A list of can’t-miss talks, events, and more—one for each year of JCK Las Vegas Creating a list of places to go, speeches to hear, and jewels to see at JCK Las Vegas was no small task. After all, we are talking about the country’s largest jewelry show. We could have filled this entire issue.…

RECORDS The Jubilee Ruby was touted as the most important ruby to come to auction in the United States over the past quarter-century, and it certainly lived up to that billing when Christie’s put it up for sale on April 20. The 15.99 ct. ruby—certified as both Burmese-origin and untreated—fetched $14.1 million, making it the…

If I had to pick one global city as a poster child for change, there’d be no contest: Dubai all the way. In April, I spent three days there as a guest of the VicenzaOro Dubai show and was reminded how easily a city can shape shift.  My first visit to the United Arab Emirates was…

Welcome to the JCK Las Vegas show! Hard to believe it’s that time of year again, but many of you are probably reading this in the thick of the 10 crazy days that are JCK Las Vegas, LUXURY, and Reed Jewelry Group’s new show, JIS Exchange at the Tropicana. Whew! We’re very excited about this…

Naturally, the purpose of @forevermarkdiamonds is to promote its gems. But the multifaceted feed is less an advertisement than a declaration of love for diamonds. Model pics, red-carpet snaps, and still-life shots all showcase the stones at their most sparkling.   (Top) A Bibhu Mohapatra model   Bridal bangles   Spring flowers   Dreamy halos…

Members of the American Gem Society flocked to Washington, D.C., April 13–16 for the 78th annual Conclave, where speeches, seminars, and patriot games ensued. Meanwhile, VicenzaOro Dubai, aka VOD, returned to Dubai April 14–17 for its second annual gold and diamond extravaganza. CONCLAVE  (Above) Marcus Luttrell, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and coauthor of the best seller…

Fast-Fix, the Boca Raton, Fla.–based jewelry retailer and servicer, marks its 30th anniversary this year. New CEO Gerry Weber (pictured), originally recruited as a consultant, talks about invigorating the brand.    How do you view the repair business in the context of the larger jewelry industry?  Weber: We provide a solution to our customers’ problems,…

COMINGS AND GOINGS >>?After 18 years, Cecilia Gardner is planning to step down as president and CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee at the beginning of 2017, but she may stay on as the group’s general counsel. JVC senior counsel Suzan Flamm is also leaving the group. >>?Former Scott Kay CEO and David Yurman exec…

Faina & Edward Shapiro  Diamond Dream Jewelry & Apparel  Bernardsville, N.J. diamonddreamjewelers.com facebook.com/diamonddreamfinejewelers Instagram: @diamonddreamjewelers   When husband-and-wife retailers Edward and Faina Shapiro opened an apparel boutique last year, they approached it with the same high standards with which they’ve run Diamond Dream Jewelers, in Bernardsville, N.J., for more than 30 years. “The clothing collections…

Lynn McCary Thomas  McCary’s Jewelers Shreveport, La. Co-owner mccarys.com    What is your single best money-saving initiative?  We’ve been in business for 75 years in various locations. We started in downtown Shreveport, then we moved into the first shopping mall in north Louisiana. Currently we’re in a strip mall, where we’ve been for 30 years.…

“Affluent retail customers are steering away from high-end dressy jewelry and focusing on purchasing fewer, finer things that are rare and will hold value. Even if the pieces are very expensive, they want to wear them more often and don’t want ‘vault’ jewelry. This is influencing our buying habits. On our buying trips, we will…

Itzhak Gnat Gnat Jewelry Atelier  Gnat Jewelers Denver 69, first generation Raz Gnat Gnat Jewelry Atelier  Gnat Jewelers Denver 46, second generation   The amazing story of Itzhak Gnat goes like this: As a young man, Gnat, founder and owner of Denver’s Gnat Jewelry Atelier, co-owned a jewelry manufacturer in his native Israel. By chance,…

Efraim Grinberg has headed Movado Group since 1990, helping take the company public as president in 1993. Now chairman and CEO, he has built the 135-year-old watchmaker—purchased by his father, Gedalio, in 1983—into one of the world’s leading watch conglomerates, with nine brands under its belt. Grinberg talks to JCK about marketplace trends, whom he really…

