And this year show became yet another proof to the fact. The show presented the latest achievements in jewellery design that have not yet been introduced in either jewellery magazines or the Internet.

For nearly 10 years white metals kept their leadership at the market. However, the Basel barometer indicator shows signs of growing interest to yellow gold. The representation of white and yellow metal at the stands of this year exhibitors was 50/50. Patrizia Lingua, designer of Italian companies Mattioli and Torino, said that along with yellow gold, jewellers are more and more often turning to red gold and all three colors together - yellow, red and white. However, most jewellers are not prone to easy taking up of fashion trends as they believe that white metals accent better the beauty of diamonds and colored gems.

The trend towards yellow gold was not the only innovation introduced at the show. The jewellry industry has answered the apparel industry's call to color this year with the bold use colored gems not usually associated with high-end goods (including blue topaz, aquamarine, citrine, amethyst, peridot and pink and green tourmaline) in place of ruby, emerald and sapphire. The gems of top quality - often above 5 carats - get the full luxury treatment in high-karat gold or platinum with diamond. The color range has descended from "heavens to earth". After several years of marine and sky blue colors domination in jewellery the tendency is towards precious stones of warmer shades - green, yellow and orange. Navy blue gems are still in great demand, but more and more popularity is being gained by green minerals, notes Emanuele Romano, a representative of another Italian company Balocchi Preziosi.

Black diamonds gained unexpected popularity among jewellers. Who could have imagined a black gem would capture the attention of so many designers in just one year? Introduced by just a handful of exhibitors last year, the idea was de rigueur this year as various interpretations of white/black diamond combination were presented at the show.

Many pieces resembled oblong cookies made of gold or platinum instead of dough, dusted with diamonds in place of sugar and maybe topped with plump pearl where the jam would have been. This shape was common in pendants, rings and earrings.

Speaking of size, many high-end companies introduced smaller earrings, rings and pins for women who want to make statement - but not an exaggerated one - at work. Small doesn't mean simple, though. Picture a tiny round diamond in a polished white gold square inside a matte yellow gold oval that dips at both ends - all of it just over a quarter-inch long. Or a yellow gold ginkgo leaf pin with a matte-testured base, polished veins and diamond dewdrops, all just over a half inch counting the stem.

Basel 2000 can be called the triumph of geometry, as looking at the stands one could not help thinking of a math class. Squares (often with rounded corners) and marquises (skinny, medium and fat) may not dominate the showcases at Basel, but were seen often enough to indicate a trend in overall design as well as in gemstone cuts.