We’ve talked—all year long, it seems—about how the current climate has required retailers to modernize their businesses in a hurry. And those who specialize in the antique jewelry market have been no exception.

The industry’s leading international auction houses have staged an infinite number of online-only sales throughout 2020 to great effect, and savvy dealers have adjusted their digital presences accordingly. New York City’s Macklowe Gallery recently redesigned and relaunched its website to better showcase the breadth of its inventory in a tasteful, educational, and aesthetically compelling way, while leaning into a strong e-commerce platform that’s also fully shoppable on mobile.

“We are more committed than ever to bringing an innovative approach to collecting,” president Ben Macklowe said on the occasion of the website’s relaunch. “We know that reaching a new global audience will help cement the gallery’s position as the premiere destination for 20th century decorative arts.”

The new site includes an educational section, From Our Study​, that will serve as the digital arm of Macklowe Gallery’s own private study room at 445 Park Avenue. This academic component is meant to encourage the educational growth of the next generation of collectors.

There is also a section dedicated to new web-exclusive acquisitions. Each piece is presented with curator’s notes that take curious minds and serious buyers alike on a storytelling journey, equal parts specs, romance, and historical context.

Jewelry-wise, the next batch of new arrivals is set to drop this Thursday, and a special preview of the goods on offer is presented below.

“Typically, whenever we find a piece that we like, we focus on the wearability, the collectibility, and the unique beauty or stories behind it,” says Carol Federer, Macklowe Gallery’s jewelry director. “We also like to showcase a range of jewelry at the gallery, so our assortment generally spans across multiple eras and periods, as well as multiple price points as we continue to expand on our current offerings.”

As the pieces above (and up top) illustrate, “we’ve noticed that our clients are leaning more toward gold jewelry—something they can wear every day as they work from home,” says Federer. “That being said, as the holidays are upon us, I think women are eager for an excuse to get dressed up, whether or not it’s just for their immediate family or for Zoom. Rings have been especially popular, and we’re starting to see a resurgence of interest in color. I think people are paying more attention to colored pieces in order to spark joy and brighten up the dark days we’re all experiencing, and I expect that to continue through the spring of this upcoming year.”

Top: Van Cleef & Arpels gold and diamond pendant necklace, $65,000. From Macklowe Gallery’s notes: “The dynamic geometric motifs are creatively extended and completed by the draping, flexible swags of trace-link chains, while the smooth, polished gold is counterbalanced by a few contrasting lines of brilliant-cut diamonds. The removable pendant and ability to convert into long and short options make this piece the ideal for everyday wear.”

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