More than 200,000 people visited New York Comic Con this year. Senior Editor Lenore Fedow details the jewelry she saw there and why more jewelry brands should consider exhibiting at the annual gathering of comic book, movie, and video game fans. (Image credit: Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for ReedPop)
For the past few years, I’ve been attending New York Comic Con (NYCC), scoping out the best nerdy jewelry I can find.
You can see all the fun jewelry I found in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
I brave the crowds at NYCC each year because I love the vibe.
For four days, the Javits Center is jam-packed with people, young and old, excited to celebrate something they love, be it a favorite superhero, anime, movie, or anything else that has a fandom.
You’ll find incredible cosplays, fun giveaways, and rows and rows of merchandise to buy.
If you’re unfamiliar with Comic Con, you may not understand just how much money people are willing to spend here. People line up for Comic Con exclusives and drop hundreds on special-edition and collector’s items, new and old.
This year’s gathering, which ran from Oct. 17 to 20 at the Javits Center, welcomed more than 200,000 attendees, according to ReedPop, a boutique group within RX, formerly Reed Exhibitions.
(If that company sounds familiar, it’s because RX’s portfolio includes the JCK and Luxury trade shows.)
NYCC had an estimated economic impact of $80 million for New York City, according to New York City Tourism and Conventions.
If you’re still skeptical of the crowd’s purchasing power, a 2015 survey by Eventbrite (the most recent survey I could find) contains some data to back me up.
The majority of survey respondents (59 percent) said they spend between $100 to $500 at fan events like Comic Con, not including the price of tickets, food, and parking. Ten percent of attendees will spend $500 or more.
If we apply that to this year’s crowd, that’s 20,000 people ready to drop more than $500 each.
“Fandom conventions have exploded from nerd niche to ‘peak geek’ and have an economic impact in the billions of dollars range,” said Rob Salkowitz, author of “Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture,” in a release about the Eventbright survey.
“This survey gives us hard data to dispel some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding fandom and can help organizers plan better events.”
Among those who said they bought merchandise, original art and prints were the top choice (37 percent).
This makes sense to me, as that tends to be what I buy when I’m there.
There’s a real appreciation for original artwork, and I’m sure this affection would extend to jewelry designs.
NYCC’s Artist Alley, a space for fans to meet and purchase artwork from artists, is always packed.
Attendees stop by a booth at New York Comic Con. (Image credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for ReedPop)
Perhaps you have preconceived notions about who attends Comic Con and who creates cosplay outfits, but the answer may surprise you.
The survey found that most cosplayers (60 percent) are between the ages of 23 and 39 and a majority (65 percent) identify as female, both important demographics for jewelers.
Though the Eventbright survey is a bit dated, I can tell you anecdotally that I did see many young women cosplayers and a lot of crowded booths selling original artwork.
Nerds are my specialty, because I am one of them, and I’m certain that fine jewelry would do well here.
I’m not saying to showcase your high jewelry next to the Spider-Man mugs, but I’m convinced that lower-price-point fine jewelry would absolutely sell here.
There are jewelry vendors at Comic Con whom I visit every year who set up professional-looking booths where the jewelry looks right at home.
Related stories will be right here …
If you had any idea what it costs to make a high-end cosplay outfit from scratch, you’d be in awe of this segment’s spending power.
People are multidimensional, and that same woman dressed as DC Comics character Poison Ivy could be a high-level executive at her 9-5 with a big budget for jewelry.
There are some well-known watch and jewelry brands who have already gotten the memo on NYCC.
Swarovski was there again this year showcasing its incredible statues, including a $35,000 Superman statue and a $30,000 Spider-Man statue.
Like most things at NYCC, I had to wait in line to get into the booth.
Inside, Swarovski also displayed its crystal figures of characters from Marvel, Disney, and Star Wars.
There was also a tray of Swarovski jewelry there for attendees to see.
I also stopped by a few jewelry booths I visit every year, including RockLove Jewelry.
The New York-based company, founded and led by women, celebrated its 15th anniversary last year.
Founder Allison Cimino studied precious metal jewelry craftsmanship, starting her career in the New York Diamond District before creating her own brand.
The company has licensing deals with all the heavyweights, including Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek.
This year, its booth was dedicated to its new collection, which debuted at the event, inspired by Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
Its Comic Con exclusive “Kyoshi Warrior” earrings were sold out by the time I visited the booth on the last day of the show. I heard some about-to-be-disappointed fans remark how cute they were as they stepped up to the booth.
My next stop was What’s Your Passion Jewelry, founded by a brother-sister duo whose family has been in the jewelry industry for more than 40 years.
Avital Kathein, a Florida-based jewelry designer, serves as CEO, while her brother, Ari Kathein, who is a GIA graduate gemologist, is the president.
It’s the only booth I know of at the show that offers fine jewelry, including its sterling silver pieces with 14-karat gold-plated accents.
The Los Angeles-based fashion jewelry company has inked some notable partnerships, including Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel.
What I learned from my visits to these jewelers is that what helps them sell jewelry isn’t any different from what works for a family-owned independent jeweler.
Their customers are looking for something joyful, a piece that reminds them of something special in their life.
You may roll your eyes at that “something special” being a superhero or a cartoon, but these characters and storylines can be as impactful as any piece of art you enjoy.
Storytelling is an important tool for any jeweler and the vendors at Comic Con understand that, incorporating special elements from various fandoms into their pieces.
I previously wrote a story about nerdy engagement ring offerings, which showed people will choose pieces like these for arguably their most important jewelry purchase ever.
The interest is there from customers, whether that’s for $200 “Magic: The Gathering” pieces from RockLove Jewelry or for Batman-inspired colored diamond rings selling for $800,000.
Granted, offering this type of fandom jewelry is not for everyone or for every market, but there are designers in the fine jewelry space who are creating incredible pieces.
Soulbound, which creates video game-inspired jewels, is a prime example. Designer Kelly Young’s work is elegant and thoughtful with an eye for those special details.
All of this is to say: I want to see more nerdy jewelry and I absolutely want to see at NYCC.
