June 2019

Diamonds for Days: Asschers and Ovals and Pear Shapes Oh My!

Diamonds for Days: Asschers and Ovals and Pear Shapes—Oh My!

Stacks of showstopping rings, piles of tennis bracelets, 100-carat-plus ensembles: The sky’s the limit with these diamonds Photography by Diego Uchitel Stylist Soraya Dayani Jewelry Editor Rima Suqi  Earrings with 46.38 cts. t.w. Asscher-cut Forevermark diamonds in platinum, price on request, Rahaminov Diamonds for Forevermark Diamonds, 213-622-9866, rahaminov.com; 18k white gold ring with 2.42 cts. t.w. diamonds,…

How Green Is Your Diamond? The Truths and Myths of Lab Growns

Are lab-grown diamonds truly more environmentally friendly than their mined counterparts, as adherents claim? The Federal Trade Com­mission’s guides to eco-­marketing have always been clear: General benefit claims, like eco-friendly, should not be used. Yet, for years, lab-grown diamond companies have used that claim, and many others, to show the greater “ethics” of their product. And,…

The Color Report: Pantone Jewels for Fall-Winter 2019–2020

Bold, strong & visceral are the ways Pantone describes its autumn-winter 2019–2020 palette. We picked 12 jewels to match the powerful hues. Necklace with 254.88 cts. t.w. emerald beads, 2.93 cts. t.w. diamonds, and antique Tibetan silver gau (prayer box); price on request; Pamela Huizenga; 772-871-0033; pamelahuizenga.com   Pink opal inlay Star ring with ruby,…

Uneasy Money: How Rising Interest Rates Are Affecting Jewelers

To maximize profit, minimize debt, and avoid financing woes, jewelers must adapt to rising interest rates. Here’s how the industry’s top finance wonks see the current borrowing climate. The cost of cash is up, and jewelers need to adjust. The Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve System determines monetary policy to regulate the…

Movin’ On Up: 5 Jewelry Retailers’ Best Tips for Changing Locations

Every year, owners of ­jewelry stores around the country endure a daunting task when they pack up and move their wares into a new location. As landlords change, demographics shift, or business priorities evolve, retailers relocate their stores to better position their operations for future success. JCK spoke to five retailers who have ­recently moved…

My Day Behind the Jewelry Counter

Our reporter spent a Saturday in April shadowing the pros at I. Gorman Jewelers in Washington, D.C. Here’s what she learned about luxury retailing in the age of smartphones and social media. “Whatever I get, it needs to be something I can wear to the gym,” says a woman dressed in upscale yoga wear as…

Time After Time: Clocking This Season’s Most Stylish Watches

From two-tone metal models to blue-in-the-face designs, these are the season’s most stylish watches Vintage Revival 1. El Primero A386 Revival in 38 mm 18k rose gold case; $19,600; Zenith; 866-675-2079; zenith-watches.com 2. L.U.C Chrono One Flyback chronograph in 42 mm Titalyt case; $29,100; Chopard; 800-CHOPARD; chopard.com 3. Heritage BiCompax Annual chronograph and annual calendar…

5 Top Female Jewelry Execs Share the Secrets to Their Success

Five women in leadership positions in the jewelry industry reflect on the management strategies that have earned them high marks in the trade Nadja Swarovski, Swarovski A lot of jewelry businesses are family businesses, but most of them aren’t like the $4 billion Austrian crystal juggernaut founded by Nadja Swarovski’s great-great-grandfather in 1895. Swarovski has overseen…

Malls of America: The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace

JCK’s ongoing series on the shopping centers finding success amid an ever-changing retail landscape The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace 3500 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas In Las Vegas, a town where fresh and fabulous reign supreme, the nearly 30-year-old Forum Shops continue to innovate and impress In Roman times, the forum represented the…

150 Years, 150 Voices: Reflections on JCK, Part 4

JCK would be nowhere without the industry insiders who have helped the magazine along the way—by making the news, reading it in our pages, or both. So we asked 150 of them to join the dialogue about how the jewelry business has changed over the decades and the role we have played in that evolution.…

JCK Las Vegas and Luxury 2019 Move Back to the Sands

To celebrate the return of the JCK and Luxury shows to their original location at the Sands Expo this month, we asked five veteran showgoers to reflect on what they loved most about the old venue (the parties!) and what they hope to find this year (new designers!). You can’t go home again? Watch us!…

Behind JCK’s Diamond-Filled June 2019 Cover Looks

Cover Photography by Diego Uchitel Stylist: Soraya Dayan/Art Department Hair: Moiz Alladina Using R+Co/The Wall Group Makeup: Hector Simancas Using Chanel/Art Department Manicurist: Roseann Singleton/Art Department Model: Lauren Layne/The Lions NY Stylist Assistant: Daniel Alvero; Dress: Nina Ricci; Trench: Wanda Nylon You Show, Girl! JCK Las Vegas returns to a sparkling new Sands Earrings with…

