Male and female shoppers alike are falling for the warm yellow metal. For proof, look no further than these glowy photos.    Photography by Kenneth Willardt  Styling by Solange Franklin / Jewelry direction by Randi Molofsky Indorussian pavé hoop earrings in 18k yellow gold with 1.6 cts. t.w. diamonds, $4,800, Sanjay Kasliwal, 212-988-1511, sanjaykasliwal.com; choker in 14k gold with diamonds,…

When it comes to precious metals, gold is king. It’s not for nothing that the word is shorthand for top of the tops: gold standard, go for the gold, heart of gold, and so on. Many jewelry designers, including the ones here, begin with silver but eventually build their way up to gold. “It’s so…

1 / Generation Next We’re living in a millennial world. But how long until the following generation takes hold? America’s newest demographic, Gen Z, comes with its own set of peculiarities—and challenges. Although these youngsters—the oldest of the bunch are just 21—may not have spending power quite yet, they’re already wielding influence in the marketplace.…

Boost your business, spruce up your store, and even stock the supply closet with these 25 store-centric holiday gifts. Sure, you want customers to fill your store during the holiday season and buy, buy, buy. But let’s not forget that as a retailer, you too deserve a few nice holiday gifts. And while another pair…

Today, the best service experience anywhere becomes the expectation everywhere. Providing a superior customer experience is no longer optional; it’s obligatory.   When consumers can buy any product at any time—from a multitude of competing retailers—it’s the buying experience that separates the leaders from the rest of the retail pack. The ability to earn and…

COLORED STONES #TourmalineTuesday went to a new level on Aug. 8, when the American Gem Trade Association revealed the winners of its Spectrum Awards. This year’s Best of Show: a pair of 53.56 cts. t.w. ­neon-blue tourmalines by ­Mikola Kukharuk of ­Nomad’s. Blue was all over the annual colored-gem contest: Bright zircons, royal sapphires, rich…

We’re not psychics. But after reading “8 Hot Topics for 2018,” you might wonder where we get our intel. It’s not that the eight buzzworthy issues and trends we’ve noted as conversation starters in the upcoming year are shockingly new: Beads, for one, go back to the ancients. It’s that the jewelry and watch market is…

What JCK magazine’s Melissa Rose Bernardo is loving this month   “Whether you want to save or splurge, these earthy, organic jewels are sure-fire holiday hits.” —Melissa Rose Bernardo, JCK managing editor (Above) Mikado Flamenco bracelet with ocean jasper in 18k rose gold; $33,130; Tamara Comolli; ls@tamaracomolli.com; tamaracomolli.com Alteration ring with 7 cts. t.w. clear…

Happy holidays! Here’s hoping your holiday selling has begun in earnest and things are going well! Despite the craziness of these past few months in the nation and the world, the economy seems to be chugging along. Most surveys show jewelry retailers are bullish heading into the holidays, so fingers crossed for a fantastic season. Speaking…

On Sept. 14, Women’s Jewelry Association chapters across the country staged a networking bonanza during the fifth annual Jewelry Night Out   (Above) In Denver, Facets Jewelry Consulting’s Nan Palmer (president of WJA Colorado), Abby Sparks of Abby Sparks Fine Jewelry, and Metamark’s Samantha Larkins   Line + Hue designer Nicki Gluckman and Luxury Brand…

Guests filing into the spring Calvin Klein show this year were treated to another overhead installation by artist Sterling Ruby—but this time, there were actual axes dangling from the ceiling. For the front-row guests ­teetering to their seats in vertiginous heels, it was unsettling. But also intriguing. And that was precisely the point. Heeere’s Johnny!…

Suzanne Miglucci ­became president and CEO of moissanite manufacturer and marketer Charles & Colvard in November 2015. She tells JCK why the North Carolina–based company has staked its future on ­millennials. How do lab-grown diamonds affect your business? It helps to have lab-created diamond companies talking about the value of lab-created diamonds. Five years ago…

