IndependentsFeb 17, 2021
Marla Aaron’s Latest Vending Machine Supports the Struggling Restaurant IndustryEditorsFeb 22, 2022
Out & About: The Designer With a Gumball Machine at Bergdorf
It’s Marla Aaron, who previously had a jewelry vending machine in the Brooklyn Museum.
A shot inside Marla Aaron’s “residency” at Bergdorf Goodman, which will continue through the end of March. (Photo credit: Richard Cadan)
When my parents first started dating more than five decades ago, my mom broke it off after a couple months.
She had just started college in Clarion, Pennsylvania, and wanted to be free to enjoy it, not be tied down in a relationship with a guy who lived 90 miles away in Pittsburgh.
So, she wrote him a Dear John letter telling him so—the ‘60s equivalent of a sliding out of the DMs.
Years later, as she was about to graduate, she ran into my dad again, at an establishment called the After Dark Lounge in Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania. He was drunk but had the wherewithal to reintroduce himself and give my mother a plastic skull ring out of a toy vending machine, along with a promise that he’d call.
When my mother left After Dark with her friend that night, she said something along the lines of, “That guy’s not going to call me. He was drunk; he’s not going to remember even seeing me.”
Fifty-two years later (and luckily for me), my mom was wrong.
I’ve been thinking a lot about that vending machine ring, the power of jewelry as totem, and the joy of the unexpected after visiting with a designer and her jewelry vending machine in a setting slightly more upscale than the After Dark Lounge.
A couple Fridays ago, I trudged uptown through yet another miserable bout of winter weather to meet with Marla Aaron and her company’s head of marketing, Sarah Daniel, at Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Aaron currently has a temporary presence inside the iconic department store in the form of what I’ve heard referred to as both a “residency” and a “takeover.”
What it is, basically, is a shop-in-shop occupying a small space that serves as a passageway between the main jewelry show floor and the elevators. And it is, for now at least, all Marla Aaron and all masterminded by Daniel.
The space is decorated with the same detailed wallpaper, custom-made by Timorous Beasties, Aaron has in her New York City showroom.
The ceiling is made to look like fordite—a material Aaron utilizes quite a bit—and the case displays, like Aaron’s jewelry, are utilitarian and beautiful at the same time.
I love the peg boards mixed in among the traditional neck forms; they remind of me my dad’s workbench in the basement of my childhood home.
Also included among the jewelry are large-scale, decorative versions of the various pieces of hardware that make Aaron’s jewelry function. The large spirals, for example, mirror the threading in her signature locks.
She had just started college in Clarion, Pennsylvania, and wanted to be free to enjoy it, not be tied down in a relationship with a guy who lived 90 miles away in Pittsburgh.
So, she wrote him a Dear John letter telling him so—the ‘60s equivalent of a sliding out of the DMs.
Years later, as she was about to graduate, she ran into my dad again, at an establishment called the After Dark Lounge in Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania. He was drunk but had the wherewithal to reintroduce himself and give my mother a plastic skull ring out of a toy vending machine, along with a promise that he’d call.
When my mother left After Dark with her friend that night, she said something along the lines of, “That guy’s not going to call me. He was drunk; he’s not going to remember even seeing me.”
Fifty-two years later (and luckily for me), my mom was wrong.
I’ve been thinking a lot about that vending machine ring, the power of jewelry as totem, and the joy of the unexpected after visiting with a designer and her jewelry vending machine in a setting slightly more upscale than the After Dark Lounge.
A couple Fridays ago, I trudged uptown through yet another miserable bout of winter weather to meet with Marla Aaron and her company’s head of marketing, Sarah Daniel, at Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Aaron currently has a temporary presence inside the iconic department store in the form of what I’ve heard referred to as both a “residency” and a “takeover.”
What it is, basically, is a shop-in-shop occupying a small space that serves as a passageway between the main jewelry show floor and the elevators. And it is, for now at least, all Marla Aaron and all masterminded by Daniel.
The space is decorated with the same detailed wallpaper, custom-made by Timorous Beasties, Aaron has in her New York City showroom.
The ceiling is made to look like fordite—a material Aaron utilizes quite a bit—and the case displays, like Aaron’s jewelry, are utilitarian and beautiful at the same time.
