Policies & IssuesMay 14, 2025
Here’s What Happened to Pope Francis’ RingBefore Pope Leo XIV was elected, a centuries-old procedure regarding the late pontiff’s ring was followed.
EditorsJun 19, 2009
Living Through Jewelry's Good Old Days
They say creativity thrives during times of financial hardship. Based on my experiences over the past week, I can't help but agree. In the span of seven days, I’ve seen more interesting work from up-and-coming and established jewelers than I...
They say creativity thrives during times of financial hardship.
Based on my experiences over the past week, I can't help but agree. In the
span of seven days, I’ve seen more interesting work from up-and-coming
and established jewelers than I typically see in six months of trade
shows, where mainstream buyers lessen the incentive to offer truly
cutting-edge design.
This was hardly the case in London last
week, when my brief stopover en route to Geneva happily coincided with
the last few days of Coutts London Jewellery Week.
It’s the type of organized, well-promoted effort that should make
designers in any other part of the world emerald-green with envy.
Sponsored by Coutts & Co., an investment bank that traces its roots
back to 1692, when it provided banking services to buyers of its plate
and jewelry supplies, the second annual week-long gathering,
chock-a-block full of lectures, demonstrations and cocktail parties, is
intended to raise the profile of the city’s creative talent and
technical expertise in jewelry making.
My first stop was Treasure,
a collection of more than 70 designers selling their wares beneath the
soaring ceilings of the Flower Cellars event space in Covent Garden.
There, I met Jig Pattni,
a Londoner descended from a long line of Indian goldsmiths. Pattni’s
work evokes not the glorious 22-karat gold traditions of his ancestors
but the icons of 20th century pop culture. To wit: At Treasure, Pattni
unveiled his new diamond collection, The King, in homage to Elvis
Presley. It included two 18-karat gold pendants, one fashioned into a
bust of the crooner, complete with a slicked back pompadour, and the
other a seductive pair of blue sapphire-studded shoes.
At a neighboring showcase, Nina Koutibashvili,
a London designer who hails from the republic of Georgia, couldn’t have
embraced a more different aesthetic (the diversity at Treasure, and at
London Jewellery Week, in general, was astonishing). The piece in her
showcase that I most coveted was a large linked white gold bracelet
covered by a thin layer of black stingray skin (see below), its
trademark bubble pattern so beguilingly exotic.
Downstairs in Treasure’s sprawling cellar, JeDeCo, the Jewellery Designer’s Collective,
a brand new group of more than 20 artist-jewelers, had set up shop.
Guided by the principle that there’s strength in numbers, the group
formed just a couple weeks ago, though their professional promotional
materials and uniformly high
standard of design would suggest otherwise.
By
the time I returned to New York on Tuesday, capping three weeks of
travel that began in Las Vegas, at jewelry market week, I was fairly
sure that no other piece of jewelry would ever hold my attention again.
Yesterday, however, during a daylong blitz of various jewelry events around Manhattan, I stood corrected. At the Jewelry Information Center’s annual fine jewelry luncheon at Vermilion, a six-month-old Indian-Latin fusion restaurant in midtown, I was captivated by a $30,000 silver and gold choker necklace by Todd Reed featuring his trademark rough diamond cubes; a $19,000 carved emerald ring by Christian Tse; as well as a $175 teak wood cuff set with black onyx and deep pink quartz, the work of Zapphire by Kanupriya Khurana.
The
best part of the event? Editors were asked to place their business
cards in a bowl for a series of giveaways that the JIC’s Helena Krodel
and Amanda Gizzi (just back from maternity leave, looking marvelous)
had organized. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when my name was
called. I won an 18-karat white gold Kir Royale ring, set with a
12.56-carat amethyst accented by diamonds and rubies, by Gumuchian
(see below). Oddly, this was the second Gumuchian cocktail ring I have
won—the first is an 18-karat yellow gold and Tahitian pearl ring that I
wear every single day. I’m thrilled to be the New York jeweler’s
walking, talking billboard.
Slightly dazed by my good luck, I ventured further uptown, to the Kara Ross
showroom on East 60th Street, where I promptly fell in love with a cuff
from Ross’s new capsule fine jewelry collection. Known for her chic use
of exotic animal skins, Ross wrapped this 18-karat gold and
pavé-sprinkled number in purple stingray skin (see below). I’m now
officially obsessed with the material.
My final appointment of the day brought me to the Upper Eastside showroom of Camilla Dietz Bergeron,
the estate dealer. The sight of so many vintage Deco, Retro and
Seventies baubles made me feel a bit delirious. So many rings, so
little time. I circled the round wooden table at the heart of the
showroom like a vulture. From a classic Seaman Schepps rock crystal
frog brooch dappled with cabochon emeralds, to scores of whimsical
1940s-esque gold charms (harem slippers dangling teeny tiny akoya
pearls, a miniature house complete with a garage and moving car, a
lamppost pointing the way to Place Vendôme), the vintage treasures on
display were each more charming than the last. I was tempted to laud
the “good old days” of jewelry design, such is the temptation to
idolize the past at the expense of the present, but then I recalled my
day and my week and realized that the good old days are now.
