If the slew of jewelry boutique and showroom openings in Manhattan this season is any indication, the Big Apple has fully recovered from its pandemic-era malaise and is 100% back as a high-end jewelry retail destination.
There’s no way passersby can miss the new John Hardy boutique at Rockefeller Center, the brand’s second retail location in the city. A concept shop, the space, which houses the latest John Hardy collection as well as a curated assortment of the top-selling designs from the full men’s and women’s offerings, is located steps away from where the world-famous Christmas tree is due to be lit up on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.
Besides its central location, the other can’t-miss element of the boutique is the massive Spear Cuff installation in the window. Designed by creative director Reed Krakoff, the style is the brand’s best-selling design since John Hardy founded the company in 1975. The store also features the complete assortment of John Hardy’s new holiday launch, the 12-piece Black Sand collection set with black and white diamonds in sterling silver.
Farther uptown, at 777 Madison Ave., FoundRae founder and creative director Beth Hutchens has opened a boutique that embodies her love of symbols and moody, vintage interiors.
“Before I ever set foot in the space, I had a feeling it would be FoundRae’s newest home, because of its auspicious address: 777,” Hutchens said in a statement. “Seven is my favorite number and has often appeared in my life as a sign that I’m on the right path.”
The jewel box of a store is painted a vibrant red, inspired by the legendary Diana Vreeland’s iconic Park Avenue apartment, located just a few blocks away. Walnut wood paneling, camel leather, and walls lined with bookcases showcasing vintage books and objects add to the groovy vibe. The decor is designed to draw attention to Hutchens’ coveted jewels, including solid gold chains in a variety of lengths, links, and weights hanging on wooden crescents and weighty gold medallions heavy with symbolism. Look up to the ceiling to find the brand’s 10 Tenets, a visual map of the FoundRae ideology.
Also on Madison Avenue, in a second-floor space hidden from street view, is Sophie Bille Brahe’s new showroom. Based in Copenhagen, the Danish jeweler searched for the right location for three years and, despite some pushback from people who questioned her decision to be off the street, she persisted. “You make an effort and then you will be welcomed,” she says of the new salon.
The Brazilian jeweler Fernando Jorge, who is based in London, took the same approach to his new by-appointment showroom, on 11th Avenue.
“The space in New York is coming to life as an organic development,” Jorge tells JCK. “We already have a strong client base here due to our wholesale presence and years of coming to trunk shows. My experience with our London showroom has also encouraged me to make this move. Our space in London has brought us so much closer to our clients and changed the way we interact. It was just a matter of finding the right space and time to do something equivalent in New York.”
Top: A window into John Hardy’s new concept store at Rockefeller Center in New York City (photo courtesy of Rockefeller Center)
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