Bouchra Ezzahraoui  Sophie Kahn AUrate New York City auratenewyork.com Instagram: @auratenewyork   Transparency and philanthropy both resonate deeply with millennial consumers—and they’re at the heart of AUrate, a 2-year-old fine jewelry retailer based in New York City. The startup retailer, which sells online and through pop-up shops, was founded by friends Bouchra Ezzahraoui (pictured left)…

Model Alla Grigorjeva struck an unconventional bridal pose during this issue’s cover shoot. From her stick-straight decidedly un-bridal ’do to the bold and beautiful cabochon emerald on her ring finger, she embodies our celebration of unconventional marriage (see our cover story, “Inside the Same-Sex Marriage Market: Real-Life Couples Tell All“). Check out the online outtakes…

Watches Visitors to Geneva’s 26th annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie had more to see than usual last month. The exclusive venue—home, traditionally, to 15 primarily Richemont-owned brands such as Cartier and Panerai—welcomed for the first time nine independent watchmakers, including Christophe Claret and MB&F. Organizers had long sought to promote the artisans pioneering…

At the AGTA GemFair, taking place Feb. 2–7 at the Tucson Convention Center, the desert flowers won’t be the only beauties vying for attention.   Rectangular tourmaline plates weighing 124 grams; $9,300; Robert Bentley, NYC; 212-302-4846; robertbentleygemstones.com (pictured, top)   Bracelet in 18k gold with sapphires and diamonds; $26,000; Akiva Gil, NYC; 800-592-0009; akivagil.com (pictured, inset)   Round-shape 43.48 ct.…

During the summers of 2013 and 2014, I attended two wildly different weddings. The first was a surprise picnic affair in Santa Monica, Calif., where one of my oldest, dearest friends married her longtime girlfriend as their 1-year-old daughter and a handful of our astonished friends bore witness. The second was much more formal, if…

What JCK’s Emili Vesilind is loving this month “I’m bewitched by slightly off-kilter color combinations and classic designs made modern with of-the-moment gems.”  —Senior editor Emili Vesilind     The playful mash-up of stones—sapphires, emeralds, opals, tourmalines, and diamonds—puts a cool-girl spin on a vintage-feeling design. (Irene Neuwirth, price on request, ireneneuwirth.com)   Circles, squares,…

Unbelievable that as I write this, we’re officially in the second half of the second decade of the 21st century. Wow. It’s going to be an amazing, exciting year, from the presidential election on down. Fasten your seat belts, everyone! The year kicked off in high style around this year’s 24 Karat Club of the…

The epitome of glamour, Jewelers of America’s 14th annual Gem Awards, at Cipriani on 42nd Street (above), honored the industry’s most talented designers and two very special members of the media. Meanwhile, the 114th annual banquet of the 24 Karat Club of the City of New York got more than a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t. GEM AWARDS (pictured,…

COMINGS AND GOINGS >>?Luca + Danni, the Rhode Island–based fashion jewelry manufacturer, has appointed Allison Carley (pictured) president. Carley was previously vice president of sales at Alex and Ani. >>?Patrick S. McClymont, chief financial officer of Sotheby’s, has resigned to “pursue other opportunities,” according to a statement. Dennis M. Weibling will step in as interim CFO.…

In late November, Peter Yantzer retired after 20 years as executive director of the American Gem Society Laboratories. The following week, he spoke with JCK about his time at the lab and current industry issues.  Do you think that the AGS cut grade improved the quality of make in the industry? Yantzer: Absolutely. We kept…

Shane Woodruff Crocker’s Jewelers Texarkana, Texas  President and owner crockersjewelers.com What nightmare scenario did you turn around to save the day? It happened not too long ago. We received a ring to resize through the mail—a nice $8,000 diamond engagement ring. And the employee who checked it in didn’t follow protocol. She thought she was…

1102 Washington St., Hoboken, N.J. Long before opening a French-accented jewelry boutique in Hoboken, N.J., Nicole Corriher felt a special affinity for all things Parisian. Her husband proposed in Paris, and their wedding reception decor included an Eiffel Tower covered in lights. So when Corriher spotted an empty storefront on Hoboken’s busiest street, she knew…

Judy Carter Carter’s Jewelry Petal, Miss. 52, first generation Chae Carter Carter’s Jewelry Petal, Miss. 28, second generation Chae Carter was a college student with a new baby when her mother, veteran jewelry retailer Judy Carter, told her she was considering retiring and possibly closing Carter’s Jewelry—the Petal, Miss.–based fine jewelry retailer she’d founded in…

