FIRST, Angelina Jolie showed up at the Oscars in February wearing eye-catching emerald earrings.

Then, Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi was spotted at the Cannes International Film Festival in May. She showed up wearing a stunning silver necklace with pink and purple gems.

Yes, the coloured-stone trend is out loud and proud. And in Singapore, jewellery stores, from Poh Heng Jewellery to Soo Kee, say sales of pieces that include coloured gems now make up as much as 40 per cent of their total annual sales.

Ms Chng Hwee Siang, director of Poh Heng Jewellery, said that the demand for pieces using these stones – from sapphires to peridot and amethyst – has risen in the past five years.

TianPo Jewellery’s general manager, Mr Joseph Hong, said those buying are mainly young urban professionals who are “more experimental, bold and expressive” in their personal style.

Better yet, fans of these stones can enjoy big savings during the Great Singapore Sale. my paper checks out the must-have pieces.