3406 Rosedale Ave., Dallas Tucked between trendy fitness studios and chic clothing boutiques lies Designer Jewelry Atelier, an unassuming Dallas storefront filled with jewelry that’s anything but ordinary. The store itself would make a great place for quiet repose: There’s soft light, courtesy of a twinkling antique chandelier; raw wood tables flanked by Moroccan-inspired mirrors…

Sold for $580,182 “Natural pearls are extremely rare nowadays,” says Chiang Shiu Fung, associate vice president and specialist at Christie’s Hong Kong jewelry department. Add Colombian emerald beads and this 12-strand necklace is rarer still. But the clincher—and the detail that hints at its Indian origins, to which Chiang attributes the jewel’s “Old World charm”—is a pendant of…

Mobile apps—all the cool kids use ’em. These four app builders can help you get in the game. “There’s an app for that,” the snappy slogan that Apple debuted in 2009 iPhone ads, turned out to be eerily prophetic. Demand for smartphone and tablet-based apps is at an all-time high, spurring developers to build more…

Expand and deliver: JCK’s customer value is growing This month’s LUXURY and JIS shows in Miami, opening Oct. 14 and Oct. 15, respectively, are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to jewelry events. Reed Jewelry Group senior vice president Yancy Weinrich gives us the lowdown on JCK’s coming attractions. —Victoria Gomelsky JCK: What…

The jewelry trade gathers in Mumbai for an upbeat week of shows In August, the Indian jewelry trade gathered in Mumbai for two events sponsored by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC): India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) and the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS). IIJW, in its sixth year, showcased the work of…

All eyes are on JIS Miami Oct. 15–18 In 1979, a group of five business partners led by Michael Breslow founded Jewelers International Showcase, or JIS, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, a regional show catering to Florida retailers and, eventually,their counterparts in the Caribbean and Latin America. Since then, the thrice-yearly event has grown…

Crop it like it’s hot: Here’s how to make the skin-baring style look sassy—not trashy How do you make a tweed suit hip? Cap sleeves and an ever-so-slightly cropped top, as evidenced by the raw-edged two-piece Proenza Schouler number that reigning indie screen queen Greta Gerwig rocked at the Los Angeles premiere of her latest…

Move over, Marsala. The shade’s sweeter sisters—red, pink, and particularly purple—have stepped into the spotlight. In the fall collections, Anna Sui presented plenty of plum in her rich-hippie designs, and Erdem showed shimmery magenta jacquards. Meanwhile, Beyoncé just covered September’s Vogue in a lacy lilac Marc Jacobs creation. Fortunately, there’s no lack of crossover with…

As a retailer, there are more ways than ever to get the word out about your company. There’s digital and print advertising, social media campaigns—both paid and unpaid—direct mailing initiatives, TV, radio, and even billboard placements. But the plethora of options can leave small-business owners feeling confused about where (and how) to get the most…

By Daniel P. Smith Consider Harris Botnick ready. The owner of Worthmore Jewelers, a two-store, Atlanta-based operation, welcomes the chaos that consumes his stores each December, his busiest month of the year.  “People are in buying mode during the holidays, so you’re not trying to convince them to spend,” says Botnick, who runs Worthmore with…

This 18k yellow gold and 58.25 ct. Australian Lightning Ridge opal cuff would certainly appeal to the stylish jewelry shopper. Margot McKinney, $65,000, margotmckinney.com 1. Consumers How many customers shop Signet’s stores? Millions, though according to CEO Mark Light, you could also say: “Five.” America’s largest jeweler commissioned a study of its customers and found they are largely differentiated by attitude rather than by age or income.…

Despite the volatility of the stock market, the growth outlook in the U.S. economy remains favorable. But if the volatility continues into next month, holiday jewelry sales are expected to take a hit, especially in the mid to upper range. Dealers are also watching the Chinese market. That economy’s slowdown has so far resulted in…

Jesper Nielsen is the founder of Endless Jewelry and previously headed Pandora’s Central and Western Europe division. Here, he talks with JCK about his brand and the larger “affordable luxury” trend. —RB JCK: You just opened a stand-alone store in Estonia. Do you plan any in the United States? Nielsen: Within the next 12 months,…

