Gold is in, and so is Thomas Sabo

One of fashion’s hot trends right now is gold — as evidenced by designers mixing three colors of the metal and all the gilded eyes and nails on the catwalk — so, always one to create on-trend jewelry to accessorize the latest fashions, German jeweler Thomas Sabo’s spring/summer 2013 collection is all about gold.

Tricolor gold, to be exact. In “Glam & Soul,” Sabo takes his signature 925 sterling silver and plates it with 18-karat yellow and rose gold. (The third color would be the white gold that silver evokes.) That way you can enjoy the luxurious look of gold without paying the commensurate steep price.

Inspired by Moorish culture, the collection is filled with intricately jeweled sunbursts, arabesques, florals and religious iconography like crosses, if you’re feeling particularly celebratory about the new pope.

“Our spring/summer women’s collection sets a new milestone in the history of Thomas Sabo,” says Hanny Freund, Thomas Sabo’s PR and communication manager for Asia-Pacific. “We’re offering 18K yellow and rose gold jewelry designs for the very first time. Three colors is the message this season, and new statement pieces in rose and yellow gold as well as turquoise, black and white zirconia offer a completely different way to combine jewelry to create a new look.”

Expressing your individuality is also key nowadays, and Sabo’s diverse pieces offer endless possibilities in that regard. Young models like Jasmine Curtis, Samantha Sadhwani and Riana Matera showed us how to mix and match in today’s nonchalant, ultra-hip way. I particularly love the layered look: wearing three pendants at the same time on different chain lengths, or piling delicate bracelets on one arm.

For summer, the look of their silver and turquoise pendant against cool white is stunning, and the rocker chick in me responded to “Rebel at Heart,” Sabo’s collection that embodies the brand’s rock-star aesthetic with its black leather and silver skulls, fleur de lys, crosses, and even sinuous serpents to commemorate the Year of the Snake.

“Jewelry for men is playing an increasingly important role in men’s fashion,” notes Freund, “and ‘Rebel at Heart’ consists of statement pieces for men.”

Justin Bieber and George Michael are just two of the pop stars who’ve worn Thomas Sabo, though the brand is best personified in its male brand ambassador David Garrett, the violin virtuoso who merges rock with classical music.

“He’s worn Thomas Sabo for years and matches the jewelry to his style,” Freund says. “He has favorite items he never takes off, like the skull ring and violin pendant we custom-made for him, so the collaboration is quite logical.”

On the distaff side the ambassador is British model and fashion It girl Poppy Delevingne: “Her refreshing naturalness and grownup elegance are the perfect match for our new campaign,” Freund says.

Credit for the jewelry house’s on-trend designs goes to Sabo himself, who founded the brand in 1984, and creative director Susanne Kolbli, who heads the creative team based in Frankfurt. Together they work closely to brainstorm and discuss each design and new collection, as well as how to market them. At present, Thomas Sabo is carried in 66 countries, with 230 boutiques worldwide.

In the Philippines, where Eric and Cheryl Lee of Anthem Shoppes (and labels like Penguin and Perry Ellis) distribute the brand, Thomas Sabo is perhaps best known for its vast range of charms — around 500 in total — and the affordable pieces have become the brand’s gateway product and most collectible item.

“Our charms have become the most popular collection in the Philippines,” observes Freund. “The lucky charm is a gift idea, a souvenir or simply a fashion statement that can be individually attached to different bracelets, necklaces and also watches.”

Sabo’s Charm Club is offering around 64 new designs in rose gold and yellow gold, and it’s a great way for women to personalize their look or tell their story, while males the world over regard it as the perfect gift.

“I’ve heard from many guys back in Germany that Thomas Sabo saved their life because now they don’t have to think about what to give to their girlfriend or sister,” laughs Freund. “We also have special country charms that you can only get in that country, so many people love to collect them. We don’t have one yet for the Philippines but we’re planning on it.”

I’m thinking jeepney charms and pendants would be the perfect way to go.

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Thomas Sabo’s spring/summer 2013 collection is available at freestanding boutiques located on the R2 level of Power Plant Mall, Rockwell; Level 3, Shangri-La Plaza Mall; Level 2 of SM Mall of Asia; and Level 3, TriNoma.