Three jewelry designers who have added mahjong-themed pieces to their collections share their inspiration for honoring this century-old pastime: client requests, their own enjoyment of the game, and a desire to slow down to appreciate how games can draw people together.
Maria Ress of Maison Kastel, Heather B Moore, and Andrea Brody of Karma and Luck all say that the game that originated in China in the 1800s seems more relevant than ever in this fast-paced world.
“It’s like nostalgia for a time before iPhones,” says Moore, whose Cleveland-based jewelry company started making mahjong tiles for a local event and soon found clients clamoring for them. “It’s about getting together as humans and sitting around a table. You have to be present. You have to think for yourself.”
Yelp named the game a top trend of 2026, with mahjong club searches up 4,467% year over year for September 2024 through August 2025 and Mahjong lesson searches up 819%. CNN reported in September that searches for “mahjong store” and “mahjong club” reached an all-time high in August 2026.
Modern Retail called it a mahjong renaissance as brands such as Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, Hot Topic, and Urban Outfitters started selling sets and accessories. It also noted how there are mahjong-themed events at luxury hotels across the country.
Maria Ress
Chicagoland-based Ress says she started learning the game over the summer after taking a lesson with a group of friends. Believe it or not, she won on her very first try—and she has been hooked ever since.
“I love how mahjong brings people together—we are truly connecting over the game and having a wonderful time,” Ress says.
She started designing mahjong-tile jewelry after seeing how positively people responded to the game and reflecting on her own love for it. Her jewelry brand, Maison Kastel, recently debuted her first collection, which has three pendants: the Bird, the Bamboo, and the Flower.
“A good friend and I discussed paying homage to something that has brought so much joy. I have always designed and created story-telling scenes in my pendants and charms using gemstones, so applying that approach to mahjong felt like a natural fit,” explains Ress.
“We only debuted two weeks ago and are already almost completely sold out, so we are currently on our second production run,” Ress says. “The feedback has been that the pieces are the perfect size for everyday wear, whether playing mahjong or not. I’ve even had clients ask if they need to know how to play the game to wear the jewelry. The pendants truly grab everyone’s attention regardless of their familiarity with the game.”
Karma and Luck
Andrea Brody of Karma and Luck says she got the hint that mahjong was seeping into the American culture after a phone call to her sister. Rather than their usual chat, her sibling said she had to go because she was late for a mahjong lesson, Brody recalls.
“It’s ironic because our mom played as well in the 1970s,” Brody says. “It’s the hottest thing then and it’s the hottest thing now. Everybody’s doing it—it’s like it’s the new pickleball.” (Pickleball is another game that is inspiring designers.)
Las Vegas-based Karma and Luck debuted its collection in October, introducing 12 handmade pendants. Each is built around a single tile and is inspired by the intention that tile carries, Brody says. There’s the Green Dragon, which represents prosperity; the Red Dragon, which stands for strength; and the White Dragon, which speaks to clarity.
The collection, which also includes symbols of a circle, flower, and peacock, comes in two expressions. There’s the Classic, which stays true to the look of the game’s actual tiles. The Modern Take is for a client who wants the tile’s meaning with the literal symbols on it. Each uses 18k gold-plated brass or silver and are set with stones including citrine, sapphire, tiger’s-eye, and lab-grown diamonds. Prices range from $199 to $229.
Karma and Luck is marketing the collection with the campaign Play Your Intention. The idea behind this slogan is that mahjong is a mix of luck, intention, and connection, Brody explains, and a good life is shaped by those same values. Karma and Luck as an overall jewelry brand is about intention and manifestation of what you want, so mahjong is the perfect addition, Brody says.
“Luck is what you draw. Intention is how you play your hand. And connection is who you share your table with,” she adds.
Heather B Moore
Moore says storytelling is a key aspect of her jewelry brand, and a mahjong tile and a table of mahjong players are doing exactly that. She also appreciates the craftsmanship within a mahjong set, so creating her own version felt like the perfect challenge.
As soon as they posted her version online—something she had created for a mahjong charity party in Cleveland—people started reaching out for versions of their own, the designer says. She was delighted to comply.
“Games like this where people sit together and talk—that’s our wheelhouse in a way. We’re a community-driven brand, and our jewelry is about sharing stories,” Moore says. “I can’t encourage that enough. It’s a magical part of our humanity.”
Getting together and playing boardgames needs to be more than a trend, Moore says. It needs to be a part of everyday enjoyment of the people you love.
“When you play games, you find your authentic self,” Moore says. “It’s like the game of Go [a Chinese board game] that my grandparents used to play or bridge, which really works your brain. It’s all about strategy. You don’t know what is going to happen next, which is just like life.”
Top: The Karma and Luck mahjong collection seeks to connect with the newfound popularity of the ancient game. (Photo courtesy of Karma and Luck)
- 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
