The Month of May Takes the Gold For Gold Jewelry

It's no surprise that gold is taking a lead role this spring season as it makes appearances on celebrities and fashion icons from Cannes to California. Bolstered by "May is Gold Month," the glittering metal is being used by jewelers today in a myriad of styles and designs in all colors of the rainbow.

The month kicked off with the "Leaves of Change" auction which raised thousands for charity. Hosted by the World Gold Council, the event featured a collection of leaf-inspired gold jewelry pieces designed by various celebrities. Tens of thousands of dollars were raised for charities designated by the celebrities. The A-lister designers included Brooke Shields, Marcia Gay Harden, Whoopi Goldberg and Christina Applegate. Designs were brought to life in 18K gold or higher by jewelry designers who donated time and money to create a set of three pieces from the celebrity design - one for the celebrity, one for the auction and one for public viewing.

Meanwhile, Fashion Week runways this spring featured a splash of gold on everything from jackets and belts to bags and dresses. Ralph Lauren channeled his golden boy with a ready-to-wear collection of evening gowns, biker jackets and genie pants all in bright, glowing gold. Along the runways, gold jewelry appeared in the form of chunky chains, statement necklaces and gold cuffs.

Gold jewelry has been all over the red carpet as well. The recent release of Terminator Salvation premiere brought out all that glitters. A-listers attending the event donned themselves in yellow gold. Celebs such as Kathryn Morris and Garcelle Beauvais, as well as Brooke Burke, dazzled the crowds in lovely gold-inspired designs, including layered chains and geometric yellow gold earrings.

At the 66th Annual Golden Globes, gold was aglow on celebrities wearing the shimmering metal in their jewelry, accessories and fashions. Some of the more glamorous gold divas included Debra Messing, Megan Fox and Jennifer Lopez.

The mellow hue of gold seems to be taking the strongest lead this spring season as celebs step out for premieres and parties on the town. In fact, in light of a down economy, many of them are opting to exchange their big diamond look these days for the subtle sparkle of yellow gold.

For instance, Drew Barrymore was recently spotted outside the David Letterman show sporting a pair of yellow gold flower earrings, which beautifully complemented her black Giambattista Valli dress. Meanwhile, Kathy Griffin and Jenny McCarthy were dazzling on the red carpet at Bravo's The A-List Awards. Celebrities such as Tori Spelling are now also designing gold jewelry in rings, cuffs, necklaces and drops.

There's still time to join the celebration. With the splash gold jewelry has caused this spring, predictors indicate it will remain a strong jewelry trend into fall 2009. And while many may be carefully considering their budgets these days, gold has remained a popular choice in jewelry as it retains and increases in worth. For others, gold is their chosen favorite because they appreciate its beauty and the beauty it brings out in the wearer.

Some of the most popular forms of gold jewelry include gold earrings, especially gold hoop earrings or gold pearl earrings. The gold pendant necklace is also seeing a lot of wear these days, as it beautifully accentuates the neck and shoulders. Chains are a universal winner when it comes to gold and are often accented with crosses, pendants or other charms. The gold cross is an iconic choice in jewelry.

Whether worn for religious reasons or just because of their beauty, celebs such as Miley Cyrus have been seen wearing a gold cross - a youthful but simple jewelry statement.