Jewelry giants including Brilliant Earth, Hublot, and Mejuri opened additional retail locations recently, and newbie Cast announced it is entering into the brick-and-mortar world with its first storefront.

At the same time, pop-up shops and brand extensions continue to gain buzz, including the recent announcement of Sabyasachi’s monthlong return to Bergdorf Goodman to debut its latest fine jewelry collection, Bengal Byzantine Broadway, through Sept. 22 in the New York store’s jewelry salon.

On Instagram, San Francisco–based Cast hinted it will open its premier store this fall in the Bay Area, showing off a photograph featuring blueprints and some of its signature enamel rings in a series of social media posts.

These new store openings, special events, and in-store parties are why physical retailers are having so much fun this summer, says Harris Botnick, co-owner of Worthmore Jewelers, a two-store chain in Georgia. While shoppers may be coming in on a friend’s recommendation, an important purchase like an engagement ring, or for one of its popular piercing parties, Botnick says they make sure every customer feels welcome.

“We have also been doing the infinity bracelets, anklets, and necklaces in both stores. Our latest event with this, was on International Friendship Day [in July],” Botnick says. “We had friends come in for the bracelets and offered two-for-one ‘zaps’ every two that we did. This not only drove new and repeat customers in, but they actually came in groups.”

Below are some new stores and new events of note.

Brilliant Earth

Brilliant Earth brought its store count up to 22 with newly opened boutiques in Birmingham, a posh metro Detroit suburb, and St. Louis, “maintaining our light of sight to nearly doubling our showrooms this year,” Kathryn Money, senior vice president of merchandising and retail expansion, says in an email interview with JCK.

Money says while there is no estimate as to how many more stores Brilliant Earth may add in 2023, “we continue to see strong performance from our showrooms and believe showrooms present a strong opportunity for growth.”

“Our goal with the store design is to create joyful and personal shopping experiences for our customers in a comfortable and elevated environment,” Money says, highlighting Brilliant Earth’s bridal jewelry and engagement rings as well as its men’s fine jewelry collection, which includes newly launched earrings, cufflinks, and necklaces.

“Our showroom strategy has been and will continue to be a major catalyst for building our brand. With each new showroom opening, we bring more consumers to our brand, while also deepening our relationships with both new and returning customers,” Money says. “Through our showrooms customers can experience our personalized joyful shopping experience in a low-pressure atmosphere that’s focused on education and helping them to find a perfect piece based on their individual style and interests.”

Hublot, Mejuri, and James Avery

Texas retail grew both inside the state and outside of it with new store openings from Hublot and Mejuri. Meanwhile, James Avery announced that it is adding its venerable jewelry to a Midwest department store chain.

Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot opened its third Texas location, this time with a 500-square-foot store in Austin. It is the company’s 14th boutique in its North American retail network, the company said in a statement. Its first Texas stores opened in Houston and Dallas in 2013. Austin is a great location because it is the state’s capital and one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, the company said.

Simultaneously, Mejuri opened its first Houston location inside the Montrose Collective. The 1,500-square-foot store features the brand’s traditional array of fashion-forward jewelry. Its grand opening weekend included live music and store giveaways. Mejuri has said it will open 17 stores in 2022, more than doubling its store count from the beginning of the year.

James Avery Artisan Jewelry announced that it is partnering with Von Maur, a family-owned Midwestern department store, to offer a selection of its jewelry. The partnership will launch both online and, in phases from August to October, in 37 Von Maur locations across 15 states.

“We are thrilled to partner with Von Maur. Since both James Avery Artisan Jewelry and Von Maur are family-owned companies, we both share similar values and strive for integrity in how we treat our associates and customers,” John McCullough, CEO of James Avery, said in a statement.

Sabyasachi

The well-known Indian designer Sabyasachi is highlighting 83 works in his Bengal Byzantine Broadway collection at Bergdorf Goodman, the company said in a statement. The collection “celebrates the exuberant and rebellious while remaining grounded in India’s heritage, art, and craft,” the company said.

Sabyasachi debuted at the venerated department store in 2020 and received a huge reception, Bergdorf Goodman said in the same statement. The jewelry that comes from Sabyasachi Mukherjee for the New York landmark store features gold, enamel, and gemstones in everything from Sicilian baroque, Georgian themes, and Moorish influences.

Retail Sales Overall

Retail sales are expected to be up between 6% and 8% for 2022, according to the National Retail Federation, even as consumers warily watch economic turbulence from rising inflation, a cooling housing market, and big policy shifts such as President Joe Biden announcing the enactment of a student-loan forgiveness plan.

Top: Hublot is opening its third Texas-based store with a location in Austin, one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, the retailer said in a statement (photo courtesy of Hublot). 

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