Farewell to Radiant Red!

Axalta’s launch of its North American Automotive Color of the Year 2015 kicked-off at the SEMA tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada in November, 2014.  Axalta executives, TV host and champion crew chief, Ray Evernham and four-time NASCAR® Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon unveiled the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS Radiant Red paint scheme, painted by Mobsteel’s Ron Coan, in front of a large crowd of car enthusiasts.  That weekend Gordon debuted the paint scheme on the track at a race at Phoenix International Raceway.  

The color’s inspiration came from an increase in popularity of red vehicles on the roads, according to Axalta’s Global Automotive Color Popularity Report.  Axalta’s chromatic Radiant Red was created using Cromax® Mosaic™ low VOC solvent-borne paint and Axalta’s high chroma Vermeera™ technology.  Several experts from various industries commented on how Red shades are prevalent in a variety of areas and industries.  Peyton Kelly, Senior Manager of Product Development, Jewelry at QVC spoke about how “new mines are now producing the true radiant red gemstones that many of us associate with fine rubies.”  Ron Coan from Mobsteel said, “Radiant Red is so inspiring that I would love to spray one of my favorite cars in this color – a 1950 Mercury Coupe.”  Award-winning author Kimberly Lovato discussed growing up as a redhead in southern California and now embraces the color red in her attire to show off her red hair every chance she gets.  Keith Nagara, Director, Transportation Design Program at Lawrence Technological University commented, “the color red evokes fond memories of the importance of color to vehicles.”

Radiant Red made a brilliant journey in 2015.  The Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky showcased several reds with high chroma appeal.  The Eyes on Design car show at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford home featured various shades of red from the 1900’s to today.  The Woodward Dream cruise in Michigan was flooded with classic and new cars that featured red hues.  From one car show to another, each red car was radiant in its own way.

Radiant Red will continue to inspire automotive color design and our love for color.  Stay tuned for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan when we announce Axalta’s North American Color of the Year 2016.

Axalta’s Top 10 “Radiant Red” Songs and the Cars that Suit Them

By Nancy Lockhart, Axalta Color Marketing Manager

Axalta Coating Systems’ team members put together a top 10 list of songs with “Red” in the title as part of a year-long celebration of our inaugural North American Automotive Color of the Year.

Radiant Red debuted on four-time NASCAR_® Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS at the 2014 SEMA show in Las Vegas.  The campaign has resonated around the world with color enthusiasts who were thrilled to see Axalta’s first-ever Automotive Color of the Year.

Nothing complements a top 10-song list like a smoking hot car.  Cars and cruisin’ to music simply go together.  If you were going for a spin while listening to these “radiant red” songs, what kind of car would you choose to roll to? 

Take a look at our list and let us know what you think on Twitter @Axalta.  Agree?  Disagree?  Did we miss something?  This is not scientific, but it sure has us reminiscing.

First, check out or sing-a-long to Axalta’s Top 10 “Radiant Red” songs.   

1.       Little Red Corvette – Prince (1982)

2.       Red – Taylor Swift (2012)

3.       Snoopy vs. the Red Baron – The Royal Guardsmen (1966)

4.       Red, Red Wine – Neil Diamond / UB-40 (1966)

5.       Lady in Red -- Chris De Burgh (1986)

6.       Red Barchetta – Rush (1981)

7.       Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Gene Autry (1949)

8.       99 Red Balloons – Nena (1983)

9.       Red Dirt Road – Brooks and Dunn (2003)

10.     Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith (2011)

Now, here are the vehicles that go best with each song, along with some comments from Axalta team members.

 1.  Little Red Corvette – Lisa Miree-Luke, Head of Axalta Corporate Affairs - North America: “Well, this one seems easy, but which of the iconic Corvettes would it be? I think the winner is the gorgeous split-window ’63. Like the song says, baby, you’re much too fast.”

 2.  Red – Sabrina Morris, Axalta Product Specialist: “Taylor mentions a Maserati in the song, but since Taylor seems to be trying to get over someone in the song, let’s go to her country roots and get something fun like a brand new 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon!” 

