There’s never a dull moment in the jewelry industry. So when we sat down to think about the 24 most dazzling jewelry-related events, collaborations, products, people, collections, and trends from 2024, trust us: We had trouble paring down the list. All week we’ve been revealing five things a day, so today brings No. 24 through No. 5. We’ll publish the full list on Monday!
24. EmRata’s Alison Lou–designed divorce ring
We love a self-purchase, and we love a custom design; with her “divorce rings,” Emily Ratajkowski did both, and might even have created a new jewelry category. After her split, the model-actor went back to Alison Lou founder Alison Chemla, who’d designed Ratajkowski’s two-stone wedding ring—featuring a princess-cut and angled pear-shape diamond—and had her create two separate rings: a pinky ring with the pear-shape, and a three-stone ring, adding trapezoids on both sides of the princess. As Chemla told Only Natural Diamonds, “Take back your power and wear it.” —Melissa Rose Bernardo
23. Roberto Coin’s epic masquerade ball
In late October, JCK snagged an invite to a party in Venice, Italy, hosted by Roberto Coin, the Venice-born Italian jeweler whose namesake brand has introduced thousands of Americans to the beauty and craftsmanship of jewels made in Italy. But this wasn’t just any party; it was Il Ballo del Doge, a masquerade ball that’s an annual Venetian Carnival tradition, taken to a lavish extreme. Guests who attended the over-the-top affair—mostly editors from a host of fashion and lifestyle publications—were outfitted in 17th- and 18th-century period costumes and enjoyed an extravagant banquet and performance in a palazzo on the Grand Canal. Beyond showing off his Venetian bona fides, Coin said he wanted to remind his guests that the company he founded in 1977 remains independent and is still going strong, given the announcement in May that Watches of Switzerland Group paid $130 million to acquire Roberto Coin Inc., the entity holding distribution rights for the jewelry brand in the United States, Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean. Peter Webster, a longtime friend and business associate of Coin’s, has managed the U.S. business for 28 years, and he remains president. —Victoria Gomelsky
22. Tiffany & Co.’s Bird on a Rock feathered friends
Unless you’ve been living under, ahem, a rock, you know the Bird on a Rock, aka Hollywood’s go-to brooch. Created in 1965, the Schlumberger-designed diamond bird, perched atop a massive gem, recently expanded into pendants, necklaces, and rings. Finally, with its Blue Book 2024 Céleste collection, Tiffany & Co. spread its wings and gave the Bird a few feathered friends: the Owl on a Rock, the Phoenix, the Peacock, and the Unicorn. Rare birds indeed! —MRB
21. The jewelry cameos on FX’s Feud: Capote vs. the Swans
Even if you’d never heard of Babe Paley, Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest, or the other glamorous women among Truman Capote’s “Swans”—the New York socialites with whom the author drank, gossiped, and lunched at La Côte Basque—it was impossible to ignore the sparkle and splendor of Ryan Murphy’s miniseries about them, courtesy of 85-year-old New York brand Verdura. (Fitting, as the real Swans were Verdura’s clients back in the day.) “Verdura’s jewelry, like Capote’s Swans,” CEO Ward Landrigan told JCK, “was eye-catching but not too obvious—stylish but never trendy.” —MRB
20. Mikimoto x Chrome Hearts
On paper, it looks like the year’s most improbable style collab: The 131-year-old heritage company that created the first cultured pearl teaming with a 36-year-old Hollywood-based, ultraluxe biker-chic brand that makes everything from furniture to leather goods. But Mikimoto crossing its classic pearl designs with Chrome Hearts—whose fans have ranged from Lou Reed and Cher to Zoë Kravitz and Billie Eilish—ended up producing the rock-star pearl collection we never knew we needed. —MRB
19. Sylvain Berneron’s “audacious” Mirage timepiece, an icon of the shaped watch renaissance
When Sylvain Berneron, a French industrial designer based in the Swiss city of Neuchâtel was designing his eponymous brand’s first timepiece, he named it the Mirage because the 18k gold model—a roundish watch with an unusual misshapen silhouette—seemed so unlikely to get made. Berneron invested more than $800,000 of his own money to produce the wristwatch. He introduced the 38 mm piece a year ago, and collectors went mad for it. Not only is the watch sold out until 2029, it earned the Audacity Prize at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in November, reflecting growing interest in shaped watches—a category denoting any watch that is not round. The key takeaway for retailers: After decades of dominance, basic round sport watches are giving way to pieces with a stronger sense of design, and instead of conformity, buyers are celebrating individuality. Hear, hear! —VG
18. Platinum jewelry—precious, rare, and an absolute steal compared with gold