In June, a young industry member was taking a cigarette break outside the Jewelers for Children (JFC) dinner at JCK Las Vegas. She met another smoker who described himself as “from De Beers.” The woman, according to an anecdote posted on Facebook by industry writer Peggy Jo Donahue, proceeded to criticize his company for cutting…

In August, I attended the opening of A. Lange & Söhne’s sleek new watch factory in Glashu?tte, a village in the heart of Germany’s Saxony region. I didn’t want to schlep all the way from Los Angeles to Europe for a mere two days, so I decided to turn the factory visit into a 10-day…

Due to the early closing schedules of magazines, I’m actually writing this issue’s letter having just returned from my one-week summer vacation. My husband, Eric, and I, along with our 9-month-old son, Nolen, rented a house in the Indian Cove neighborhood of Guilford, Conn. It was a fantastic week spent watching the tide roll in…

“I adore modern uses of pearls—particularly with colored gemstones.” —Senior editor Jennifer Heebner          Imperial is nailing fresh design with this sweet crescent style featuring freshwaters, amethysts, and a hint of diamonds. (Imperial, $875, imperialpearl.com) All of my favorite happy hues are accounted for in these chic front-to-backs with golden pearls and…

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION The Spirit of Aloha Vicente Agor’s new Hokule‘a collection nods to the history of the first Hawaiians—Polynesians sailing to the islands from Tahiti some 2,000 years ago. Hokule‘a is a 30-SKU line of 18k gold and silver styles with sea and sun themes featuring gems like sapphires and diamonds. (The cornerstone piece is…

Among birders, bullfinches are distinguished by their front-heavy, bullheaded form. But there’s nothing blunt about Ichien Ballaga’s jeweled rendition of a pair of bullfinches about to take flight. The founder of Moscow-based Ichien infused an uncommon airiness into a piece that boasts a lot of volume. But then a certain grace was baked into the…

On gemstones, Rolling Stones & “neck game” We’re not exaggerating when we say we could’ve spent a whole day during Vegas jewelry week at Jane Taylor’s booth. We tried on rings, bracelets, earrings…each piece a kaleidoscope of colors. And if you think her work is fabulous, wait till you meet Taylor—or “J.T.,” as her daughter/partner-in-crime Cleo Zancope…

Behind the scenes with the women who are bringing baguettes back in a big way Suzanne Kalan has always been enamored of baguettes—those slim, rectangular cuts of gems often lined up like soldiers, in perfect uniformity. But the designer longed to liberate them from their relentlessly organized settings. Kalan saw those rows as sets of…

Elle Pushing: • Stainless steel watch with army-green leather strap; red porcelain rose and gunmetal pendant necklace (“New Romantics”) • White gold watch with crystal and navy alligator strap; white gold watch with diamond bezel and blue alligator strap (“L’Heure Bleue: All the stars align in these celestial-inspired beauties”) Advertisers: Dior, David Yurman, Omega, Phillip Gavriel, Simon…

Troy Thollot Thollot Diamonds & Fine Jewelry Thornton, Colo. 1. When you walk through your door, what do you like most about your store? It’s silly, but my first thought is I’m so happy it’s ours. We recently bought the building, which used to be a bank. We started in 1993 as a repair bench…

Jewelry designer Barbara Campbell’s intimate boutique, Barbara Campbell NYC—tucked away in Brooklyn, N.Y.’s up-and-coming Crown Heights neighborhood—is less a traditional jewelry store than a showcase for the designer’s unstoppable creative output. Yes, the shop spotlights Campbell’s cool, accessible jewelry collection—which is handmade inside the hybrid boutique-workshop. But her line of buttery leather handbags and urban-chic…

Model Chelsea Elisha spent most of this issue’s cover shoot sprawled on a piece of foam on the floor, angling herself for the camera. A good sport, she exuded a laid-back yet luxurious vibe perfect for the pearl and diamond pieces we adorned her in. Incidentally, Elisha and her boyfriend got engaged the week before…

Where to eat, drink, and blow off steam between all the jewelry-buying at October’s LUXURY and JIS shows So you’re planning six gorgeous days in Miami for the inaugural JCK LUXURY Miami show—Oct. 14–16 (the first day is invite-only, the last two are open to all registered buyers)—which conveniently overlaps with the always-anticipated JIS Miami show,…