This paper is an attempt to evaluate how research & development (R&D) may influence the jewelry industry in the near future. It will present a survey of some ongoing research and development projects and will examine an exercise to visualize future R&D in the jewelry field. Different technological processes giving rise to new gold alloy effects, gold colors, powder metallurgy, and gold-based composites or new colored gold coatings will be presented. Other technologies such as 3D textile-based techniques, sputtering, sintering and nano-technologies will also be assessed. Finally, future trends in R&D to produce transparent gold, color-changing gold, or functional/smart gold alloys will be discussed. This presentation is intended to spark new ideas about the nature of jewelry in the future and show how research and development may influence trends in jewelry design.

Author: Dr. Filipe S. Silva