality of chocolate and coffee.
It sounds delicious, but how does that work in the world of jewellery, are there many gemstones that bear that colour characteristic? Certainly, a deeper, darker chocolate has been a hero colour in fashion during the past autumn and orangey-brown hues were a highlight of the season’s new jewellery collections. Recent Pantone predictions have been spot-on with the 2023 prediction for ‘Magenta’ picked up by Barbie pink gemstones, like pink sapphires. ‘Peach fuzz’ for 2024 was slightly less successful in fashion circles but morganites and padparadscha sapphires benefitted.
So, is Pantone on the right track for 2025 with this lighter, silkier shade of brown ‘Mocha Mousse’? In fashion and beauty there has been an enthusiasm for brown, working with the pared back minimalism of the ‘quiet luxury’ trend during the past season. In jewellery we are seeing it as designers explore the beauty of more muted diamonds, like champagne, brown and cognac tones that have long featured in De Beers’ Talisman collection.
Smoky quartz and rutilated quartz slip into this trend, even the peach diamond ring with brown undertones at Hirsh reminds one of that mocha shade. The London jeweller also adds another warm indulgent tone to the ‘foodie’ list of inspiration that has become part of the fashion language – cognac diamonds set in rose gold for rings, ear studs and an impressive one-of-a-kind phoenix necklace.
A bright white diamond is not to everyone’s taste for engagement rings and so London-based Michelle Oh has a few styles featuring mocha diamonds paired with salt and pepper and white diamonds in different cuts. By Pariah’s warm brown Botswana agate stacking rings team with brown diamond rings set in rose gold.
Milan-based Bea Bongiasca’s popular baby vine tendril rings in enamel feature an option in drop-cut smoky quartz. It’s a gemstone that Lebanese jeweller Clara Chehab has embraced fully with cocktail rings, chokers and statement earrings. Her signature style of using polished roughs for an organic look creates very individual pieces some of which are carefully wrapped like presents in bands of diamonds.
Embodying Pantone’s mocha mousse prediction in the USA is Jacquie Aiche, whose jewellery features brown moonstone, smoky topaz and rutilated quartz for pendants and rings. These mellow coloured gemstones are seasonless; they work as well in the warmer months as they do in the winter, presenting a soft, neutral base that aligns with the current appetite for minimalism and elevated luxury.
