Since it was first held, in 1992 at the Sands Expo (now the Venetian Expo) in Las Vegas, the JCK show has been an essential meeting place for buyers and sellers of fine jewelry—so essential that for many, if not most, attendees, it’s an unmissable ritual that marks the passing of another year.
The 2024 edition, which runs May 31–June 3, will abound with events and activations themed around love, a sentiment that makes the jewelry industry go round. “It’s such a perfect theme for our industry in so many different ways,” says Sarin Bachmann, group vice president of the jewelry portfolio at RX, the show organizer.
“We emphasize the theme through different elements of the show,” she explains. “We’ll have the ‘Love the Earth’ lounge, we have a puppy love activation, we have our pride lounge, the ‘Love Is Love’ lounge. We’re going to have a love locks fence, where everybody puts their love locks, and they’ll be engraved. I’m not going to give away all the surprises, but there’ll be another fun love moment at registration as well.”
Below, Bachmann highlights various noteworthy changes and innovations for JCK 2024 that promise to make the show unforgettable.
Relocated pavilions
The Hong Kong pavilion will now be located in rooms on Level 1 and will open on Thursday, a day before the main show floor opens (the Gems pavilion, which includes AGTA, also opens on Thursday).
“With the move of Hong Kong, we were able to take many of the international pavilions that were all on Level 1—including Turkey, Thailand, India, UAE, Mexico and others—and group them together towards the back so retailers can find them all in one location,” Bachmann says. “We were also able to expand [the] equipment and technology [section]—they took more space in the back right side, where Hong Kong was located. We’ve relocated the Retail Innovation Zone, to find the latest in retail. The whole pavilion has hands-on opportunities to see, touch, and feel and experience this equipment.”
Plumb Club Café amenities
Many retailers may not realize that the plush-carpeted Plumb Club pavilion on Level 2 has its own café, open to all retail attendees. “There are complimentary snacks and refreshments,” Bachmann says. “They also do a spa in their pavilion with an oxygen bar and neck, back, and foot massages by certified professionals.”
Love-themed events
“One thing we continue to focus on and keep reinventing is our activations and photo moments throughout the show floor,” Bachmann says.
On Saturday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., near the Clockwork area, don’t be surprised to find yourself surrounded by a cuddle puddle of puppies. (“Puppy love!” exclaims Bachmann.)
Declare your love for someone—or yourself—with ink of the permanent or airbrushed variety during a a tattoo activation on Saturday from 12-5 p.m. in Love Is Love, the pride-focused lounge on Level 2.
And if you’ve ever admired the love locks that couples place on bridges and fences in cities around the world, JCK gives you a chance to make one of your own—and have it engraved—at a love locks fence sponsored by Stuller. “Attendees can add to the fence, then come back before they leave Sunday afternoon or Monday and take the lock with them,” Bachmann says.
In addition to all of the above, organizers are providing ribbons that say “Found love at JCK,” “Looking for love,” and “It’s complicated.”
“They can choose to wear them on their badges during JCK,” Bachmann says. “Maybe they will find more than just pretty jewelry this year in Vegas.”
JCK merch for sale
A pop-up shop stocked with JCK merchandise—think: show-branded hats, sweatshirts, laptop covers, and other fun stuff—will be open throughout the show at the back of Level 2, between the Showcase and Social stages. “First come, first served for the best swag,” Bachmann says.
Photo opps for days
Don’t miss an opportunity to snap a selfie or team photo against one of several colorful backdrops staged around the show floor.
“Not only is this fun and enjoyable for attendees, but it’s an opportunity to share with your customers and your networks, get them excited to come back into the store to see the beautiful jewelry you’ve discovered,” Bachmann says. “With consumers learning more about JCK, it gives them a reason to come in and talk about the trends.”
Enhanced security
Security has been heightened at JCK, so attendees will need to provide more documentation at registration than in past years. “We’re asking attendees to send us paperwork to show they work in the industry,” Bachmann says. “Every single person needs to show proof of employment. The main reason is to make sure end consumers don’t get into the show, because that’s not good for the health of the industry.
“We also stepped up security in other ways,” she adds. “We’ll have weapons detection—not quite like at the airport, but you’ll be stopped if you set it off. We’ve also added badge scanning/tapping at every entrance. We’ve done things to make it more secure for everybody being there, as well as ensure the show is trade only.”
To avoid the extra-long queues at registration, Bachmann recommends registering in advance. “The only way to get through everything fast is with an approved QR code,” she says. “Pro tip: If you want to avoid the registration lines on site, get your badge on Wednesday starting at 12:30 p.m. or Thursday starting at 7:30 a.m., and avoid the longer lines on Friday.”
Sustainability Summit
Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability officer at Kering—the Paris-based luxury group that owns Gucci, Boucheron, and Pomellato, among other brands—will kick off the Sustainability Summit with a fireside chat on Thursday at 11 a.m. in the San Polo ballroom on Level 3.
Her talk will be followed by a panel, led by Harvard professor Dennis W. Campbell, featuring professionals from the jewelry industry and environmental organizations. The event is scheduled to run till 1 p.m.
“The focus will be on what the end consumer cares about and what stores and brands can be doing more of in this space and why it’s important,” Bachmann says. “At the end, there’ll be an interactive Q&A with the audience.”
Educational and keynote talks
On Thursday, a series of 101 educational sessions will take place in the Level 1 meeting rooms. “They’re focused on people new to the industry or someone who wants to learn about a new topic,” Bachmann says.
“Our big, exciting keynote is Sugar Ray Leonard,” she adds. The former boxer will give the keynote speech, sponsored by Inoveo Platinum, on Saturday morning in the San Polo ballroom. Doors open at 8 am.
Throughout the show, look to the Showcase and Social stages for tracks on hot topics, trends, innovation, sales, sustainability and ethics, marketing, workplace development, business management, and social media.
JCK Rocks
This annual Sunday-night party returns to Tao Beach at the Venetian. “We also have Tao Nightclub—all of it is for us,” Bachmann says. “We have Flo Rida headlining—he’ll be at beach, but it will be piped in to the club. You don’t need tickets, just your badge. Doors open at 9 pm.
“There will be a priority line for our sponsors of Rocks, our Pro badge holders, and our Luxury badge holders. Sponsors get a special area up near the stage. And for everyone who attends the Jewelers for Children event on Sunday night, there will be a fun procession from JFC to the beach party. It’ll be a nice culmination of another great JCK.”
Top: A crowded hallway at JCK Las Vegas 2022 (photo: Camilla Sjodin)
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