1407 Fifth Ave., Seattle Nestled beneath the towering skyscrapers of bustling downtown, the swank and sophisticated Turgeon Raine has been a beacon for fine jewelry lovers in Seattle and the Northwest since its inception in 1982. Owned and operated by Norman Turgeon and Jerry Raine, the inviting and airy boutique—replete with warm wood touches, vaulted…

Gemstones aren’t the only way to punch up -jewelry with pigment. Semitransparent and opaque enamel or hot glass serves as ornament and protective coating—making pieces pop with color. Hand-painted embellishments on gold create covetable designs to be treasured for generations to come. Plus: The age-old technique can be a more affordable alternative to pricier precious…

Black ruled the red carpet at the annual glamour-fest Gigi Hadid The fashion crowd was abuzz over the supermodel’s bangin’ red-carpet look (was it faux fringe, or a face-framing new ’do?). But frankly, we were all about Hadid’s menswear-inspired Versace suit and her stacks of gold rings; we counted at least nine, from designers including…

“If you’ve ever wanted an anniversary band, here’s the greatest suggestion ever.” The deep, honeyed voice belongs to Dallas Prince, a blond woman the TV camera captures seated at a desk before zooming in on her design: The Reversible Eternity Ring is rotating to showcase every detail-covered angle.  “Get two of these and jacket your…

A peek into the L.A. designer’s colorful life Though she’s had her own line for just over two years, Victoria Tse has spent 10 times that in the jewelry business—and it shows. Now in its third year at the intimate Elite Enclave at JCK Las Vegas, VTse is known as the go-to brand for super-colorful,…

The tale of the Moon of Baroda spans centuries and continents, and—like any famous diamond worth its salt—has a curse that threatens its wearer. The 24.04 ct. canary yellow pear-shape stone adorned Marilyn Monroe’s neck as she promoted Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and its anthem, “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” in 1953. It was also…

Wallace Chan liked the idea of a bracelet featuring fish swimming in a bowl. But once he meticulously carved a school of fish into a thick crystal bangle, he felt “a bit sad for the fish to live in a bowl.” So the Hong Kong–based designer created a coral forest, illuminated by a smattering of…

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION Tropical Fantasy When Carla Amorim wants to escape the hustle and bustle of São Paulo, she flees to her provincial villa in the city of Marabá, Brazil. The fish, ferns, crocodiles, bananas, and other tropical elements of the local rain forest have proven so inspiring that they’re now permanent residents of her new…

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION Tous Talk The 96-year-old Spanish jewelry brand Tous quietly rejoined the U.S. jewelry industry last year and is now ready to make some noise in stores. Offerings are largely made in silver with enamel and precious stones, and the brand already has a thriving lifestyle component by way of bags, scarves, and perfumes.…

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION Rock Steady New York City’s Rockefeller Center inspired Doryn Wallach to unveil a classic collection—note the Art Deco–esque columns—of white pearl jewelry in 18k yellow gold. “Pearls have always been timeless, sophisticated, and typically conservative,” she says. “I chose to work with them because I wanted to put my own modern twist on…

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION LVE Story Leo Schachter Diamonds’ new LVE wedding jewelry line, designed with millennials in mind, features a “trifinity” motif—imagine an oval Venn diagram—in every piece. Rebecca Foerster, executive vice president for strategic planning and marketing, calls it “a powerful symbol for couples that represents the thread of their journey.” Engagement rings and bands…

So often when we talk about generations, we talk about the things that separate us. And sure enough, as you read through our four-part series on the generations that wield power in retail today, you’ll find plenty of distinctions, from the marketing language that appeals to boomers (hint: avoid calling them seniors) to up-and-coming Gen…

Your biggest marketing flub? Mistaking these hardworking multitaskers for a bunch of Facebook-fearing Luddites. While modern marketers are working diligently to connect with Generation X, millennials, and Gen Z, many are overlooking one of the world’s most prosperous and connected demographics—baby boomers.  The influential post–World War II generation, born between 1946 and 1964, makes up…

They’re self-reliant, highly educated, and fiercely ­independent. Don’t ­overlook the latchkey kids. Full disclosure: This reporter is a member of Generation X. And if there’s one thing that’s woefully apparent, it’s that this group is the least talked about generation on the planet. Much more dazzled by the larger-in-numbers millennials and baby boomers, the media,…

Millennial. Perhaps you’ve heard the word so many times you never want to hear it again or, worse yet, it’s lost its meaning. For the record: A millennial (n.) is a person born between 1981 and 1997, according to Pew Research Center. And lest you need reminding, members of this generation account for the largest…

