This week, UMB Fashion had its May 2017 NY Women’s tradeshow. UMB Fashion is one of the world most influential fashion decision makers and the world’s top fashion brand.  UMB is a trillion-dollar fashion industry through their fashion marketplaces. They hold events in New York, Las Vegas, and Japan. Their events cover fashion for men, women, children, accessories, and footwear. UMB Fashion is a number one fashion influencer, bringing together brands from all over the world. This month’s show included women’s fashion and accessories. It featured over one hundred designers, including some of this year's must-have trends.

In many cases, color in diamonds indicates a drawback - an unattractive tint that can detract from the price. Most of us look for the clearest, most colorless diamond we can find. But there’s color, and then there’s color. Sizable natural diamonds of fancy or vivid shades of pink, blue and yellow are exquisite – and rare. When they appear at auction, they go for astronomical prices.

That’s been happening a lot.

When it comes to engagement rings these days, something old is what’s new. A recent New York Times article suggests that a growing number of Millennials are turning to vintage diamond rings – whether family heirlooms or purchased through antique dealers – to mark the start of their new life together.  

This embrace of vintage rings isn’t exactly brand-new trend, however. Since the 2008-2009 recession, many practical-minded young couples have balked at spend thousands on new engagement rings and have embraced heirloom rings as a more affordable, original and arguably more meaningful, option.  

Cannes Film Festival descended on the Riviera (May 14-25) with a glittering tsunami of stars. The twelve-day festival is the premiere European venue to check out who’s wearing what, as stars strut their stuff at a host of premieres, galas and lavish parties.

While red carpet jewelers such as Harry Winston show up in Cannes, you find a more continental spin on haute jewels than at U.S. awards shows - more European designers, such as Bulgari and de Grisogono.

Cannes is a good place to get a read on international trends in jewelry design. Judging from this spring's festival, here are a few trends you can expect to find on jetsetters this year.

Brought to you by Chopard

Chopard has been the official sponsor of Cannes since 1998. Along with accessorizing a lot of A-list celebs there, the Swiss house produces the prestigious Palme d’Or trophy. This year the 24kt-gold fronds were made out of fair mined gold as part of the company’s sustainable luxury initiative.

Attached to a block of crystal, the Palme d'Or is made from 118 grams of pure gold and worth about 20,000 euros. Two are made, as well as two mini Palme d'Or, for each festival by five of Chopard's "top jewelers," the same ones who produce the red carpet jewels worn by the stars. Mini palms go to the winners of the best actor and actress awards.

The glitter of a beautiful diamond can easily blind us to the reality that before it ended up on our finger, ear or throat, it may have been illicitly sold by rebel groups to fund a brutal war or act of terrorism. Such “blood diamonds” (also called “conflict diamonds”) are believed to be behind the deaths of more than 4 million people in Africa as well as the displacement of millions more.

Thanks to heightened press attention and the blockbuster film Blood Diamond, consumers have grown more aware of the presence of conflict diamonds and are increasingly seeking to purchase diamonds unassociated with bloodshed and war.