If you’ve received the current issue of JCK magazine, definitely give my story “Shopping Smart” a read. It surveys several retailers and buyers about their shopping strategies for LUXURY and JCK Las Vegas. When Reinhold Jewelers reached out to me, it was too late to include its perspective in my report, but I was not going to pass up an opportunity to find out what the award-winning Old San Juan, Puerto Rico–based jeweler had in mind for the shows, especially if it could be helpful to other JCK readers who are attending the event but could perhaps use some help streamlining and prioritizing. With so much time away, it certainly helps to have a plan!
“One of our main shopping strategies is seeking brands with unique storytelling,” says Mildred Marcano, sales, marketing, and buyer director for Reinhold Jewelers. “This is very important for us, not only for experiential marketing purposes, but also our clients are looking for something different, meaningful, and personal that they can engage with. Customization, personalization, symbolism are important elements.”
This point of view aligns with what many other retailers have shared with us, and for brands with this sort of storytelling, JCK’s Design Collective neighborhood should be your first stop.
But I pressed Marcano for more specifics, and what follows is a really helpful recap of what she shared with me (with some JCK exhibitor suggestions curated by yours truly to illustrate her remarks).
“For 2022, one of our main goals in our strategy is to debut a new packaging design for Reinhold,” says Marcano. “JCK offers great packaging and display vendors, so we are looking forward to seeing what’s new in this category.”
“We look at all categories,” she says. “Right now, our clients are looking for everyday luxury pieces that they can combine, stack, layer all together with their keepsake [and] heirloom, and [incorporate] new pieces to create their own jewelry stories.”
“One category that has been growing for us has been the new love for ear stories, multiple piercings, and ear cuffs. We have a diverse clientele, and we are seeing clients being more of risk-takers and having fun and trying new things.”
“Baby/kids jewelry is another growing category for us,” says Marcano, “and one we are looking to expand on.”
“Different to other years, we have noticed that clients are being more daring and are wanting and wearing more color in their lives—rainbow-color jewelry and enamel! We recently introduced our clients to NeverNot and Bea Bongiasca jewelry lines that are fun, bold, and colorful, and they have exceeded our expectations on how much our clients are loving them. Incorporating these new and bright styles has shown us that our customer is ready for innovative new nontraditional jewelry designs.”
“One long tradition we have at JCK is that we always make a point to see our long-term vendor of over 20 years, William Levine,” says Marcano. “It’s a tradition now—he knows we always go see him. Another one we must say hello to, and one we discovered at JCK a few years ago, is William Henry, known for men’s jewelry, fine knives, and beautiful pens that we sell at our men’s store, Kiyume.”
“We are looking forward to start traveling and visiting our designers in person. We miss them very much. In the meantime, we have been working on virtual appointments so we can start seeing their new Fall 2021 collections [ahead of JCK]. And we love discovering new and upcoming designers that can become part of the Reinhold family. We like to foster new talent and be a part of their growth.”
Top: Emeralds are among the most sought-after stones among Reinhold Jewelers’ clientele. Earrings in platinum with emeralds and diamonds, $130,550; Cicada Jewelry
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