Triangles, circles, squares and everything in between are the go-to for aesthetically pleasing visuals in designs because of their simplistic nature. You don't need to have complex patterns to create an eye-catching design when a simple triangle can do it better. In fact, that has been one of the greatest appeals of the geometric patterns in their simplistic designs.
A rectangle dangling from the chain around your neck, lined with writing. Sound familiar? The popular vertical bar necklaces. It's elegant, goes great with many styles and, what's more, it is simple. Even outside of the world of jewelry you can see how geometric earrings shapes can be iconic and appealing. For example, take three triangles and stack them into a triangular form and you create the iconic Triforce symbol of the 1986 video game Legend of Zelda®, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Five interlocking rings and you have a symbol that is universally recognized and celebrated every 2 years around the world--the Olympic Rings®.
Fun Fact: The designer of the Olympic Rings, Pierre de Coubertin, said in 1931 the following about the creation of the design: "The Olympic flag has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the center: blue, yellow, black, green and red. This design is symbolic; it represents the five continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colors are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time" (at the time, the five continents referred to Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas).
Let's look at some of the more popular shapes.
Squares
The simple square and other box-like shapes have been around for some time and in so many different variations. Swarovski® baguette fancy stones, for example, have been around for over a hundred years at this point, but have been gaining increasing popularity. The baguette stone was named after the French bread (no seriously!) because of its long and skinny design. You could also use rectangular shapes with your choice of findings, settings or any number of materials. As mentioned above, one of the most popular fashion trends was a simple vertical bar!
Triangles are huge for several reasons. One of the most powerful symbols in sacred geometry, it represents so much with its simplistic design. Two points form the base, one forms the tip: Earth, sky, and human. It has been a symbol associated with so much since the dawning of human civilization. For the ancient Egyptians, it represented fertile land on its own, and when made three-dimensional it became a symbol of everlasting. For Hinduism, a triangle pointed down symbolizes shakti, which is the representation of female energy. If it is pointed upright, it becomes shiva or male energy, and if you combine the two triangles you get the six-pointed star--the unification of male and female in harmony.
The triquetra of the celts, the valknut of the Vikings, it represented all the base elements of life in alchemy. Even Pythagoras (yes, the one the math formula is named after) taught that the triangle was the symbol of life, light, and heaven and revered it as a symbol of the god Apollo. Point up or point down? The orientation of a triangle in a jewelry piece can bring additional meaning to the design. It is commonly believed that a point-up triangle represents stability because of its solid base and illustrates ascension toward the spiritual world. A point-down triangle shows a descent into the physical world.