 3.  Snoopy vs. the Red Baron – David Fischer, Axalta Vice President of Market Strategy and Growth: “This song is from 1966, and my kids loved it growing up. So let’s pick a modern family car for today’s family:  the always-safe, all-new Volvo XC90.”

 4.  Red, Red Wine – Eric Degenfelder, Axalta Vice President for Global Product Management:  “Uber. Whatever your favorite cab company is…just don’t drink and drive.”

 5.  Lady in Red – Michael Koerner, Axalta Research Fellow: “Since singer-songwriter De Burgh is British and Irish, let’s pair this song with two cars: from Britain, a Mini Cooper and from Ireland, the very rare Shamrock.”

 6.  Red Barchetta – Dan Benton, Axalta Color Marketing Manager: “First off, Rush rocks! Secondly, you have to pair the awesome Barchetta with this song. If you have not seen one, they were originally  Italian style  open, two-seater sports cars built for racing. We can all imagine the thrill of driving a hot red convertible down a country road on a beautiful summer day – wind in your hair, the blur of the landscape–the thrill of it all.  Just thinking about it - accelerates the heart rate!”

 7.  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – John Wray, Axalta Marketing Manager: “We really need a car from a holiday movie, so how about Clark Griswold’s wagon from Christmas Vacation? Love that movie!”

 8.  99 Red Balloons – Matthew Boland, Axalta Product Director: “This was a hit for the German band Nena. So I will pick a quintessential German car—Golf GTI.”

 9.  Red Dirt Road – David Powell, Axalta Global Business Director: “This feels like a pick-up truck song to me.  How about one that packs a punch and turns mountains into molehills?  Let’s go with the Chevy Silverado 3500HD.”

10. Red Solo Cup – Maria Murtha, Axalta Color Marketing Manager, Commercial Vehicles: “There are few marketing relationships stronger than the one between Ford and country singer-songwriter Toby Keith, so it only make sense to go with a Ford F-150 truck for this one.”

University Students Take Radiant Red to School for Inspired Deisgns

By: Keith Nagara, Director, Transportation Design Program at Lawrence Technological University

The color “red” evokes fond memories of the importance of color to vehicles. Although color is a bridging mechanism that can be applied to any product – there are no rules or limitations, except those that, we as designers, impose.  The color spectrum is full and very expressive in all forms of life from plants and animals to the formations of our planet and stars.  Red as a color is intense and energetic, like a flame or solar flare from the sun.  Red is also well represented as one of the four elements: earth, air, FIRE, and water.

 “Radiant Red” Solar flares were first observed on the sun in 1859.

My memory of red goes back to when I was ten and observed my older cousin explaining to our three-year-old relative, holding Hot Wheels cars, that the blue car was faster than the yellow car and the red car was faster than the blue car.  Our three-year-old relative did not understand vehicle segments or brands, to him they were only variants of color palettes.  He interpreted that it was the color of the vehicle that made one model faster versus another.  Being so young, he didn’t understand that it wasn’t the color, but the type of vehicle that determined the relative speed of one car versus another.  Perhaps that also explains that beyond the vehicle brand, it is color that subconsciously impacts our purchasing decisions at a dealership and hence the career of a Color and Material Designer is born.  This was very evident in the early years of the automotive industry, as it is well illustrated in the Axalta Global Automotive Color Popularity Report. 

As the Director of Lawrence Technological University’s Transportation Design and Industrial Design programs, I requested examples of designs that were inspired by the color red from future designers.  The three examples below are from the following talented students:

Matt Scarchilli draws inspiration from fashion to the design of an automotive interior. The design is beyond aesthetics, as it impacts the user experience in the concept.

Illustrated by: Matt Scarchilli

Peter Corey’s passion for motorcycle is illustrated from his inspiration of a red Cardinal. 

Illustrated by: Peter Corey

The final image is from Tyler Rusnak, and he notes that the color red is an “expression of agility” in his design. I would like to circle back to the first sentence and the personal story of red, as we can only conclude this topic with an image of a red sports car – it’s simply radiant!