More on Editors
The Latest
AuctionsMay 14, 2025
Custom Rolex Pulled From Sotheby’s SaleThe one-of-a-kind platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was estimated to fetch up to $1.7 million.
Lab-GrownMay 14, 2025
State of Diamonds: What’s Next for Lab-Grown Diamonds?While the product has entrenched itself in the market, retailers and consultants are assessing the next phase of the category’s development.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
CrimeMay 14, 2025
Seattle Detectives Seek Public’s Help in Tiffany & Co. Robberies The police are trying to identify the man suspected of robbing two Tiffany & Co. locations in the area.
Weekly QuizMay 08, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsMay 14, 2025
Jeff Corey Elected Chair of JBT Board The well-known Maine jeweler takes over for Brian Fleming and will serve a one-year term.
Policies & IssuesMay 14, 2025
Foundrae Donates $11K to Ethical MetalsmithsThe donation was the result of the brand’s annual Earth Day Ingot event.
Brought to you by
Watch: The Winston Red: GIA Examines the Smithsonian’s Newest AdditionSupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
IndependentsMay 13, 2025
Eiseman Jewels’ Renovated Dallas Store Is Bigger and BetterLocated in NorthPark Center, the revamped store is nearly 2,000 square feet larger and includes the first Tudor boutique in Dallas.
MajorsMay 13, 2025
DCA Announces New Learning Platform, Course UpdatesThe nonprofit has made updates to the content in its beginner and advanced jewelry sales courses.
MajorsMay 13, 2025
BIJC Launches New Education FundBIJC President Malyia McNaughton will shift roles to lead the new foundation, and Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez will succeed her as president.
TrendsMay 13, 2025
State of Jewelry Design: The Top 10 Jewelry Trends of the Past DecadeAs a nod to the theme of JCK Las Vegas 2025, “Decades,” National Jeweler took a look back at the top 10 jewelry trends of the past 10 years.
Lab-GrownMay 12, 2025
Lightbox to Go Dark by Summer, De Beers Says The company plans to halt all consumer-facing activity this summer, while Lightbox factory operations will cease by the end of the year.
Policies & IssuesMay 12, 2025
Tariffs on Chinese Imports Temporarily Slashed as U.S.-China Reach Deal Following weekend negotiations, the tax on Chinese goods imported into the United States will drop by 115 percent for the next 90 days.
Events & AwardsMay 12, 2025
Jewelry By Picasso, Dalí on Display at Florida Art Museum “Artists’ Jewelry: From Cubism to Pop, the Diane Venet Collection” is on view at the Norton Museum of Art through October.
Events & AwardsMay 12, 2025
CASE Awards Now Accepting Entries For 2025The deadline to submit is June 16.
IndependentsMay 09, 2025
Lugano Diamonds CEO Resigns Amid Internal InvestigationMoti Ferder stepped down Wednesday and will not receive any severance pay, parent company Compass Diversified said.
CollectionsMay 09, 2025
Pieces of the Week: Marie Lichtenberg’s Collaborations for Mother’s DayLichtenberg partnered with luxury platform Mytheresa on two designs honoring the connection between mothers and daughters.
SourcingMay 09, 2025
Gemfields Resumes Emerald Mining in ZambiaThe miner announced plans to recommence open-pit mining at Kagem.
CrimeMay 08, 2025
Former NYC Jewelry Store Employee Arrested in 2017 Choking Death of Boss Michel Desalles allegedly murdered Omid Gholian inside World of Gold N Diamond using zip ties and then fled the country.
Supplier BulletinMay 08, 2025
Instappraise Introduces Game-Changing Trifold Appraisal FormatSponsored by Instappraise
FinancialsMay 08, 2025
Brilliant Earth Notes an Uptick in Engagement Ring Sales in Q1CEO Beth Gerstein discussed the company’s bridal bestsellers, the potential impact of tariffs, and the rising price of gold.
IndependentsMay 08, 2025
Margot McKinney Lands in the U.S. With New BoutiqueThe brand’s first independent location outside of Australia has opened in Beverly Hills, California.
IndependentsMay 08, 2025
Verragio Announces New Regional Sales ManagerCathy Marsh will lead the jewelry company’s efforts in the upper Midwest and western United States.
FinancialsMay 07, 2025
Pandora Posts Strong Q1, Plans for TariffsThe company has multiple strategies for dealing with tariffs, though its CEO said moving manufacturing to the U.S. is not one of them.
ColumnistsMay 07, 2025
The Smart Lab: Building a Seasonal Marketing Strategy for Mother’s Day and BeyondConnecting with your customers throughout the year is key to a successful holiday marketing push.
SourcingMay 07, 2025
Gemfields Says Emerald Sales Improved in Latest AuctionIts commercial-quality emerald sale held last month totaled more than $16 million, up from about $11 million in September 2024.
