Houston Jeweler I W Marks Announces Store Renovation
The updated space will have a bar, private viewing room, and seating lounge.

The independently owned second-generation jeweler in Houston, Texas has announced it is undertaking a large interior renovation to be completed by the fall.
Owner Brad Marks said in a press release, “For the past 44 years, we have continually evolved and transformed the store to provide our customers the luxury experience synonymous with I W Marks, and we feel it is time to revamp the space once again.”
Founded in 1978 by Diane and Irv Marks, I W Marks was originally a 500-square-foot store. Today, it’s a 7,500-square-foot space.
The Marks’ son, Brad Marks, took over in 2008.
The store specializes in fashion fine jewelry from brands like Suzanne Kalan, Mattia Cielo, and Kimberly McDonald, as well as bridal jewelry from the likes of Michael M. They also stock luxury watches from Zenith, Oris, Raymond Weil, and IWM Watches.
I W Marks also has a thriving custom jewelry business with a team of in-house master craftsmen.
Houston architectural firm IdentityArchitects is spearheading the store renovation. It will feature a new layout with items organized by brand.
There will be a bar, a private viewing room, and a seating lounge. New light fixtures, furniture, and display cases will also create an elegant store feel.
The renovation includes an inventory revamp. Starting this month, I W Marks has been cleaning house with discounts up to 70 percent off.
It’s enlisted several new brands, such as Franck Muller, Carl F. Bucherer, Angelus, and Oris in the timepiece arena and Michael M, Konstantino, Mémoire, and Lashbrook for jewelry brands.
With many updates in its 40-plus years of business, the last renovation was five years ago.
Marks said, “It’s healthy for a business to evaluate every few years and make changes if necessary. We’re making dramatic changes to ensure we remain the top jewelry and watch destination in Houston for decades to come. We are very excited for the future of I W Marks.”
I W Marks is located at 3841 Bellaire Blvd in Houston.
It’s one of the latest independents to announce expansions or new store plans.
Chicago’s C.D. Peacock will open a new 20,000-square-foot store at an outdoor mall in the Oak Brook suburb this fall.
Lee Michaels is set to open a new store in the fall as well, a 10,000-square-foot location in a suburb of New Orleans.
Arkansas jeweler Sissy’s Log Cabin, meanwhile, will open a new store in West Little Rock this May, its sixth location overall.
The Latest

One is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.

In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.

9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

The jeweler has partnered with Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.


The exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.

Marquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

The inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.

Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.

The reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.

Sponsored by American Gem Trade Association

In the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.

The 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.

The expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.

The lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.

The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.

Two suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.

Finsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.

Michel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.

Longtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.

The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.

Jamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.

Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.

Honest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.

