Illustrated by: Tyler Rusnak

   

Keith Nagara
Director, Transportation Design Program
Lawrence Technical University

Radiant Red - A Hot Topic in the U.S! Watch Axalta’s Video to Learn More and For a Chance to Win!

By Nancy Lockhart, Axalta Color Marketing Manager

By now, you probably know that we, at Axalta, love Radiant Red and so do many of you, according to Axalta’s Global Automotive Color Popularity Report. It’s been a great year of celebration for the inaugural North American Color of the Year.

So, as we wrap up Radiant Red, we thought it would be fun to talk to folks around the country and get their take on the iconic color.

The video takes viewers on a journey with stops at color hotspots across the country including the Mid America Trucking Show, Franklin Institute Science Festival and Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise. Axalta is inviting the public to join in on the celebration by offering viewers an opportunity to win a limited edition No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS Radiant Red die-cast car, autographed by four-time NASCAR_® Cup Series champion, Jeff Gordon. Watch the video for your chance to win. http://www.axaltacs.com/us/en_US/color/cotycontest.html

Click the link above to check out the contest & video!

Radiant Red is made from Axalta’s Cromax® Mosaic™ paint brand. It also contains Axalta’s Vermeera high chroma technology and a sparkle effect.  We will miss Radiant Red, but we are excited for the second-ever Axalta North American Automotive Color of the Year, which will be announced in January at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.  Stay tuned! 

Red Hot Summer

By: Dan Benton, Axalta Color Marketing Director

As you know, Axalta named Radiant Red color of the year for 2015. The popularity of red in transportation coatings has increased and red is also a signature color of summertime. Who doesn’t get a thrill seeing (and hearing) a red Ferrari roar past on a bright summer day? Red is practical, too.  Licorice, popsicles, tomatoes, balloons, salsa, ketchup on hot dogs, and even sunburn – the list goes on and on.

From the “rockets’ red glare” of fireworks, to beautiful sunsets – red is a color we all take note of in the summer. I think we can all agree – this season has been red hot. We’ve had record-breaking heat throughout much of the country and Radiant Red is on fire.

What is it about summertime and the sizzle of red? No doubt, we associate red with heat, but it’s much more than that. We tend to see more shades of red in the summer. It boldly shows up in our fashion statements and even in our everyday summer fun. 

Rusty red dirt roads that are off the beaten path and brilliant red hues at one of the wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon, call to us with wanderlust to race off into adventure and exploration. Automotive dream cruises or car shows give us another opportunity to show off audacious reds on fine, showroom vehicles. Red was everywhere at the recent Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit. We captured video of classic red vehicles, many proudly painted with Axalta paint. It was not hard to find some classic reds among the thousands of vehicles. Stay tuned for more on this, as we release a Radiant Red video with Dream Cruise footage.

Something about the warm months inspires us to show our confident side, and no color is quite as adventurous as red. Speaking of adventure, amusement parks are another red hot spot. I was once a wide-eyed kid braving his first roller coaster ride that looked like massive radiant red, winding steel. I remember the red glow of the Ferris wheel at night. I wanted to conquer them all. These sights and sounds of summer are something we probably all can identify with. Did you know that Axalta is one of the leading coatings suppliers to amusement parks around the world? Our Industrial coatings are designed to protect, and to attract. Red screams speed, and thrills – that’s why many roller coasters are painted with Axalta’s vibrant red coatings.

When we named Radiant Red color of the year – we did so because we had measured data that demonstrated that the use of the color red was on the rise in transportation coatings. We spend a great deal of time measuring and observing color trends, and it was clear to us that 2015 was going to be a banner year for red.

So before the cooler months arrive, let’s take some time to enjoy the playful days of summer, and appreciate the vibrant, saturated reds that surround our everyday lives. Wherever you are – just take a look around – you can’t miss the color red.  It’s so hot, you may need your shades.

Dan Benton, Axalta Color Marketing Manager at Woodward Dream Cruise

It’s Good to Go Red!

