It was the Duchess of Windsor who, in 1938, first suggested to Renée Puissant, Van Cleef & Arpels’ ­then–­artistic director, that the maison create a piece based on the humble zipper. It took the atelier more than a decade to debut the zipperlike Collier Fermeture Eclair, a flexible jewel that could be converted from a…

Honey Honey Lately there’s been so much buzz about the declining bee population that Patricia Gumuchian decided to do something about it—in 18k gold, of course. The design force behind Gumuchian in New York City crafted a bee- and honeycomb-theme jewelry collection called B, which debuted at JCK Las Vegas; 2 percent of every order…

The Change-Up If we know anything about the millennial generation, it’s that the demographic loves putting their own finishing touches on purchases—a preference on which several bridal jewelry makers are trying to capitalize in some new lines. Stuller’s Solitaire Connections: Phase II Phase I of the system, which debuted last year, included 10 different styles…

Canadian Club CanadaMark made a comeback at JCK Las Vegas—including, for the first time, a business-to-­business platform for retailers. The insignia, which signifies a diamond’s Canadian origin and is inscribed on a stone’s girdle, was originally introduced by miner BHP Billiton in 2003 and was acquired by Dominion Diamond when it purchased the Ekati mine…

“the colors of an opal are as [varied] as human emotions,” says the designer.

The 59th edition of Feninjer comes to São Paulo Aug. 6–9. Above:1. Sugarloaf ring in 18k gold with 65.66 ct. aquamarine and 0.63 ct. t.w. diamonds; $9,690; Vianna, Miami; 888-679-3088; viannabrasil.com   2. Bracelet in 18k gold with 12.91 cts. t.w. blue topaz and 3.11 cts. t.w. colorless and brown diamonds; $15,757; Brumani, Philadelphia; 610-642-3512;…

LUXURY Privé’s new Manhattan digs recall an earlier era of jewelry shows With new dates and a tony new venue, the LUXURY Privé New York show, taking place July 27–29, is poised to bring the industry full circle. The intimate event, which has moved to The Waldorf Astoria this year, recalls a time in the…

A scanner that puts your head on a screen so you can print it in 3-D? Yep, they’ve got that. The Equipment, Technology & Supplies show is the spot for all sorts of wild and wonderful discoveries. “Half of keeping my business fresh is making sure my equipment is of-the-moment,” said independent jewelry appraiser Ben…

The Devon Foundation, Alex and Ani’s Charity by Design, and Jewelers for Children are just three examples of jewelers making a positive difference in people’s lives. Here are five more to inspire your giving program: 1. Tiffany & Co.’s Employee Giving Program matches U.S. employee charitable donations at a ratio of 1-to-1. In addition, its…

A philanthropic program does good for your store by first doing good for the community When Nancy Schuring flew to Madagascar in 2008, the trip was ­supposed to be an enjoyable excursion to see where the gems she’d sold at Devon Fine Jewelry for nearly three decades were mined. She had no idea the trip…

need a few bright ideas for your store? we ­collected the top takeaways from the best speeches and seminars at jck.

What happened in Vegas? We’ve got the ­highlights from JCK, ­LUXURY, and a week’s worth of show business. To quote the pundits, 2014’s JCK Las Vegas was a platform for all kinds of “disruptive innovation.” From a jewelry-specific take on Shark Tank to a virtual tour of a diamond mine, the show was a mecca…

On his bohemian rhapsody in jewels Some brands describe themselves as bohemian-chic or boho-chic. Bochic, however, has made the style part of its very identity. And for vintage-esque, ­Indian-influenced, hippie-ish, understated-glam ­jewelry—made with the most luxe materials—you can’t do better than the handcrafted works of Bochic. ­Creative director David Joseph, who founded the brand with…

What Great Depression? High-end, high-style jewelry had its Hollywood heyday in the 1930s. Movie audiences didn’t want to see their own hard-knock lives. They wanted to see pretty people in expensive things—like Marlene Dietrich in a baguette-cut diamond and cabochon emerald Trabert & Hoeffer-Mauboussin strap bracelet in the 1936 comedy Desire. “It was well known…

What’s trending and who’s advertising in the June issues InStyle Pushing:• Checkerboard-cut pink opal and rose gold necklace; pink opal and black onyx bead diamond ring (“Soft pink opals are the perfect neutral”)• Tangerine enamel and gold-plated cuff; orange and white marbleized plastic cocktail ring (“Orange really is the new black”) Advertisers:• Tiffany & Co.,…

Levinson Jewelers’ online strategy is as seductive as the merchandise Robin and Mark Levinson, the husband-and-wife co-owners of Levinson Jewelers in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., aren’t convinced that selling high-ticket jewelry items online is the future. But they were forward-thinking enough to jump on the ­e-commerce train early on, and now host one of the most…

40 Waltham St., Boston Home to artists and restaurateurs alike, the SoWa (South of Washington) district of Boston’s South End has transformed from an area once known for mills and warehouses to a mecca of modern creativity, attracting small businesses and their customers for the past decade. One such addition to this thriving neighborhood: M.…

Matt surprised (and delighted) his parents by joining their four-decade-old family business Matt Gilmore has vivid childhood memories of watching his dad, Pat, get spruced up for work in the family store, Dunbar Jewelers. “I always liked seeing my dad put on a suit every morning,” he recalls. “It made it seem like going to…

it all boils down to helping your audience stay informed.

10 ways to make your marketing emails more readable They say the biggest challenge of email marketing is getting your emails opened. But it doesn’t end there. Emails will work only if the recipients actually read them. So how do you hold their attention? Follow these 10 tips for crafting emails that will captivate your…

For this Ontario jeweler, success is working hard and living your dream 1. What’s your most memorable sale? A few weeks ago a customer came in and wanted to redesign two rings. She had a 2 carat ruby and a 0.69 carat ­princess-cut diamond set into rings that didn’t show them off well. I sat…

These next-generation tools make creating a jazzy online video a snap: Above:1. Animoto: This creator lets users blend still photos, film footage, animated titles, and music. (animoto.com)   2. GoAnimate: Are repairs your specialty? Make a funny animated clip about your fix-it savvy. No filming required! (goanimate.com) 3. Stupeflix: With 16 premade themes, creating videos…

there’s one medium that’s still (somewhat) up for grabs on the internet: video.

JCK Las Vegas is a time for meeting, greeting, and, often, tweeting. Here’s some of the best 140-character ­wisdom to emerge from Sin City: 1. Andrea Hill (@andreahill): Why can’t I go to Las Vegas without thinking of Stephen King’s “The Stand?” I shouldn’t have read it so many times 2. Luxury Brand Group (@LuxuryBrandPR):…

I’m writing this month’s letter from my New York City office, having just hit the point of feeling fully recovered from the amazing eight-day marathon that is the annual LUXURY and JCK Las Vegas shows! As always, it was a week of meetings, parties, dinners, chance run-ins, and all-around celebration of the jewelry industry. This…

If you asked me to choose one word to sum up this year’s jewelry week in Las Vegas, that would be easy: technology. Whether it was wearable, like the smart jewelry we saw at the LUXURY show’s Shark Tank competition; experiential, like the virtual reality tour of the Diavik diamond mine that Rio Tinto offered…

1. Trends Subtle, understated ­jewels were the standouts in ­collections unveiled at the 2014 Las Vegas shows. The lean geometry of Jane Taylor’s metal ­silhouettes and baguette gemstone cuts resonated with fans of restrained design, while classic yellow gold pieces at Rina Limor and ARA Collection proved the eternal appeal of pure, unadorned metal. Also…