JCK Jewelry Agenda: Week of Nov. 12

By Victoria Gomelsky | November 08, 2023

NYC Jewelry Week is on! The annual festival offers a hybrid model of in-person and online events, with over 100 panels, exhibitions, tours, talks, and shopping experiences featuring emerging designers, veterans of the industry, and everyone in between. We’ve highlighted a handful of in-person events for each day of the week, but consult the schedule to see all the other activities we didn’t have space to mention.

Monday, Nov. 13

10 a.m. — NYCJW23 Breakfast (The Store at MAD)

The Store at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) hosts the kickoff event for Jewelry Week. Enjoy pastries while exploring the inspiring jewelry pieces in the shop.

11 a.m. — “What Makes a Jewelry Icon” Panel (MAD)

This discussion at the Museum of Arts and Design will be led by Stellene Volandes, editor-in-chief of Town & Country, and feature insights from jewelers Solange Azagury-Partridge and Briony Raymond and stylist and editor Malaika Crawford.

11 a.m. — “Invisible Thread” Opening Reception (The Jewelry Library)

“Invisible Thread” is an exhibition of works by three artists—Mari Ishikawa, Mikiko Minewaki, and Sayumi Yokouchi—based on senryu, a form of Japanese poetry. At the opening reception, Yokouchi will give a gallery talk about the connection between the language of poetry and the language of jewelry. All works on exhibit will be available for purchase.

5 p.m. — Space 85 Reception for “Quiet Luxury” (downtown)

On Monday from 5 to 9 p.m., the jewelry collective Space 85 fetes the opening of its “Quiet Luxury” pop-up, which will be open Monday (3–9 p.m.) and Tuesday (11 a.m.–7 p.m.) at 247a Elizabeth St. in the Nolita neighborhood.

5:30 p.m. — Helen Britton Talk and Exhibition (Pratt Library)

Helen Britton, the Australia-born, Munich-based art jeweler, talks about “Stories From Elsewhere,” seven vignettes taken from the past 30 years of her work, that will be on display at the Pratt Library in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

Tuesday, Nov. 14

11 a.m. — Panel With Indigenous Jewelry Designers (MAD)

Christian Allaire, an Ojibwe fashion writer for Vogue, will moderate a discussion titled “Upholding Traditions: A Conversation With Indigenous Jewelers.” The panelists—including Tania Larsson (Gwich’in), Jennifer Younger (Tlingit), Jeremy Arviso (Diné/Hopi/Gila River Pima/Tohono O’odham), Nanibaa Beck (Dine), and Tiffany Vanderhoop (Haida/Aquinnah Wampanoag)—create a variety of jewels, from beadwork to copper pieces.

4 p.m. — Talk by Authors of Book on RBG’s Collars (MAD)

Join writer Sara Bader and photographer Elinor Carucci as they explore the significance of the 25 collars worn by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg throughout her remarkable career on the Supreme Court—which they profile in their new book, The Collars of RBG: A Portrait of Justice.

5:30 p.m. — Women in Jewelry Who Rock (The Jewelry Library)

In the Great Room at the Jewelry Library, where inspiration and knowledge intertwine, trailblazers, visionaries, and change-makers will gather for a celebration of women in the industry. Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez and Alice Prenat, authors of Women in Jewelry Who Rock: A Portrait Series, will share their journey and the inspiration behind the book.

6 p.m. — Angely Martinez Exhibition (Le 7)

Emerging designer Angely Martinez, who has been named a recipient of the NYC Jewelry Week Exhibition Award, is the focus of an exhibition and sales event at Le 7 venue in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The event, sponsored by David Yurman, celebrates her five years of design, including a new capsule of gold rings.

Wednesday, Nov. 15

3 p.m. — Panel on Jewelry and the UN Sustainability Goals (Peruvian Consulate)

Hosted by Reciprocity with the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference and the UN Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network, a discussion of “Jewelry With Purpose: Aligning the Sparkle With Sustainable Development,” moderated by NYCJW cofounder JB Jones, will tackle how the jewelry industry can advance the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

4:30 p.m. — “Responsible Artisanal Mining of Gold and Gemstones: A Way Forward” (Peruvian Consulate)

This panel highlighting sustainable production practices in Peru will feature representatives from Reciprocity, Anza Gems, Pure Earth, and Brilliant Earth and be moderated by social impact and sustainability expert Rebecca Villalobos.

