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Welcome Pantone’s Color of The Year: Very Peri

By Isabelle Corvin, CG, Staff Gemologist at Panowicz Jewelers

Pantone's brand new color, "Very Peri" (17-3938). Image courtesy of Pantone.

Pantone recently unveiled their new “Color of the Year” for 2022. And it truly is a new color!

Very Peri (PANTONE 17-3938) is a color created by Pantone for the first time in the history of the Pantone Color of the Year educational color program.

It blends blues and violets with an underlying splash of red in the mix. The name is based on the color periwinkle, a pastel color that’s soft and calming.

“Periwinkle” is derived from the myrtle plant (Vinca Minor), whose flowers are often called “periwinkle.” It was first seen in written form as a color name in 1922.

Pantone describes the color as spritely, with a joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression.

Now, more than ever, as the world moves into 2022, we are all looking for new ways of expressing ourselves. We could all use a boost of courage and creativity as we continue to move forward.

Very Peri melds the calming stability of blue, the intriguing mystique of violet, and the bold strength of red into a pleasing, soft color.

Not only are these colors popular and lovely on their own, but they have been historically difficult to reproduce for paints and dyes in ages past.

The color strikes a chord as something different, fascinating, and almost magical. With how digital and physical worlds have recently shifted and merged, it’s fitting that the color for 2022 would be a fusion of multiple hues in one.

Tanzanite

The periwinkle color isn’t readily found in nature, but the jewelry world is certainly brimming with options for sparkling jewels to match this new color.

Tanzanite might spring to mind first; Very Peri is almost the spitting image of the blue-violet member of the zoisite family.

But this comparison isn’t just facet deep.

Tanzanite ring by Samuel Sylvio Designs
Tanzanite octagon earrings by United Color Gems

Tanzanite is trichroic, meaning it shows three different hues from various crystal directions. Usually, our human eye can only see two of those colors, blue and violet. However, you may see a flash of red in very fine stones under the right conditions.

Or, if you use a gemological tool such as a dichroscope, you will be able to see the three colors split completely: violet, blue, and red.

Although we usually see with an unaided eye the blue-violet, there is something a little off about Tanzanite due to that red undertone. Place fine tanzanite and sapphire next to each other and even if they have a similar hue composition, there is something different about them.

Very Peri seems made to match tanzanite not just in color, but perhaps in meaning as well.

Many suggest that tanzanite has high energy and vibration, leading to opening the mind to new ideas while clearing the old, and helping with communication. It is also considered a stone that promotes higher thinking, as well as bringing the mind and body into sync.

Blue Chalcedony

Another gemstone that encompasses Very Peri’s color and meaning is blue chalcedony. Chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline member of the quartz family and comes in a wide range of colors. Adjacent to other cryptocrystalline quartz-like agate and jasper, chalcedony has been seen throughout history as a gemstone used as jewelry, carvings, seals, tools, and talismans since at least 1800 BC.

The blue variety can range in saturation from a pale periwinkle to a darker gray-blue. It can show banding or variations of coloring in a single stone.

Lighter chalcedony mimics Very Peri quite well and provides a more ethereal choice than transparent tanzanite.

Blue Chalcedony is said to also open the mind to new ideas while being credited as a good gem for reflection. In Roman times, it gained the trait of being useful for public speaking and helping with stage fright. This belief has carried forward, with chalcedony still being seen as a gemstone to help with words and also treat throat discomfort.

Chalcedony and gold earrings by Lika Behar
Treasure ring in blue Chalcedony by Erica Courtney

Sapphire

Sapphires in the pastel ranges can also showcase a close match to the color of the year.

While sapphires can come in almost every hue, with varying intensities, pastel sapphires have been gaining popularity in jewelry over the last few years.

 

 

 

 

Geometric inspired pastel sapphire pieces by Parle.

Commonly seen in more green-blue colors, some sapphires can display a lovely violet and blue combo that highlights periwinkle.

Sapphires are known to represent loyalty and peace, providing the wearer with a calming atmosphere. It has also been said to help with speaking, new ideas, and general good luck.

Called a gem of the heavens, the sapphire has been considered holy and blessed by many cultures throughout history.

The pastel variations of sapphire are truly unique and intriguing, providing something a little diverse and uncommon.

Many gemstones could play off the violet, blue, or red pieces of Very Peri, but tanzanite, blue chalcedony, and sapphire seem to be the perfect match.

Discover more pieces inspired by Very Peri and visit an AGS jeweler near you!

Isabelle Corvin

Isabelle Corvin is an AGS Certified Gemologist (CG) who is the Staff Gemologist at Panowicz Jewelers. Since she was 14-years-old, she knew she wanted to be a gemologist. Ms. Corvin also writes for Panowicz Jewelers’ blog.