Leave your lightly layered looks and delicate sensibilities behind. this year, there’s no such thing as too much jewelry. Go bold, or go home. Photography by Patric Shaw / Jewelry styling by Randi Molofsky Starlight Constellation Circlet with Swarovski crystal stars, $825, Jennifer Behr, wholesale@jenniferbehr.com, jenniferbehr.com; Australian opal, Lotus Garnet, and diamond neckpiece in 14k rose…

AUCTIONS On April 4 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, the Pink Star fetched $72.1 million—far and away the highest price ever paid for a diamond or jewel at auction. (The previous world record holder was the Oppenheimer Blue, which garnered $57.5 million in May 2016.) The final hammer price—which surpassed the $60 million estimate—came after five minutes…

The noted retailer’s board and CEO get a shake-up Tiffany & Co. wants extra coffee with breakfast. After a shake-up in its C-suite and three high-level additions to its board, interim CEO Michael Kowalski said the House of the Blue Box hopes to speed up its metabolism. “We are focused on increasing the pace of…

An accessories veteran, Cindy DiPietrantonio was named president of Alex and Ani last year. Here she talks about the charm brand’s surprising plan to introduce high-end and men’s lines. Your company is moving into ­precious jewels? We currently have precious in our line, and we are expanding that, under the label American 925. That collection…

OPENING Chow Tai Fook is opening an 820-square-foot branded shop in Laox Watch, a tax-free store located in Shinjuku, a Tokyo transit hub. It will sell gold and gem-set jewelry. COMINGS & GOINGS Brianna Miller (pictured) has joined Tacori as a territory manager for the Northeast. She previously worked for Stephen Webster and Ippolita. Sir John Parker,…

Jewelry and fashion: The two have always had a ­complicated relationship. As late as a decade ago, the idea that fine and fashion jewels could happily coexist was still news to the industry. It took the financial crisis of 2008 to fuse the categories—and we’ve been thanking the fates ever since. In JCK’s first bona…

“Getting a superchic pearl look has never been easier—or more affordable!” —Melissa Rose Bernardo, JCK managing editor       (Above) Earrings with sapphire, pearl, enamel, and micromosaic of seed pearls; €300 ($322); Percossi Papi; 39-066-880-1466; percossipapi.com   Pinball ring with 16 mm glass pearl in 14k gold–plated brass; $115; Lele Sadoughi; 212-228-8422; lelesadoughi.com  …

Greetings from midair! I’ve just finished five invigorating (and exhausting) days at this year’s edition of the Baselworld show in Basel, Switzerland, and I’m writing you from British Airways Flight 711 from Zurich to London. The theme this year? Change. It seems everything is up for reconsideration, from the purpose of watches in the face…

Baselworld, you don’t look a day over 75! The trade show, which turned 100 years old in late March, drew politicians, actors—and even synth-pop band Depeche Mode. Former Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey premiered a short film for TAG Heuer that he directed.   Baselworld saw a 13 percent decline in exhibitors this year—but it…

Our favorite feed of the month Hollywood stylist Cristina Ehrlich (@cristinaehrlich)—who glams up the likes of Priyanka Chopra, Brie Larson, and Tina Fey—gives us a behind-the-red-carpet peek into her life and work. Think awards-show photos, runway snaps, and market-visit pics filled with jewels, shoes, and bags galore. (Inset) Rocking a mix of vintage and vintage-inspired…

With an unabashed love of all things gold and a flair for marketing, Lauren Kaminsky is giving the pawn business a good name Real gold is real gold, even if you buy it in a pawnshop. That’s the message 28-year-old Lauren Kaminsky—who goes by the name Gold Girl on her popular blog, ByGoldGirl—conveys to would-be…

86 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, Conn. David Chines can spot a best seller in a matter of seconds. The 30-something CEO and founder of the East Coast retail concept Copious Row says that when he finds it, he just knows. And Chines (pictured) doesn’t shy away from lesser-known brands. On the contrary, he embraces them. “There…

Pared-down metallics lend a grown-up vibe to statement earrings inspired by the MTV generation (Above) Tau Disco double-drop earrings with brown diamonds in 18k gold and sterling silver; $30,220; VRAM; 310-859-9545; vramjewelry.com   Moon Phase drop earrings with black diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $4,000; Pamela Love; sales@pamelalove.com; pamelalove.com   Mixed-Diamond Doorknockers in 18k gold;…

We combed the red carpet for the celebrity fashion and jewels that made us swoon (so far!) in 2017 Ruth Negga We could have made this entire feature about Ruth Negga, the Academy Award– nominated Loving actress who has quietly emerged as 2017’s mega-style star. (Her stylist, Karla Welch, uses the hashtag #meganegga on her…

For a quarter of a century, Harari has been doling out surgery-free face-lifts with his glowing gold jewelry designs Over the past few years, Israeli jewelry designer Yossi Harari has been hitting milestone after milestone: In 2015, he celebrated his very own golden birthday, the big 5-0. In 2016, he marked 25 years in business,…