7:30 p.m. — Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Medusa (92nd Street Y)

Jewelry author and historian Marion Fasel leads a talk at the 92nd Street Y about the Medusa pendant from Louis Comfort Tiffany’s first jewelry collection, designed during the early years of the 20th century.

Thursday, Nov. 16

1 p.m. — “Estate Secrets” Talk With Amy Elliott (Metropolitan Pavilion)

Join Amy Elliott, contributing editor for JCK, for a discussion with experts on vintage and antique jeweler: Sandy Jacobs, Ismael Khan of Ishy Antiques, and Grace Lavarro of Jewels by Grace, all exhibitors in the inaugural NYC Autumn Jewelry & Object Show, which opens this day at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Pavilion.

2 p.m. — “How to Wear It and When to Sell It” (Heritage Auctions)

Jessica DuBroc and Vera Prather, New York jewelry directors at Heritage Auctions, conduct an educational session on the consignment process for those interested in selling their collections, with a discussion of the current market and advice on the best time to part with those treasures.

5 p.m. — The RealReal x Presley Oldham (SoHo)

Preview the RealReal’s second collaboration with Presley Oldham, known for his bespoke, genderless designs. Using materials from the RealReal that were unfit for sale, Oldham created his take on iconic jewelry styles such as the station necklace and gradated pearl strand. The collection is launching just in time for the holiday season, and is shoppable at the RealReal SoHo’s store during Jewelry Week.

5 p.m. — SoHo to Nolita Jewelry Walk

On a 1.2-mile leisurely stroll through the SoHo and Nolita neighborhoods, discover a curated selection of stores and exhibition pop-ups showcasing a diverse range of jewelry, and meet the artists, gallerists, and shopkeepers behind them.

Friday, Nov. 17

9 a.m. — “How Precious UA”: Coffee With Victoria Gomelsky (Mriya Gallery)

The Strong & Precious Art Foundation, dedicated to showcasing the craftsmanship of contemporary Ukrainian jewelers, will introduce “How Precious UA,” an exhibition at the Mriya Gallery in Tribeca featuring six unique jewels by Ukrainian designers. JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky will lead a conversation with Olga Oleksenko, the organization’s founder.

4 p.m. — West Village to Meatpacking Jewelry Walk

Take a mile-long jaunt through the West Village and the Meatpacking District, known for charming cobblestone streets and historic architecture, as you visit a curated series of boutiques offering contemporary, classic, designer, and vintage jewelry.

6 p.m. — “How Precious UA”: Cocktails With Melanie Grant (Mriya Gallery)

Jewelry writer Melanie Grant will lead a second event at “How Precious UA,” the exhibition (see 9 a.m., above) in Tribeca that offers a look at how Ukraine’s traditional jewelry heritage is reimagined through innovative, modern designs.

6 p.m. — “Hidden Treasures” Workshop (Gowanus Gallery by Larisa)

This creative workshop in Gowanus, Brooklyn, celebrates identity and history through storytelling and items of adornment, with guest Kassandra Lauren Gordon, whose jewelry designs communicate the layered influences of British Jamaicans, from the beauty and diversity of braiding and hair styling to traces of imperialism and the intersectionality of spaces.

Saturday, Nov. 18

10:30 a.m. — Museum Highlights: An Introduction to the Met Collection

Join NYCJW for a curated tour of jewelry, metalwork, and adornments within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Discover works of art that highlight the diversity and breadth of the museum’s collection, which spans more than 5,000 years.

3 p.m. — Ariana Embirikos (Brooklyn)

Meet emerging jewelry designer Ariana Embirikos at Fitzgerald Jewelry, 243 Grand St. in Williamsburg, where she’ll present her new Why So Spicy? collection.

5 p.m. — Diasporan Voyage (Brooklyn)

Meet Brooklyn creatives Nilea Alexander and Cheena Mitchell at Marché Rue Dix, 1453 Bedford Ave. in Crown Heights, and explore their new collaborative collection, which pays homage to the rich and diverse culture of Africa, with a specific focus on West and North Africa.

Top: Jewelry by Luz Arias and David Michael Jewels, retailer: Specific Gravity, photograph by Alain Simic; all photos courtesy of NYC Jewelry Week