Comfort. Warmth. Simple pleasures. These are what the trend forecasters at Pantone believe we will all be seeking in 2025, and the shade they believe best captures this zeitgeist is Mocha Mousse, a rich but velvety soft-brown hue.
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, describes the latest Color of the Year as “sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic.”
In jewelry, this translates to a renewed focus on gemstones with earthy tones that mirror the warmth and richness of Mocha Mousse, such as brown diamonds. Nada Ghazal pairs icy-brown raw diamonds with matte 18-karat yellow gold in bespoke editions of her Malak and Fuse designs, while Eva Fehren founder Eva Zuckerman points to her Tea ring, with its pear-shaped, 3.02-carat, fancy-light-brown-yellow diamond, as a perfect representation of the trend.
“We’ve definitely seen a trend toward less-traditional colors in jewelry in the last few years, so I have no doubt that shades of brown will be very popular this year,” says Zuckerman.
Bea Bongiasca has similarly been using natural yellowish-brown diamonds in bespoke collections, dubbing them a perfect fit for Mocha Mousse. For ready-to-wear jewels, she pairs smoky quartz with bold black enamel — a combination she used in her latest Baby Vine ring, which has turned out to be one of the collection’s best sellers.
“[Mocha Mousse] can work well because it is elegant, [and] it does not stray that far from the color of [precious] metal and stones,” says Bongiasca, adding that she plans to create a ring incorporating a gemstone and enamel that both match the trending shade.
Dries Criel offers an opulent take on Mocha Mousse with natural brown zircons and tiger’s eyes. He is currently working on a one-of-a-kind design that’s still under wraps but that will center around a cushion-cut brown zircon.
“[Mocha Mousse] is a timeless but characterful color that will outlast the trends for a long time to come,” Criel says, reflecting on the shade’s enduring allure. It’s a hue with the power to bring warmth and comfort to jewelry lovers’ hearts long after Pantone has moved on to the next Color of the Year.
Main image: Stephen Silver domed ring in 18-karat white gold with 10.73 carats of brown diamonds. (Stephen Silver)