5 Things Rocking the Industry: June 2019

SHOWS It’s showtime—and if you work in the jewelry biz, you’re probably reading this in Sin City. JCK Las Vegas remains the Strip’s shining star during jewelry week, and this year, America’s biggest trade fair, along with sister show Luxury, returns to where it all began, the Sands Expo and The Venetian. “The campus is…

From the Editor, June 2019: A Remembrance of JCKs Past

My first JCK show was a doozy. It was 2000, and I’d just been hired by a fledgling B2B website called GemKey.com as its New York City–based pearl and watch editor. I knew nothing about pearls and even less about watches. A month into my new gig, my boss, Russ Shor, a former JCK diamond…

Staff Picks, June 2019: Sapphire Escape

What JCK magazine’s Melissa Rose Bernardo is loving this month “Dark blue sapphires might be the most popular, but I’ve always preferred the lighter colors. And how sweet are these rainbow combos?!” —Melissa Rose Bernardo, JCK managing editor (Above) 44-inch sapphire knotted necklace with pavé diamond daisy and sapphire pendant; $6,600; Sheryl Lowe; 805-969-1742; sheryllowejewelry.com…

From the Publisher, June 2019: It’s Showtime!

Welcome to our best-read issue of the year, the June issue of JCK! If you’re reading this at JCK Las Vegas, I hope you’ve noticed the beautiful 150th-anniversary graphics located above our show distribution stands. The milestone is such an exciting reminder of what an institution this publication (and now its website) is! We are…

Why The Jewellery Editor Is Our Favorite Instagram of the Month

Between the website thejewelleryeditor.com and all of its social platforms, editor-in-chief Maria Doulton and her team (@thejewelleryed) have amassed nearly 3 million followers since only 2010—and it’s easy to see why. Her consumer-friendly, industry-minded coverage is smart, well-informed, and beautiful. Lapis and turquoise rings from Egyptian brand Azza Fahmy Up close and personal with a…

Snapshots from the American Gem Society 2019 Conclave

Spotted at the American Gem Society’s April Conclave in the Emerald City: gem nerds, trivia hounds, improv stars, and education junkies Displaying team spirit (and matching T-shirts) at Hearts On Fire trivia night JCK publisher Mark Smelzer on Jewelers of America’s new consumer marketing campaign Shipley Award winner Kelly Newton (r.) with his wife, Marilyn…

FTC Cautions Sellers of Lab-Grown and Simulant Diamonds

In early April, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent ­warning letters to eight companies that sell lab-grown ­diamonds and look-alike diamond simulants, warning them that their communications don’t adhere to the commission’s Jewelry Guides and could mislead or confuse consumers. The move received widespread attention, as it is rare for the FTC to take any…

3 Questions for…the GIA’s Tom Moses

GIA executive vice ­president and chief laboratory and ­research officer Tom Moses recently spoke to JCK at GIA’s ­instrument ­development hub in New ­Jersey, where he discussed the new lab-grown grading reports, ­country-of-origin reports, and why GIA is now growing diamonds. GIA just changed its lab-grown diamond grading reports, but it’s still using a narrower…

Industry and People: June 2019

COMINGS AND GOINGS Darin Rabb has become the North American brand president of IWC Schaffhausen. He was most recently vice president of global retail brand marketing at Nike. Sebastian “Seb” Hobbs, who served as Signet Jewelers president and chief customer officer since 2017, stepped down from the role in April. Bonhams has appointed ­Leslie Roskind…

How Paul Altieri Made a Name for Himself With Bob’s Watches

Rolex e-tailer Paul Altieri on his digital alter ego and the growth in pre-owned watch sales The demand for Daytonas, Submariners, and other iconic Rolex timepieces has made the venerable Swiss brand the most counterfeited watchmaker in the world. With so many high-quality fakes circulating, the retail landscape for shoppers has become perilous, says Paul…

What Are Your Store’s Most Popular Diamond Jewelry Requests?

