JCK Las Vegas and its sibling show, Luxury, are poised to deliver big business. The industry, especially the high-end, is doing surprisingly well given the broader context (soaring gold prices, AI doomsday scenarios, and war in the Middle East).
We heard it from exhibitors at GemGenève (“Show floor was poppin and big stones were selling $$$” one sales executive wrote in a text to JCK)
All of which bodes well for the shows in Sin City. Keep an eye out this week for new collections, the lifeblood of the business. Below, we highlight three worth your time (and money).
A.Jaffe
The 134-year-old bridal and fine jewelry manufacturer is going all in on technology at Luxury (LUX817). Between offering “new styles informed by AI-driven insights on design direction and pricing,” as well as a new AI-powered CAD feature on its B2B portal that gives store associates the ability to generate custom design renderings in real time, the company is embracing tech as a means to foster deeper relationships between its retailers and their customers.
“Our focus is on equipping our retail partners with products and tools that elevate the luxury experience, drive higher-value sales, and create deeper emotional connections with customers,” Sumay Bhansali, the brand’s president, said in a statement.
At the show, A.Jaffe will promote its new Expandables Men’s Wedding Bands, engineered to expand up to 1.5 ring sizes; new bridal designs set with elongated cushion and marquise diamonds; and fashion rings featuring the brand’s patented quilt design, created to help retailers distinguish their lab diamond-set rings “from more generic bridal assortments.”
Chris Ploof Designs
The metalsmith Chris Ploof is pushing the innovation envelope once again with a new line of jewelry crafted from Modern Electrum, an exclusive alloy manufactured by the Italian metallurgy specialist Legor. Check it out at the Endless Designs booth (10055) in JCK’s bridal pavilion.
Composed of three precious metals—gold, silver, and palladium—as well as some recycled nonprecious materials, the white precious metal blend reimagines the naturally occurring electrum alloy favored by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
Modern Electrum does not tarnish or corrode. At $650 per ounce, it’s also a more affordable alternative to gold and platinum.
“Modern Electrum is incredible,” Ploof tells JCK. “When you balance story, beauty, workability, and price, there’s no metal like it. Its color is a bit warmer than white and is different under various lighting. It has incredibly high tarnish resistance. I’m excited to add Modern Electrum to our lineup of unique materials.”
Yael Designs
For the first time in its 25-year history, the San Francisco–based designer jewelry brand Yael Designs is introducing its first high jewelry collection, Odyssey. Designed by founder Yehouda Saketkhou as an ode to the inspiration he’s drawn from his world travels, the 15-piece collection—on view at Luxury (LUX412)—features diamonds accompanied by colored stones such as tourmalines, rubies, emeralds, and opals in designs that evoke the countries that have stolen his heart (Austria, Australia, Greece, India, and Italy, to name a few.)
Take, for example, the Vienna ring featured at top. Inspired by the artistry of Gustav Klimt, “the design reflects the richness, ornamentation, and elegance associated with Vienna’s artistic heritage,” Saketkhou says. Other pieces evoke the majesty of natural and architectural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Palace of Versailles. Talk about wanderlust!
Top: Vienna ring in 18k gold with 8.09 ct. marquise-cut yellow-brown diamond and 2.25 cts. t.w. accent diamonds, price on request; Yael Designs
- Subscribe to the JCK News Daily
- Subscribe to the JCK Special Report
- Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
- Follow JCK on X: @jckmagazine
- Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