I love the peg boards mixed in among the traditional neck forms; they remind of me my dad’s workbench in the basement of my childhood home.
Also included among the jewelry are large-scale, decorative versions of the various pieces of hardware that make Aaron’s jewelry function. The large spirals, for example, mirror the threading in her signature locks.
Inside Marla Aaron’s cases at Bergdorf Goodman, traditional neck forms mix with the designer’s signature whimsy and creativity. See: the peg boards, the spirals mimicking the threading inside her locks, the chunk of uncut fordite, and the pin art toy at the top, a nod to “The Pins Charm.” (Photo credit: Richard Cadan)
In addition to being creative, Aaron’s Bergdorf displays abide by another cardinal rule of visual merchandising: don’t make display cases too crowded. (Photo credit: Richard Cadan)
The centerpiece of this mini showroom is the jewelry-dispensing gumball machine.
“Automated retail,” Aaron said, “is something I feel very strongly about.”
It’s also something the designer has experimented with in the past, as Aaron is the one who had the jewelry vending machine I went to see in the Brooklyn Museum a few years ago.
This gumball machine is not a device that needs a great amount of introduction; it works like the basic gumball- or toy-dispensing machine you’d hit up on your way out of Kmart.
But instead of sticking a quarter in the slot and turning, customers must buy a $110 token (this is Bergdorf, after all) from one of the sales associates in order to make it work.
Then they simply insert the token, turn the knob and, voila, a tiny, clear plastic egg emerges with a sterling silver “Babylock,” the smallest version of Aaron’s signature style and the piece she considers the “gateway” to her entire collection.
Now, here is where the unexpected joy comes into play.
Mixed in among the small silver locks at first was a rose gold and diamond “Baby Heartlock,” which someone got, and now there’s a yellow gold and diamond Babylock. Insert that token, and you might be the lucky one who ends up with a little something extra.
While I was interviewing Aaron and Daniel at Bergdorf, I got the chance to see the machine in action.
A young woman wearing a few Marla Aaron pieces and proclaiming herself to have an “obsession” with the brand came in and bought a token.
An Alabama native who now lives in Washington, D.C., she was in New York City for the weekend with her boyfriend and said she just had to come in after seeing the gumball machine on Instagram.
The air was heavy with excitement while Aaron and I filmed her attempt for social media. Will she get the yellow gold and diamond lock?!? I was genuinely rooting for this person I’d never met before.
Ultimately, she did not, but it was fun anyway, just like Aaron and her jewelry.
Aaron shows her latest creative retail venture some love. (Photo credit: Richard Cadan)
This space in Bergdorf, Aaron told me, is her brand’s U.S. department store debut, with the designer admitting she was initially resistant to the idea of a department store because she doesn’t feel they fit the way her jewelry is sold.
She likes to take out a bunch of locks and let her customers play, see how the pieces they already own are going to work with new pieces. It brings out creativity in the wearer and is a big part of what has made Aaron such a collectible success story.
Yet in most department stores in America, “it’s this idea of the case,” Aaron said, of things being locked away and displayed on neck forms.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
At Bergdorf, though, there is a private room that allows for a more Marla Aaron-like appointment.
And the brand was able inject a bit of its DNA into the display cases, mixing in the large-scale hardware elements, the peg boards, and pieces of “raw” fordite among the traditional jewelry display forms.
So, will she stay after her shop-in-shop’s time is up?
“There’s always an opportunity,” Aaron said.
Marla Aaron’s Bergdorf Goodman residency, including her gumball machine, continues through March 30.
And the brand was able inject a bit of its DNA into the display cases, mixing in the large-scale hardware elements, the peg boards, and pieces of “raw” fordite among the traditional jewelry display forms.
So, will she stay after her shop-in-shop’s time is up?
“There’s always an opportunity,” Aaron said.
Marla Aaron’s Bergdorf Goodman residency, including her gumball machine, continues through March 30.