At press time, the price of gold was around $2,630 per ounce, slightly down from its peak of $2,801 on Oct. 30. Platinum, on the other hand, was at $958. Compare that with 20 years ago, when gold cost roughly $400 an ounce and platinum about twice that. The disproportionate pricing has benefited gold’s precious white metal sibling. “I’ve started using platinum more frequently, as it’s now cheaper than gold,” Cora Sheibani, a London jeweler, told The New York Times. “Platinum is less malleable, allowing for finer settings and smaller links than gold. Its whiteness complements many colored stones, including those not traditionally set in platinum. This gives the designs a fresh look.” —VG
17. JCK interviews the president of Botswana at JCK Las Vegas
At the JCK show in Las Vegas, Botswana’s then president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, sat for an interview with JCK news director Rob Bates, the day after taking part in a fireside chat with JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky. Over the course of the interviews, he answered questions about Anglo American’s proposed sale of De Beers, the issue of lab-grown diamonds (“Like a wounded buffalo, you fight back”), how G7 sanctions targeting Russian diamonds will affect Botswana, and the prospects for a “Botswana brand” of diamonds. But his most prescient remarks came when he spoke about ongoing contract negotiations with De Beers. “Of course there were tensions,” Masisi said. “But we had to do it. I represent my people. We were not going to tolerate anything less than what we got. That is why I was willing to walk out. If we did that, our economy would go through a massive recession, and I would probably lose the election. But I would have saved my country, and I was confident that De Beers would not survive.” In hindsight, he was right about one of those things. On Nov. 1, Masisi conceded defeat after his party lost its parliamentary majority by a landslide. —VG
16. A busier-than-ever NYC Jewelry Week
Responsible Jewellery Council executive director Melanie Grant interviewing up-and-coming luxury designers Gwen Beloti, Symoné Currie, Bernard James, Jessenia Landrum, Rosario Navia, and Amina Sorel; “Musings on Maximalist Adornment” at the Museum of Arts and Design; designers Deirdre Featherstone, Vanessa Fernández, Peggy Grosz, and Tom Heyman talking colored stones at GIA; Space 85 designers Mejia Jewelry, Ruth Edelson, and more popping up in SoHo; Brazilian stones, jewels, and music at the International Gemological Institute (IGI)…these were just a few of the events on offer at NYC Jewelry Week in November. And there were so many more—in-person and virtual! We’re already eagerly awaiting next year’s edition. —MRB
15. Cuprian & Co.’s green paraiba collection
In the gemstone trade, the term paraiba is synonymous with an electric blue tourmaline often described as “Windex blue” for its color. Discovered in the Brazilian state of Paraíba in the late 1980s, and in Mozambique in the early 2000s, the copper-bearing tourmaline has become one of the industry’s most sought-after—and priciest—stones. Now, thanks to a new designer initiative from Cuprian & Co., a New Jersey–based gem company that owns a mining concession in Mozambique, copper-bearing tourmalines boasting a neon green hue are giving their blue siblings a run for their money. Just ask the 18 top-tier designers—including Alice Cicolini, Daniela Villegas, Harwell Godfrey, Lorraine West, Stephen Webster, and Vanessa Fernández—who each created one-of-a-kind capsule sets showcasing the gems. —VG
14. Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Jewelry Designer Award
Jewelry often gets short shrift from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, so the announcement of this award, spotlighting jewelry designers who promote inclusivity in the industry, was exciting. The finalists are currently working on a design challenge; the winner (who’ll be announced in January) will receive $50,000 and a one-year paid fellowship on the Tiffany in-house design team. —MRB
13. 1980s redux
We’re children of the 1980s, but we aren’t the only ones getting misty over the MTV and Madonna decade. Jewelry designers everywhere are tapping into the nostalgia factor: Sorellina with its award-winning Cassette Tape pendant (who else remembers mixtapes?); Nadine Ghosn with her Crayola cuffs; Robinson Pelham with its Stereo collection. Here’s to throwbacks making a comeback! —MRB
12. The growing ubiquity of retail bars and lounges
What if we told you that the hottest spot to enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills isn’t at a restaurant but at the Rolex boutique owned and operated by local retailer Gearys? The second floor of the new 6,200-square-foot store, which opened in early December, features a spectacular bar made of green marble as well as a spacious lounge area designed as “a tranquil setting for guests to learn more about the world of Rolex,” according to a press release. While the concept of retail stores designing more customer-friendly environments with casual seating areas isn’t new, the Crown’s newest retail gem makes clear that giving customers an opportunity to enjoy the brand in a carefully curated space, without feeling pressure to purchase, is one way to cultivate desire—and loyalty—for the long term. —VG
