hoop SCOOP Washington DC

Hoops, one of the most familiar and basic silhouettes in earrings, is in a cyclical movement in the luxury jewelry market. In other words, they're back and in a big way—and not just the diamond hoops. Designers are revamping this classic style in imaginative motifs, organic and geometric forms, and adding gems in unexpected, creative ways.

Gypsy style hoops continue to be important but, going forward, the hoop that goes through the ear with a wire or post is the trend to watch.

"I have an antique jewelry and furniture shop in Manhattan, and many of my regular and new customers were asking me to find modern and thin white and fancy colored diamond micro-prong or micro-pavé hoops, in medium to large sizes. Once I found them, I couldn't keep them in the shop," says Lorraine Wohl, owner of Elle W. Collection in New York City. "I think the resurgence of diamond hoops, which modern jewelry stores have been selling well for the past year, have given designers the impetus to become more daring and create styles that range in look from ancient-inspired to the bold hoops of the '60s and '80s."

With the recent ready-to-wear collections displaying styling from various decades of the 20th century, it's not surprising to see the hoop take on silhouettes reminiscent of those same times. Hoops actually date back for centuries in many cultures and have been most evident in various periods of ancient Indian, Egyptian, African, Greek, and Roman jewelry.

Contemporary jewelers are showing influences from diverse sources. Barry Kronen, for example, has created hoops with romantic and delicate leaf motifs set in diamonds and intricate pierced, engraved, and millegrained looks. Penny Preville has recreated antique diamond eternity bands into medium to large hoops. In a similar feeling, Jamie Wolf turns out engraved styles with bezel-set diamonds.

Still feminine but more organic and flowing are Coomi's high-karat yellow gold swirls of vines and leaves with rose cut diamonds. Irene Neuwirth and Julie Baker both show naturalistic as well as geometric forms. Neuwirth offers more stylistic leaves, as well as thin bezel-set gemstone and diamond hoops and matte rose gold wider looks with pavé accents. Baker's hoops take shape in goddess-like textured laurels or knife-edged styles with diamond accents.

These knife-edged styles in round, oval, and inverted teardrop shapes run throughout different designers' collections, primarily in matte finishes. Susan Novogrodzki of Susan N Blake does hers with open flowers at the bottom or a diamond on either side in 18k yellow, rose, or white gold. Suzy Landa and Dana & David also work in geometric shapes with bezel-set diamonds, which can work with the revamped and sophisticated take on mod and '80s fashion.

Ron Hami adds twisted diamond beads on wire to soften his 18k yellow gold hoops, while Philip Crangi fabricates his ultra-thin hoops into silhouettes such as hearts, shields, ovals, and rounds, adding an intricate mix of pearls, semiprecious, and filigree beads. Caroline Dadlani offers a rich mix of rose cut diamonds in high-karat gold. Other designers add hammered textures, granulation, and a wealth of details and finishes.

"I haven't worn anything but period drops in over 20 years, but I'm even wearing a pair of hoops every day now," says Wohl. "The beauty of the various styles of hoops is that they really can be worn for all times and for all occasions, from office to weekends to black tie events."