  The Fort Worth, Texas–based designer puts her own colorful twist on modern vintage Now that all things vintage are hotter than ever, there couldn’t be a better time to get to know Megan Thorne. Whether working with emerald or antique-cut sparklers (favorite diamond cuts) or a dazzling array of sapphires, Thorne is the go-to…

The fashion jewelry scene is hotter—and more stylish—than ever. We asked buyers from the country’s chicest retailers, from Barneys to Bloomie’s, to break down the top trends. Jewelry is always the quickest way to change up a look, but this season jewelry is the look, with dramatic shapes, vivid pops of color, and distinctive styling…

Turn over a green leaf and tap into the latest trends: pear-shape gems; long pendants; Victorian-esque cocktail rings; bib necklaces; bold, bespoke bridal; and Deco details Photography by Kevin Cremens / Jewelry styling by Randi Molofsky   Kaleidoscope earrings with kunzite, mint-green tourmaline, pink sapphire, tsavorite, and red spinel in 18k white gold with diamonds, $44,450, Dallas Prince…

Hot-off-the-runway trends and the jewels to match Trucker hats and extra-long ties aside, our president isn’t exactly known as a fashion influence. And yet, the ­leader of the free world cast an especially long ­shadow over the fall 2017 collections as designers found themselves increasingly reacting to the commander in chief’s policies and positions. And—spoiler…

Retailers heading to JCK las Vegas are looking for edgy designers and lots of color. but, as always, they plan to keep fully stocked with classics like (say it with us!) diamond studs. Americans seem to be in a sunny mood this year, and their appetite for fine jewelry appears to be on the rise.…

The baby-boom generation has hit a significant financial milestone—one that should help line their pockets with disposable income and heighten opportunity for jewelers Some old friends are back at the jewelry counter. And they’re flush with disposable income. Thanks to a core component of retirement savings regulations, baby boomers—the generation that played a key role…

Our two-part series explores ever-changing consumer habits—and how jewelers must react in order to thrive in the next decade… and beyond The old maxim “There is nothing permanent except change” could have been written to describe the modern American retail landscape. The Great Recession of 2008 signaled the end of one of the ­nation’s most…

Lee Angelo Marraccini runs in two separate worlds. Since 1999, Marraccini has owned Angelo, a contemporary ­jewelry gallery in Charlottesville, Va. During that same 18-year period, Marraccini has also participated in five to six art fairs each year, the continuation of an endeavor he first began in the 1970s. For Marraccini, trading his brick-and-mortar existence…

The 19th century was the golden age of automata—playful ­mechanisms that feature a concert of moving parts—but don’t tell that to Van Cleef & Arpels. In January, the jewelry- and watchmaker introduced its first extraordinary object, the Automate Fée Ondine. Conceived more than eight years ago, the mechanical wonder depicts a bejeweled fairy that comes…

Can’t-Miss Collection Period Pieces Driven by a desire to “create something beautiful but also affordable,” designer Michelle Fantaci enters the bridal segment this spring with a fetching new collection of engagement rings and wedding bands that mostly retail for less than $5,000. “It feels like a natural evolution,” says the New York City–based jeweler. “My…

Trend Game A Different Angle A bevy of hot bridal jewelry collections are tipping princess-cut diamonds on their sides to feature rhombus-shape center stones in their latest engagement ring designs. Recent styles from Karl Lagerfeld Bridal Jewelry, Scott Kay Jewelry, and Natalie K for ­Forevermark include the look, which has been dubbed “compass-set.” Going full…

No need to pack your evening dresses and fancy suits for this year’s LUXURY show. The organizers want you to think of the seven-day show, which opens at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on Friday, June 2 (three days later than usual to account for the Jewish holiday Shavuot), as a luxurious,…

In search of jewels that you won’t find at the big box next door? Look no further than the 50-plus exhibitors at the Design Center at JCK Las Vegas, June 5–8 at Mandalay Bay.   (Above) A Tree Grows earrings in 14k gold and 5 cts. t.w. natural green tourmaline crystal slices; $1,395; Judi Powers…

After a decidedly tough year, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) got a bit of good news: Numbers at the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show and Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, which ran Feb. 28–March 4 and March 2–6, respectively, were up. Combined, the fairs drew some 4,480 exhibitors and more…

The rules of retailing on social media are finite, says Crystal Vilkaitis, owner and CEO of Crystal Media, which advises companies (including jewelry brands) on social selling. When marketers follow them—and use the right tools—“they see great results.” But the rules on the most ­retail-friendly platforms—notably Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest—change frequently, as developers tinker with tools…

WHO, WHAT, WEARABLE Kate Spade Bangle Tracker Our first glimpse of Kate Spade New York’s first-ever collection of wearables—which included rubber wrist trackers outfitted with tiny kitty-cat ears—was love at first sight. This chic Bangle Tracker, the most jewelry-like piece in the bunch, works in tandem with the Kate Spade New York Connected mobile app.…

Barbra Streisand fell in love with tribal style while filming the long-forgotten 1972 drama Up the Sandbox on location in Kenya Up the ­Sandbox requires Barbra ­Streisand’s character to travel to ­Africa, so that’s what the cast and crew did. (MGM back lot be damned!) Members of Kenya’s Samburu tribe appear in the movie, and…