North Carolina’s bustling Research Triangle region is jammed with fantastic jewelry stores. But for brides and grooms in the market for a well-curated selection of unique rings, Joint Venture Jewelry in Cary, N.C., has become something of a mecca. The family-owned consignment store, which Donna and Lee Hankin founded in 1998, is stocked with 30…

1807 Ninth Ave. N., Nashville, Tenn. A 26-year-old jewelry designer takes a chance on Nashville’s growing fashion scene to open her own showroom   Eight years ago, Emily Eggebrecht moved from St. Louis to Nashville to pursue a career in music, an all too familiar story—but one with a different happy ending. During her senior…

These gem-encrusted contemporary twists on the portable picture holder are part charm, part statement. You’re bound to become attached!   (Above) Padlock necklace in 18k yellow gold with multicolored sapphires; $23,500; Polly Wales; 646-745-6831; pollywales.com   Quinn blue sapphire locket in 14k recycled yellow gold; $2,560; Ila; 713-780-2828; ilacollection.com Diamond padlock in sterling silver and 18k…

Nicole Kidman Always a knockout on the red carpet, Kidman certainly didn’t disappoint at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards. For Big Little Lies’ big night, the series’ star—and best actress winner—stunned in a silk halter-style Calvin Klein by Appointment gown with a fitted bodice and flared tea-length skirt. (Not pictured: her playful pink crystal-studded strappy…

If you know the X ring, you know Eva Fehren. The oft-­imitated design was (and still is) at the forefront of the minimalist, geometric fine jewelry trend, where Fehren’s styles reign supreme. A few years ago, the brand moved into bridal with Eva Fehren White, a collection of edgy alternative engagement and wedding rings. The…

The Georgian-era fashion trend of women adorning themselves with fresh flowers was the inspiration for this wildly romantic convertible necklace by Simone Jewels. The deep-blue tanzanite heart—which doubles as the front of a locket—also detaches to become a brooch and pendant. Designer Simone Ng says she’s thrilled that its wearer “can enjoy the exposed back…

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION Talking Story In November 2013, Timeless Fine Jewelry’s Jackie Cohen adopted a baby girl, just eight days after connecting with the birth mother. In search of a piece to commemorate her long journey to motherhood, the New York City–based jeweler created a 14k yellow gold ring set with a baguette-cut citrine and named…

BACK TO BASICS Royal Treatment Third-generation jewelry manufacturer and distributor Royal Chain is celebrating a very special birthday next year: the big 4-0. While the company plans to release new designs in time for JCK Las Vegas 2018, for now, it’s focusing on going back to basics—and that means gold, gold, and more gold. “Consumers…

Famed for its architecture, its Carnival celebrations, and the powerful Venetian republic that ruled its namesake city between the seventh and 18th centuries, the Italian region of Veneto boasts yet another distinction: Italy’s largest concentration of high-end gold jewelry manufacturers. Owing to its location at the nexus of the region, the January VicenzaOro show, taking…

Retailers and exhibitors were in a Sunshine State of mind at the October JIS show in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.   For its annual October show—which is always held in Miami—JIS successfully made lemonade out of a heap of lemons. Mere weeks before the Oct. 8–11 show, organizers heard from the just-renovated Miami Beach Convention Center…

As custom jewelry becomes more and more popular, smart retailers are expanding their client base beyond their geographical region by connecting with consumers over video—with Skype leading the charge. Paul Bierker, a custom jewelry designer based in Lawrenceville, Pa., uses Skype (along with mobile video chat apps) to connect with clients in more than 20…

WHO, WHAT, WEARABLE Kronaby Apex Swedish wearable brand Kronaby’s first-ever collection is composed of four men’s smartwatch styles that pair the handsome hallmarks of a luxury analog timepiece with of-the-moment wearable technology. The Apex, arguably the most casual of the four models, is loaded with useful tools that jibe with what Kronaby calls “human technology”…

Marisa Berenson—dubbed “the girl of the ’70s” by Yves Saint Laurent—proves that yellow gold never goes out of style   Can there be a more glamorous time for fashion and jewelry than the late ’60s/early ’70s? Fashion was subversive, skintight, and bursting with exotic flourishes like turbans, colorful maquillage, and piles of yellow gold. In…