By Ron Coan, Mobsteel Custom Painter

Red is hot.  Red is fast.  Red is good trouble.  And Axalta’s Radiant Red is the coolest red that I’ve ever seen.  It’s smokin’! 

I had the pleasure of painting the infamous No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS motorsports racecar for Axalta’s Automotive Color of the Year 2015 reveal at SEMA automotive aftermarket tradeshow this past November.  I used Axalta’s Cromax™ Mosaic low VOC solvent-borne paint that has top-notch sprayability.  I work with Axalta products on a daily basis at Mobsteel, a custom design/build car shop in Detroit.  I love how the color goes down and blends ever so nicely.  A smooth blend was key for the racecar, because I put a little twist on the styling.  Radiant Red faded brilliantly into black at the back of the car, reminiscent of Axalta’s Brilliant Flames paint scheme, driven by four-time NASCAR_® Cup Series champion, Jeff Gordon.  The fade process could easily get muddy, but not this one.  It stayed nice, red and clean.  It was quite a memorable experience to go to Hendrick Motorsports’ garage to paint the racecar.  

There was a little pressure, especially going to someone else’s shop.  Nevertheless, it was a huge ego boost to paint a car that millions of people see on a regular basis and the feedback from spectators at SEMA was pure affirmation.  Every comment that I heard was so positive.  I’m a humble guy.  So it was nice to sit back and hear people talk about it.  The awesome reviews could make even a tough guy like me get a little emotional.  I’m not saying that happened, though.  But it could have.

In the past, I’ve painted many concept cars in red hues, but they were typically solid, saturated reds.  However, Radiant Red uses Axalta’s Vermeera™ technology in order to achieve a high chroma color that also has an added sparkling effect.  It’s not your average red, people.

Radiant Red is so inspiring that I would love to spray one of my favorite cars in this color–a 1950 Mercury Coupe.  With its lines and roundness, Radiant Red would explode on this car.  The curves would really make the color pop with all the glass flake technology.  That color…on that car would be a perfect match.

I’ve worked on quite a few classic American beauties as well. You can see some of my work on a 1963 Lincoln Continental on a new television show titled, Mobsteel.

Check out Ron Coan in his new NBCSN automotive reality show titled, “Mobsteel” along with the rest of the team on Sunday, August 16, 2015 at 6 p.m. EDT and on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EDT, following the premier.

About Ron Coan

Born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Ron first started working in the automotive industry at the age of 15 when his neighbor offered him a job washing cars at his auto body shop.  Ron has been in the industry ever since, graduating from South West Oakland Vocational Education Center with a certificate in auto body repair.  He has more than 30 years of experience painting custom cars.  For the last nine years, Ron has been painting classic cars for the design/build car company, Mobsteel based in Brighton, Michigan.  He also owns and operates the paint removal and restoration company, Alternative Media Blasting in partnership with Mobsteel.  Ron was a celebrity painter for the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS racecar driven by by four-time NASCAR_® Cup Series champion, Jeff Gordon.  Ron’s newest project is a 1952 Buick.  Ron is also one of the stars of a new automotive reality television show called Mobsteel that airs on NBCSN.

Ron Coan, of the Mobsteel crew from Detroit, is known for starting with “Detroit's finest
vintage luxury cars and turning them into modern day menacing street machines.”

Radiant Red from Head to Toe Puts on a Fabulous Show

By Lisa M. Miree-Luke, Head of Axalta Corporate Affairs-North America

Ladies, when you wake up in the morning and put on a red dress does your walk change to a sashay?  Gentlemen, correction…single gentlemen--when she, whoever she is, walks into a room in a red dress is she the one you immediately notice?  When you want to make a statement, do you go for the red power tie?  Would a bride ever put her bridesmaids in red dresses when it’s her day?  Silence.