Radiant rounds are always a classic, but because we’re such big fans of more nontraditional cuts, our customers are often curious about them too. Our clients love the rustic rose cuts. We see these mostly in ovals, rounds, and pear shapes. We make a diamond stud in a triangle formation with rose cuts that does really…

Causes to Celebrate: Sarah Ho’s Full Circle Project

With her new Full Circle collection, London-based jewelry designer Sarah Ho sources exceptional gems from around the world, creates exclusive jewelry designs highlighting those stones, then gives back to the local communities of origin. It’s a circular journey, literally from the ground up.  Gemstones have always formed the centerpiece of Ho’s designs, and the Full…

Mint Condition: Bright Green Jewelry for Summer

A fresh take on green—using various gems and materials—is a cool breeze on a summer day (Top) LOVE necklace with agate, pink sapphires, diamonds, and enamel in 20k yellow gold; $64,000; Buddha Mama; 305-439-2059; buddhamama.com Swivel earrings with green turquoise in 14k yellow gold; $3,960; Retrouvaí; 646-745-6831; retrouvai.com Constellation Dome ring with paraiba tourmaline and…

Feather Girls Kendall Jenner and Tracee Ellis Ross

Not only is the fly look on our cover model, but it’s also on Hollywood’s chicest celebs Kendall Jenner Even if you don’t keep up with the Kardashians, you might have heard that model Kendall—sister of makeup mogul Kylie and half-sis of media conglomerate Kim—is featured in Tiffany & Co.’s spring 2019 advertising campaign. So…

How Brothers Jack and Dominick Struck Success With Gabriel & Co.

Gabriel & Co.’s Jack and Dominick Gabriel have built a jewelry brand founded on values they acquired in their native Lebanon When Dominick Gabriel arrived in America from war-torn Lebanon in 1983, he was 13 years old and spoke no English. “Very difficult,” he says now of settling down in suburban Long Island, where his…

JCK Asks…Jewelry Designer Freida Rothman

Let the Brooklyn, N.Y.–based designer and JCK exhibitor show you how to stack like a pro Growing up, we learned certain rules about jewelry. Silver goes with silver, gold goes with gold, and never the twain shall meet. Fortunately, since then, we’ve learned that mixing metals isn’t verboten. But if you’re still unsure, let Freida…

Meet the Parrots: Lydia Courteille’s Wild Mayan Bird Earrings

A recent trip to sunny Guatemala inspired Parisian jewelry ­designer ­Lydia Courteille to create a collection of vibrantly colored pieces that pay ­homage to the ancient Mayan civilization that once flourished in Central ­America. Along with jeweled odes to Mayan embroidery, worry dolls, and ­architecture, Courteille ­conjured these exquisite mismatched parrot earrings. “I saw a…

Bridal, June 2019: Oscar Heyman Guard Rings and More

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION The New Guard Guard rings, typically worn on top of bridal ring sets, are traditionally more adorned than ­wedding bands. And Oscar ­Heyman’s new guard rings are ­appropriately blingy. But the collection also updates the classic style by mashing up gemstone varieties and cuts within single pieces. Diamonds, rubies, and sapphires in baguettes,…

Silver, June 2019: Jack Vartanian’s Chain Collection and More

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION Link Big When Brazilian ­jewelry designer Jack ­Vartanian created his new Chain collection of oversize sterling silver necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, he had the buzz of distorted electric guitars whirring in his brain. “I wanted to create the links of a chain to give a punk rock feeling,” says the designer, who was…

Men’s, June 2019: William Henry Gemstone Jewelry and More

CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION Oh Henry! Inlays of hard stones dress up William Henry’s latest sterling silver collection, Satin, in hues that range from intense (red tiger’s eye) to subdued (black jade), with some space in between (labradorite’s cosmic mix of iridescent pinks and greens). The new collection from the popular McMinnville, Ore.–based men’s jewelry brand features…

Inside JCK Las Vegas’ New Global Gemstones Pavilion

As per usual, buyers attending JCK Las Vegas will find no shortage of loose colored gemstones on the show floor. What sets this year apart, however—besides the event’s new-old home at the Sands Expo and The Venetian—is that the mix of gemstone exhibitors will include both domestic and international dealers, many of whom are known…

5 Tech Developments That Are Changing Retail

Retailing used to be a straightforward business. Store owners stocked, advertised, and sold products; customers bought them. But the rise of technology—first the internet, then devices, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and more—has presented retailers and consumers alike with innovations that are upending time-honored norms. This evolution has been so rapid, it can be difficult to…

The Goods, June 2019: Kate Spade New York Scallop 2 and More

WHO, WHAT, WEARABLE Kate Spade New York Scallop 2 Kate Spade New York’s original Scallop, released in 2018, checked a lot of boxes for female smartwatch wearers. The Bluetooth-connected timepiece was ­feminine but boasted a bigger dial, robust functionality, and on-trend appeal. Together with wearables partner Fossil Group, the brand updated the Scallop 2 in…

Cover Stories From 150 Years of JCK: Dark ’30

The Jewelers’ Circular entered the Great Depression with a not entirely surprising focus on credit, finance, and creative customer payment plans the year is 1930—which might account for the austere cover. The start of the Great Depression could also explain the feature “Customer Arranges Own Payment Plan,” focusing on Barrett W. Stephenson, credit manager of…

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