Some kids were born with silver spoons in their mouths. This group had smartphones in their hands. Generation Z wants you to know that it’s okay to be weird. In fact, they’d prefer it if you were.  The planet’s youngest generation, loosely defined as those born in or after 1995, respects individuality—the more unabashed and…

When Elizabeth Glanville opened DeVille Fine Jewelry & Diamonds in December 2009, she decided against selling her proprietary designs through wholesale channels, instead opting to offer them at wholesale prices directly to end clients. She says she was motivated by her established relationships with consumers, but there was another reason for the decision. “Retailers are…

Fall fashion, shoes, bags, and, most important, jewels inspired by the top 10 seasonal hues In jewels, a strict absence of color will always signal the quintessence of dazzling diamonds. But color—striking and saturated—is everywhere in jewelry these days. Designers and consumers, including engagement ring shoppers, are gravitating toward uniquely hued gemstones, and styles that…

Jeff Dennis loves holidays. Not just Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Christmas—the marquee holidays on the jewelry retailer’s annual calendar—but specifically those oft-overlooked, even “unofficial” holidays he can leverage to bolster his namesake jewelry store in Gardendale, Ala. Over the past dozen years, Dennis has used second-tier holidays to drive business to his 3,700-square-foot operation,…

Millennial consumers turn away from tradition, scoff at ostentation, and fear commitment. So will they still want diamonds? No word is more connected to diamond marketing than forever. But when the Diamond Producers Association started surveying millennials about their attitudes toward diamonds, the findings were startling: They didn’t relate to the forever concept the same…

Whether you’re playing poker on the Vegas Strip or pinochle in your living room, these diamonds are a sure bet JEWELS TO DAZZLE (AND PERHAPS DISTRACT!) YOUR OPPONENTS (Top) Earrings in platinum with diamonds, $16,800, Nina Runsdorf, NYC, 212-382-1243, nsrjewelry.com; eternity band and bracelet in platinum with diamonds, prices on request, Norman Silverman Diamonds, Los Angeles,…

Retailers who didn’t make it to Switzerland for this year’s Baselworld watch and jewelry fair, never fear: Switzerland is coming to you.  At this month’s JCK Las Vegas, the 14th annual Swiss Watch hosts more than 20 elite brands—including Bremont, Carl F. Bucherer, and Perrelet—in private suites at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino from…

Elite Enclave opens at the LUXURY show at Mandalay Bay June 3–6. (Above) 18k gold earrings with 26.79 cts. t.w. Paraiba tourmaline, 1.03 cts. t.w. apatite, 1.54 cts. t.w. diamonds; $16,300; Graziela Gems, Highland Park, Ill.; 773-619-3999; grazielagems.com (Inset) Galaxy mini ring in recycled 18k gold with 2.57 ct. amethyst and 0.3 ct. t.w. diamonds; $1,380; Arya Esha, Jacksonville, Fla.; 305-812-4986; aryaesha.com…

The Mandalay Bay Convention Center is growing up. JCK Las Vegas showgoers can expect to find a rearranged show floor that includes new neighborhoods and a brand-new buying event from the folks at JCK’s sister show, JIS. Yancy Weinrich, senior vice president of Reed Jewelry Group, spoke to JCK about the best way to navigate…

At the press conference marking the opening of the second annual VicenzaOro Dubai (VOD) show in mid-April, Corrado Facco, vice president of organizer DV Global Link—a joint venture between Fiera di Vicenza and the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)—made a bold prediction: “Dubai can be the future of the -jewelry industry around the globe,” said…

WHO, WHAT, WEARABLE Alive Sunlight/UV Tracker We’ve test-driven a couple of wearables that let you know when you’ve had too much sun. But the new Alive Sunlight Tracker also tells you when you haven’t had enough daylight—a state that, if chronic, can lead to depression and a nasty vitamin D deficiency. The device monitors sunlight…

Sold for: $2,485,963 “This orange diamond charms with warm and exuberant energy.” Major auction houses see their fair share of exceptional colored diamonds. But a fancy vivid orange—such as the 4.08 ct. pear-cut gem in this dazzling ring—is remarkably rare. (Sotheby’s sold perhaps the most famous fancy vivid orange, the 5.54 ct. Pumpkin Diamond, in 1997 to the…