We can change our clothing at a drop of a whim, but what if you were born with this bold, vibrant color on your crown and glory that only a bottle of dye could offer you a break from standing out?  Would you?  Could you or should you simply roll with it like Lucille Ball, Julianne Moore, Rita Hayworth, Prince Harry and “Pretty Woman” Julia Roberts?  Afterall, there are so many things that are radiant red like the beautiful Chevrolet RS Camaro with ground effects that I had my first, second and third car accidents in.  Sure, it was brand new off the lot, but at 16-years old my powers of persuasion had already peeked and my mother couldn’t say “no” to my pressing need to drive her new red car.  Oh yes, I was a frequent body shop customer in my teen days.  I totally helped build the industry I work in now.  And not to mention, Axalta’s Automotive Color of the Year 2015 is “Radiant Red”.  So if this vivid color looks so great on the road, why wouldn’t it look great on someone’s head?  Professional writer Kimberley Lovato, the author of a recent American Way essay titled “Pretty Red on the Emerald Isle,” wasn’t always so sure.

Kimberley Lovato, Author

Chants of Pippi Longstocking, Carrot Top and Ginger rang in her head, as she shared with me how she was teased growing up redhead in Los Angeles.  Sidebar, really, LA?!  You needed one more blonde?  So what’s a redhead girl like Kimberley to do, but go to Ireland for some affirmation, appreciation and confirmation.

Kimberley wrote in her essay: “Redheads are found in more concentration on the British Isles than anywhere else in the world, and I had read before my arrival that an estimated 10 percent of the population of Ireland has red hair.  At social events back home, my red hair made me feel like a zebra at the horse farm, but in Ireland I could always count on three or more members of my homogeneous herd roaming about.”

Even more uplifting, Kimberley fondly reminisces about her beloved grandfather calling her “Pretty Red.” As the sole redhead in her non-Irish family, and what seemed like in all of LA, his wisdom encouraged her.  “You’ll spend your school years trying to fit in, and the rest of your life trying to stand out.  Consider your hair a head start,” he would always tell her.

Kimberley has since embraced the color red.  She bought a red bikini, wears red dresses, and shows off her red hair every chance she gets.  Atta’ girl, “Pretty Red.”

To learn more about Kimberley Lovato visit kimberleylovato.com

Lisa Miree-Luke with No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS painted in Radiant Red.

Red Heats Up EyesOn Design

Red always seems to catch the eyes of car enthusiasts.  The color red can be luxurious sporty, simple or complex.  It can be a paradox.  But one thing’s for sure…it is always vibrant and radiant.  There were countless examples of various shades of red at the June EyesOn Design car show located at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House located in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan to benefit the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology. 

Solid reds have been popular throughout time, especially on trucks.  (pictured above: 1952 Chevy)

Color popularity can be cyclical and we are often reminded that what was once old is new again.  Some of the iconic reds throughout automotive history were on display at this prestigious car show. 

(pictured above: 1967 Chrysler)

The vehicles looked spectacular in their lively shades.

At Axalta, we use new technologies to expand the gamut of color, but we are always respectful of the heritage of color coatings.  The capability to offer more chromatic and sparkling reds makes Axalta’s Automotive Color of the Year 2015, “Radiant Red” stand out.  Future colors will continue to surprise and delight us on new vehicle shapes and sizes.

(pictured above and below: 1955 Buick)

Axalta is proud to sponsor such a premier event that focuses on the detail and importance of automotive design and helps benefit and support to those who are visually impaired.  For more information on future events please go to eyesondesign.org.

(pictured above: 1961 Daimler)

Many vehicles highlight red interiors. (pictured above: 1967 Austin Healey)

Red is radiant inside and outside vehicles. (pictured above: 1955 Buick)

by Nancy Lockhart – Axalta Color Marketing Manager

Are You Ready to Fall in Love with Red Again?

The color red is ubiquitous throughout cultures around the world. Red is a color that can convey a range of emotions – no two are exactly the same and none of them are boring. Now, it seems car buyers in North America are falling in love with red again.

In fact, data compiled in Axalta’s 2014 Global Automotive Color Popularity Report shows a larger percentage of red vehicles on the road in North America than in any other region.

Traditionally, our love for red in North America has focused on the bright and rich shades. At Axalta, we strive to deliver vibrant, dynamic versions for all types of vehicles that may differ in size, usage and shape.

