Changing Lane
Jeweler-to-the-stars Neil Lane has partnered with Kay Jewelers for the debut of Neil Lane Bridal, a line of 36 vintage- and Hollywood-esque wedding and engagement rings. Lane designs each piece, and styles are inspired by longtime dealings with some of Hollywood’s hottest stars, including Madonna. Lane calls the resulting creations “authentic, glamorous, and romantic.”
“I have always dreamed of bringing my Hollywood glamour to America,” Lane told JCK while on a break from his Los Angeles launch party. “The collection embodies my aesthetic with all the celebrities I have worked with and makes them attainable for a larger audience.” The 14k gold rings—priced $2,599 to $7,799—are grouped in four sub-categories: Energy (which comprises 14 looks), Timeless (eight), Essence (eight), and Harmony (six). —Jennifer Heebner
Something on the Side
18k gold Venetian mountings; $1,750 and up; Verragio, New York City; 800-837-7244; verragio.com
Verragio’s just-launched Venetian Collection boasts its signature crown-shaped bezel setting—beneath the center stone and evident from the side profile—as well as five shank shapes, all designed to emphasize the profile view for the wearer. All mountings—which start at $1,750 in 18k gold—feature fixed spaces in shank bottoms for extra ornament. The Classic style displays two East-West round bezel-set stones mid-shank; the Centro has a V tip, as well as East-West-set stones. The Lido, which shares its name with an island in Venice, Italy, has a V tip with an inset bezel-set stone, as well as diamonds mid-shank. The Euro offers a slightly curved shank with a V tip and inset and diamonds mid-shank. Scalloped edges, a V tip, and mid-shank-set stones define the Lace style. All styles are available with or without milgrain. —JH
Rock ’N’ Ring
Mountings in the Rock My World collection in 18k gold start at $2,400; Peter Storm, San Mateo, Calif.; 650-341-8717; peterstormjewelry.com
With his new rock ’n’ roll–inspired line, Peter Storm hopes to rock the world of a very specific woman: “She is age 27 to 35, owns jewelry, and wants an arrival ring but has constraints on income, like car payments,” says president Ann Storm. Rock My World is “up-market and sized for bigger center stones, from 1 to 2 cts. t.w.” The 18k gold mountings (which start at $2,400) come in 30 styles and feature lyrical detailing, scallop shapes, and diamond accents visible on side profiles. The launch consists of social media outreach—Storm will provide retailers with Facebook posts—plus customized research and e-mail marketing for clients who host in-store events.
To help retailers connect, data mining targets individuals in a three- to five-mile radius who fit a desired profile, including household incomes of $150,000 and up, marital status, and even music interests—something Storm knows a bit about. Ann and Peter—who have been married for 26 years—both have friends in the recording industry, like Linkin Park front man Chester Bennington (a Storm client). Asked if her designer hubby plays music, Ann cracks: “Only very badly.” —JH