Colour Theory

Colour theory is a conceptual framework used to understand how colours interact, mix, and affect perception. It's used in many different industries including jewellery design, art, design and fashion.

The colour wheel is the foundation of colour theory and shows how colours relate to one another.

Colour theory plays a big role in jewellery making - it’s all about how colours interact to create pieces that are visually appealing, balanced, and expressive.

Jewellery designers may use colour theory to pair gemstones in a way that complements or contrasts effectively. For example:

·         Complementary Colours, opposite on the colour wheel (like blue and orange) for bold contrast.

·         Colours next to each other (like green, blue, and turquoise) for a harmonious, soothing effect.

·         Colours evenly spaced around the colour wheel (like red, yellow, and blue) for vibrant, balanced contrast.

Colours carry psychological and cultural meanings, for example,

·         Red (ruby, garnet): passion, love.

·         Green (emerald, peridot): growth, prosperity.

·         Blue (sapphire, topaz): calm, trust.