The latest color trends and technologies – including the popularity of red – are exhibited on Axalta’s trend forecast display, “Color Matrix.” Today’s trends indicate that light and bright reds are perfect for small and sport vehicles, while dark versions with depth and hue variance, are targeted for large vehicles and SUVs. To help gain an understanding of how the shade will appear on a vehicle, we paint colors on irregular shapes to demonstrate how they will look on both curved and straight surfaces in differing light conditions. For those who need to see immediate results, we digitally render color concepts on specific vehicles in our color design centers, including our newest center located just outside of Detroit in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Of course, new technology plays an important role in the change-over of new colors.  One of Axalta’s newest innovations -- our line of Vermeera™ color technology -- offers deep, rich reds as well as blacks that you can get lost in. So, while North America is leading the wave of reds, expansion of Axalta’s chroma in reds is timely, as markets in every region are seeing an increased interest in red.

Check back here at the Color Block for more on how we are expanding color choices for Light Vehicle OEMs here and around the globe. Just like red, I bet you will fall in love.

by Nancy Lockhart – Axalta Color Marketing Manager

Some like it Red Hot

By: Dan Benton, Axalta Color Marketing Director

Axalta Coating Systems has been tracking vehicle color trends for more than 60 years, as evidenced by our annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report.  Historically, red has been a favorite automotive color in the sports car segment, and has increased in popularity in other segments.  Red stands out – and for this reason, many companies use red as part of their corporate brand identities.  What better way to advertise your brand than to feature eye-catching reds on trucks that are transporting your goods across North America?

Recent innovations in pigment and effect technology have enhanced the ability to create unique, eye-catching reds.  High energy pigment grinds, and dispersion technology allow for more saturated (high chroma) reds.  When combined with new effect pigments (synthetic micas and glass flake), these new reds sparkle and shimmer like never before.

Axalta’s Automotive Color of the Year, Radiant Red, featured on the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS driven by Jeff Gordon, is a good example of the new capability.  When exposed to sunlight, this deep saturated red is even more dynamic – exploding with sparkle effects.

Consumers tend to use colors to express their personalities.  Red is often associated with speed, energy, and confidence.  This is why red seems to be a staple color on sports cars. However, reds are not just for sports cars anymore. The deep rich versions are trending in the heavy duty truck market as well.

Peterbilt Truck Model 579 Shines in Axalta’s Imron® Elite Legendary Red color.

Heavy Duty Trucks that pull the 18 wheel semis along highways and by-ways are powerful vehicles that command attention.  Reds accentuate the pioneer spirit of blazing a trail across the open road.  From sunlit beautiful driving days, to the difficulties of winter weather (especially in the Northeast this year) – brilliant red trucks are leading the way.

Independent owner operators of the big trucks are ordering more reds than ever before.  Axalta’s Viper Red is the most popular red ordered in the commercial fleet segment. Proud independent professionals who move products along the open roads, and urban landscape stand out in red.  For many, these heavy duty trucks are a home away from home, and there is a great deal of pride in maintaining eye-catching, attractive rigs that are seen by thousands of people every day.

Axalta is the number one supplier of coatings to class 8 truck manufacturers in North America.  We work closely with designers to create color offerings that keep our customers on the leading edge.  At last month’s Mid America Trucking show in Louisville, Kentucky, Axalta revealed the “Wall of Red”- 30 new reds designed specifically for the Heavy Duty Truck market.  Peterbilt featured its new Legendary line of colors at the Mid America Trucking Show as well.  The line was developed with Axalta’s Imron® Elite coatings.  Peterbilt’s signature color is Legendary Red.  It’s a high chroma color, lush and rich color that fits Peterbilt’s corporate color identity, and brings out the distinctive styling features of Peterbilt trucks.

We see red, and other high chroma colors continuing to increase in popularity.  Consumer demand and continued technology enhancements will help facilitate growth across segments.  Red is hot, and as the weather warms from spring to summer – it is only fitting that we should see more reds blazing trails across North America, because some like it red hot.