11. Style star Colman Domingo
If there was a red-carpet constant in 2024, it was Cynthia Erivo wearing green, Ariana Grande wearing pink, and Rustin star Colman Domingo wearing something amazing. Maybe a long jacket, sometimes a cape, always perfectly tailored, and the man loves his jewelry: Tiffany & Co., Cartier, David Yurman…you can count on multiple rings and bracelets, a watch, and a brooch if you’re lucky. With his movie Sing Sing getting awards buzz this season, we’re crossing our fingers for more dazzling Domingo appearances. —MRB
10. The buzz over bejeweled bees, butterflies, bugs, and birds
Winged creatures have always had their devotees. Think back to the Victorian period, when discoveries in etymology, botany, and other sciences inspired jewelers to create dragonflies and pansies that would endure. Figurative jewelry has blossomed in the 2020s—perhaps a vestige of the pandemic, which underscored humanity’s desire for a stronger connection with nature. What’s especially beguiling about jewels that render bees, birds, butterflies, and bugs in precious metals and stones is how well they showcase the jeweler’s craft. These really are wings of desire! —VG
9. The cover of JCK’s summer issue
Of course there’s no such thing as too much jewelry—just take a look at this cover. Our go-to stylist, Daniel Edley, put 15 pieces on our beautiful model Ange-Marie, and they complement one another wonderfully. Look at all that yellow gold! And we would never tell you that 57+ cts. (!) of diamonds is too much.
8. Piaget, looking marvelous in its 150th anniversary year
Rather than staging a big blowout party, Piaget honored its sesquicentennial this year with a series of product releases, each more spectacular than the last. With the debut of the Polo 79 in February, the brand revitalized its iconic Polo timepiece, the embodiment of 1980s glamour. At Watches and Wonders Geneva in April, it unveiled the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, a wisp of a watch that’s as technically impressive as it is elegant. Finally, in November, Piaget introduced the pièce de résistance, the Andy Warhol Clou de Paris, a white gold watch featuring a one-of-a-kind blue meteorite dial that nods to the brand’s signature use of ornamental stones and the model’s history as the “it” watch of the glitterati—including Warhol, who owned no fewer than seven Piagets. —VG
7. Elongated center stone engagement rings
We’ve been talking about elongated stones in engagement rings since June: At the JCK show, a JCK Talks panel of pros named it a 2024 wedding jewelry trend to watch, the diamond specialists at Rahaminov talked about the popularity of elongated and other fancy shapes, and contributing editor Brittany Siminitz singled out elongated center stones as one of her biggest post-Vegas trends. So we weren’t one bit surprised when actor-singer-producer Selena Gomez started flashing her new marquise engagement diamond ring from boyfriend Benny Blanco. Die-hard Selenators probably predicted the cut years ago; on her 2015 hit single “Good for You,” she sings, “I’m on my marquise diamonds/ I’m a marquise diamond.” Good for her! —MRB
6. Julia Chafé’s coverage of the Ambani wedding
Julia Hackman Chafé (@juliachafe), a social media influencer who works in her family’s colored gemstone business, made a name for herself (to those who didn’t already follow her) reporting on the Ambani wedding in July. During her six days in Mumbai—where she was a guest for the union of Anant Ambani, the younger son of India’s richest man, and Radhika Merchant, his longtime girlfriend—Chafé chronicled the spectacle of wealth and celebrity in her signature droll, deadpan style. Jewelry insiders couldn’t get enough, which helps explain why Chafé’s follower count skyrocketed in the days and weeks following the wedding. Current Instagram total: 814,000 and counting. —VG
5. Cynthia Erivo’s speech at the Gem Awards
At the 2024 Gem Awards in New York City in March, Cynthia Erivo, the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-, Grammy-, and Tony-winning actress currently starring in the movie Wicked, was honored with the award for jewelry style. It was easy to understand why. “From an early age, I watched my mother finish every outfit with a bold piece of jewelry almost as if it was a full stop,” Erivo said in her heartfelt acceptance speech. “The love of elevating what she wore with a beautiful necklace or a pretty pair of earrings always felt somewhat magical to me. I saw that, and bit by bit decided that the jewels I wear should be part of the whole sentence, not just the full stop.” Preach! —VG
Top: Julia Hackman Chafé at the Ambani wedding (photo courtesy of Julia Hackman Chafé)
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