This year, Jonathan and Richard Goldman will celebrate their 40th year in the jewelry business; the brothers serve as CEO and president, respectively, of Frederick Goldman, the New York City–based company founded by their father in 1948. The Goldmans have turned their business into an industry powerhouse with an enviable stable of brands, from ArtCarved…

After 35 years, the designer’s statement pieces are bold as ever Stephen Dweck is the personification of the jewelry brand he started 35 years ago: colorful, exuberant, imaginative, and inspired by the beauty of natural stones and minerals. His delight in arranging chunky opals, moonstones, and chalcedony into a one-of-a-kind necklace reflects his lifelong fascination…

At first glance, the cool-purple sapphires at the center of these orchid earrings might seem a curious match for the warm-pink rhodolites anchoring the (detachable) pendant drops. But it’s this unexpected union of hues—which reconciles completely in the petals’ mix of violet-toned gems—that makes these Margot McKinney danglers so dynamic. The Australian designer has a…

TREND GAME Ebony and Ivory Black and white is the combo that won’t quit in fashion and in diamond jewelry. Not only are black and white gems a timeless duo that can punch up a day or night ensemble, they work in classic, modern, and whimsical designs. Is it any wonder that the pairing is…

TREND GAME Balancing Act Jewelry designers are all askew. Using mixed shapes and sizes of stones, they are striking a beguilingly out-of-balance note in jewels that favor the crooked path. In other words, forget about playing it straight.  Top: Bangle bracelet in 14k gold with 18k gold accents and 1.56 cts. t.w. white topaz, $2,690 each, Lauren Chisholm,…

Real-life same-sex couples dish about their engagement jewelry buying experiences: what they liked, what they didn’t like, and what kind of products appeal to them. (Hint: There’s no such thing as “gay jewelry.”) “Hi, I’m gay and getting married—do you have a problem with that?” was the question Brendan Kelly, an advertising executive based in…

All the jewels fit to glint, from sure-to-please bridesmaids’ gifts to jaw-dropping engagement rings Engagement Rings EURO FLASH (Top) Ring in 14k gold with 0.96 ct. old European-cut diamond and 0.91 ct. t.w. old European-cut diamonds; $11,000; Mociun, Brooklyn, N.Y.; 718-387-3731; mociun.com HEART CLASS (Right) Ring in 18k yellow gold with 7.02 ct. natural fancy yellow…

A primer on using social media’s most jewelry-friendly marketing tool Jewelry retailers depend on beautiful images—in catalogs and direct-mail flyers, on websites and, increasingly, on social media platforms—to grow their revenue. Among the various social sites, Instagram in particular seems tailor-made for the jewelry industry, with its simple format, focus on images over text, and…

As Chinese demand for gems slides, prices on rubies, sapphires, and emeralds are bound for a correction. Over the course of his nine-year career selling sapphires, Sheahan Stephen had never seen anything like it: At Facets Sri Lanka, the Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair, and the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, all of which…

Bright turquoise (sleeping) beauties, juicy emeralds, and cabochons that seem to be lit from within: Could these gemstones be any more intense or intriguing? Photographs by Ted Morrison   Wouldn’t you much rather be forever in blue gems? (Above, clockwise from far left) Cross earrings in 18k gold with Sleeping Beauty turquoise, blue sapphires, and…

Visitors to Baselworld, set for March 17–24 at the Basel convention center, will be looking for the best in class in every category. The show is the go-to source for rare, one-of-a-kind jewels that high-end vendors hoard until it’s time for the annual Swiss watch and jewelry fair to open. Why? Baselworld is the only…

WHO, WHAT, WEARABLE Bezels & Bytes   Created expressly for Fitbit fitness trackers, the initial collection from San Francisco tech jewelry brand Bezels & Bytes comprises trendy bracelets (which hold the tiny Fitbit Flex) and metal charms (designed to dress up the sporty Fitbit Charge HR)—perfectly in step with young, tech-savvy fashion shoppers.   What we liked:…

“This is an early model from the 20th century made in platinum—as opposed to silver and gold from the 19th century. It is lighter and thinner and more delicate.”    Chaumet’s enamel and diamond tiara, which sold for $676,104 at Christie’s Geneva on Nov. 10, combines two great headwear styles: the kokoshnik, the traditional Russian…