Demand for Radiant Red Gemstones Heats Up in 2015

By: Peyton Kelley, Senior Manager of Product Development, Jewelry at QVC

Gemstones that are red or shades of red are one the hottest gemstones of 2015. Rubies, rubellites (fine red tourmalines), pink sapphires, and rhodolite garnets are on fire not only in America, but around the world. Rubies are making a big comeback this year. Not available in the U.S. for many years, new mines are now producing the true radiant red gemstones that many of us associate with fine rubies. Our buyers at QVC travel the globe and partner with direct mine sources in search of these fine jewels, each with a remarkable radiance and unique story.

The world’s demand for gems with shades of red has caused many of these gemstones to be classified as exotics. This passion for red gemstones has also led to another hot trend in the jewelry industry which is the use of rose gold. Many of these radiant red gemstones are now set in rose colored gold which highlights their deep rich tones. Rose gold plating on silver is also being used by many of the top jewelry designers today. Just as in karat gold jewelry, gems such as rhodochrosite, rhodolite, and pink opal are now being set in silver with rose gold plating offering consumers a more affordable option.

Many of today’s top jewelry designers are also incorporating red and shades of red into their couture lines as well as their exclusive designs for QVC. For example, Barbara Bixby utilizes rhodolite garnets in many of her designs often combined with black sapphire pave. The recent launch of the Scott Kay collection at QVC also included several styles with garnets. Award-winning designer Judith Ripka recently launched a jewelry collection in pink sapphires while offering many of her core metal pieces in rose gold clad.

Red and shades of red continue to be important in all aspects of the jewelry business including designer, gold, sterling, and gemstones while remaining a hot commodity among today’s consumers.

To view QVC’s gemstone collection visit: http://www.qvc.com/Gemstones.content.html

About Peyton Kelley

Born and raised in Louisiana, Peyton developed an interest in gemology early on in life. He has a graduate gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America and has since accrued more than 30 years of experience exploring nearly every facet of the jewelry industry from buying, manufacturing, and sourcing to marketing, design, and development. Peyton has been with QVC for nearly 17 years. In addition to his role as Senior Manager of Product Development for Jewelry, he is also a QVC on air guest for Affinity Diamonds, gemstones, and artisan crafted jewelry. Peyton also has a Master’s in Marketing and International Business from Tulane and a BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University. 

To connect with Peyton check out his blog on QVC.com. 

QVC, the Q and the Q ribbon logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc.

Introducing "Radiant Red" – A Fusion of Science and Design

by Nancy Lockhart, Axalta Color Marketing Manager

Welcome to Color Block!  This blog, sponsored by Axalta Coating Systems, will examine and share information on color.  Axalta created its Automotive Color of the Year campaign to further share our color expertise with our automotive original equipment manufacturer and refinish customers, custom painters, as well as consumers.

Radiant Red is Axalta’s North American Automotive Color of the Year.  It’s for the driver with confidence.  It’s for the person who doesn’t mind a little attention.  The color is made from Cromax^® Mosaic™ low VOC solvent-borne paint with Vermeera™ technology.  It has attributes of deep, rich chroma with sparkling effects that dance in the sunlight.  

Vibrant reds are quickly becoming an automotive trend.  You can also find this hue standing out in home interior accessories, cosmetics and fashion.  Jewelry and sporting goods industries often feature reds as well.  Oh, yes, the color makes a statement.

As the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) kicks off this month in the Motor City, we are reminded of colors from the past and anticipate the concept vehicles of the future.  From hot candy red muscle cars to dark red pearl sedans and solid red trucks, historically, red has been one of the top five popular colors according to Axalta’s Global Automotive 2014 Color Popularity Report.

Deep rich versions of red are trending on a variety of automotive vehicles and heavy duty trucks as well.  In 2014, red’s popularity grew in North America by three percent over the prior year according to the Report. 

Throughout 2015, Color Block will embrace color trends and feature guest bloggers from a variety of industries to share how color is integrated into their work.  Like Mona Lisa to da Vinci or a supermodel to a fashion designer, we find that color is often a muse. It helps us demonstrate our personal style.

When you want to be bold and show your power, drive red! Go ahead, be noticed.