More on Editors
The Latest
CollectionsJul 17, 2026
HOWL Taps Shailene Woodley for ‘Home Sweet Home’ CampaignWoodley is seen in the campaign wearing our Piece of the Week, the “Frida” collar featuring 13 pieces of hand-carved Venetian glass.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
U.K. Woman Pays £5 for £15K Diamond Ring at Car Boot SaleA WeBuyVintage jewelry expert uncovered how much the flea market find was actually worth.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
Diamond Dealer Jeff Pancis Pens MemoirThe founder of natural colored diamond wholesaler Pancis Gems shares stories from his five decades in the industry.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Events & AwardsJul 17, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
Weekly QuizJul 17, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingJul 16, 2026
Ekati to Close, Leaving Canada With One Diamond Mine The diamond mine, which opened nearly 30 years ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is expected to shut down by mid-August.
FinancialsJul 16, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Sales Soar for the Seventh Quarter in a RowJewelry sales for the company, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vhernier, and Buccellati, rose 21 percent in the first quarter.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program Certifies First Advanced Apprentice GraduateThe graduate, Grace Barden, credited the program with helping her secure a job as a bench jeweler.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
Jewelers of Louisiana to Host 80th ConventionThe event, scheduled for next month in New Orleans, will include dinner, a custom jewelry design contest, and education sessions.
SourcingJul 15, 2026
1,305-Carat Diamond Recovered from Mine in BotswanaThe yet-to-be named stone is the 10th diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats to come out of Lucara’s Karowe mine.
IndependentsJul 15, 2026
New Jersey Jeweler Barry Berman Dies at 81The founder of Fords Jewelers, Berman is remembered for his love of connecting with his community.
FinancialsJul 15, 2026
Watches of Switzerland’s US Sales Jump 18%, Declines to Comment on Sale Report The watch and jewelry retailer had a strong fiscal year despite what its CEO described as a “complex operating backdrop.”
Events & AwardsJul 15, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
CollectionsJul 15, 2026
Pomellato’s New High Jewelry Is LiberatingBold color, expressive gem-setting, and sculptural form define the three chapters that make up “Stile Libero.”
IndependentsJul 14, 2026
Foundrae Opens First Standalone Store Outside USThe New York-based jewelry brand has expanded overseas, opening a store in London’s Mayfair district.
ColumnistsJul 14, 2026
Sherry Smith: What Today’s Jewelry Consumer Is Telling Us Rising revenue does not automatically mean a healthy business, particularly in the current economic landscape, Smith writes.
TrendsJul 14, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Shoulder Dusters These long, fluid drop earrings are sure to catch the eye.
CrimeJul 14, 2026
Man Charged in $1M Jewelry Store Heist Lands on FBI Most Wanted ListAlberto Perez-Elias is one of four men charged with robbing a Cape Coral, Florida, jewelry store and is the only one still at large.
Events & AwardsJul 14, 2026
Conference on Mining, Sustainability Kicks Off in NYCInitiatives in Art and Culture is hosting its 16th annual Gold and Diamond Conference, with the theme of “Resilience.”
Lab-GrownJul 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Changes Her Mind on Lab-Grown DiamondsThe designer, who once said she’d never sell lab-grown diamonds, debuted two capsule collections designed to be fun and easy to wear.
SourcingJul 13, 2026
De Beers Announces Potential Layoffs, 2-Year Production Pause at VenetiaThe diamond miner and marketer is undergoing another round of cost-cutting measures ahead of its sale by Anglo American.
Events & AwardsJul 13, 2026
Registration Opens for JIS Fall 2026 ShowThe annual trade-only buying event is slated for Oct. 16-19 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Events & AwardsJul 13, 2026
AGTA Accepting Entries for Spectrum 2026AGTA also has announced the lineup of judges for the colored gemstone cutting and jewelry design contest’s various categories.
TechnologyJul 10, 2026
There’s a New Blind Box for Luxury Watches Collectibles platform Arena Club’s new Time Boxes could contain a Rolex or Patek Philippe watch.
TrendsJul 10, 2026
Jade Trau Creates a Constellation of DiamondsThe “Constellation Plié” collar, our Piece of the Week, features diamonds arranged in a constellation of shining stars.
SourcingJul 10, 2026
CFO of De Beers’ Consumer-Facing Division Leaves Company Shaun Wills joined the company in 2024 and was chief financial officer of the De Beers Brands and Consumer Markets division.
