CollectionsMay 21, 2025
Bulgari Highlights Its Colorful Past in Phenomenal ‘Polychroma’ CollectionThe jeweler’s high jewelry collection features extraordinary gemstones, like a 241.06-carat emerald and the world’s fourth-largest spinel.
EditorsJan 18, 2018
Marla and the Machine
Our editor-in-chief takes a (very short) road trip to the Brooklyn Museum to meet with jewelry designer Marla Aaron and see her much-talked-about vending machine.
Marla Aaron takes a seat in front of her vending machine in the Brooklyn Museum. Originally, Aaron planned to cap the price point of the merchandise in the machine at $500 but bumped it up to $1,500 after noticing her average online sale creeping up.
If you had to guess, how long would you say vending machines have been around? Since the 1800s, or 1700s maybe?
According to a history of a vending and coffee service from NAMA, that is the National Automatic Merchandising Association, the ancient Egyptians had devices in their temples that dispensed holy water as early as 215 B.C.
In the United States, the government granted patents for coin-operated vending machines as early as 1886, and there were some dispensing gum on New York City subway platforms by 1888.
Fast-forward a few thousand years and vending machines are entering the conversation about the future of retail as they are being employed to dispense an ever-increasing variety of products.
Anyone who has passed through an airport in the past decade has seen the machines that sell electronics, like headphones and cell phone chargers, and cosmetics from brands like Benefit and Philosophy.
There are beach-side machines that sell flip-flops, and Japanese company Uniqlo started selling its clothes out of vending machines last year after plans to expand its physical footprint in the U.S. fell flat.
And now, inside a museum in what is inarguably New York’s hippest borough, a jewelry designer named Marla Aaron has a vending machine that dispenses her signature locks.
On a recent morning at the museum, I met with Aaron to see it and chat about why she sunk between $30,000 and $50,000 into a machine that dispenses jewelry with zero consultation.
Reason No. 1 will be very familiar to both designers and retailers today: She was looking for more innovative and cost-effective ways of reaching customers, outside of the traditional store and online channels.
“When you run a small business, you have to be open to a lot of new ideas. You can’t afford to do things the same old way,” Aaron told me as we stood in front of her machine, waiting for it to reboot.
“If I had done all the stuff I am supposed to do in this jewelry industry”--meaning spend thousands of dollars to exhibit at trade shows and pour money into making jewelry that gets sent out on memo--“this brand would not exist. We would not have had the economic tolerance for what that entails,” she said.
“I think that’s what leads you down this sort of path.”
According to a history of a vending and coffee service from NAMA, that is the National Automatic Merchandising Association, the ancient Egyptians had devices in their temples that dispensed holy water as early as 215 B.C.
In the United States, the government granted patents for coin-operated vending machines as early as 1886, and there were some dispensing gum on New York City subway platforms by 1888.
Fast-forward a few thousand years and vending machines are entering the conversation about the future of retail as they are being employed to dispense an ever-increasing variety of products.
Anyone who has passed through an airport in the past decade has seen the machines that sell electronics, like headphones and cell phone chargers, and cosmetics from brands like Benefit and Philosophy.
There are beach-side machines that sell flip-flops, and Japanese company Uniqlo started selling its clothes out of vending machines last year after plans to expand its physical footprint in the U.S. fell flat.
And now, inside a museum in what is inarguably New York’s hippest borough, a jewelry designer named Marla Aaron has a vending machine that dispenses her signature locks.
On a recent morning at the museum, I met with Aaron to see it and chat about why she sunk between $30,000 and $50,000 into a machine that dispenses jewelry with zero consultation.
Reason No. 1 will be very familiar to both designers and retailers today: She was looking for more innovative and cost-effective ways of reaching customers, outside of the traditional store and online channels.
“When you run a small business, you have to be open to a lot of new ideas. You can’t afford to do things the same old way,” Aaron told me as we stood in front of her machine, waiting for it to reboot.
“If I had done all the stuff I am supposed to do in this jewelry industry”--meaning spend thousands of dollars to exhibit at trade shows and pour money into making jewelry that gets sent out on memo--“this brand would not exist. We would not have had the economic tolerance for what that entails,” she said.
“I think that’s what leads you down this sort of path.”
Marla Aaron’s jewelry vending machine was installed at the Brooklyn Museum on Dec. 8, during the holiday season. It measures 72 inches high, 42 inches deep and 30 inches wide, with a footprint of 10 square feet.
Aaron said she began the process of having the machine built two years ago. At first, she wasn’t sure where it should go. A hotel? An airport? No, she decided in both cases, she wanted it to be more “for New York.”
She had a “yes” from several jewelers who were interested in housing it, but didn’t want to put her first vending machine in a traditional store.
She started down the on-a-street path but found that New York City real estate brokers don’t know, or claim not to know, how to charge for a 10-square-foot plot of land (surprising in a city so skilled at renting extremely small spaces, no?). They kept pushing her to just open a store.
Eventually, Aaron ran the idea by her friend and customer Olivia Song, an interior designer who is co-chair of the Brooklyn Museum’s board of advisors, “And it clicked,” she said.
The vending machine would go in the Brooklyn Museum, right outside the door to the gift shop.
Unlike many of the snack and soda variety, Aaron’s machine is opaque, not glass front.
A touch screen, which starts with a video of the designer talking about her jewelry, shows shoppers a picture and gives the price and description for each of the seven styles held within, which range in price from $100 to $1,472.
They tap on the style they want, swipe their credit card, and retrieve their piece from a little door located below and to the right of the touch screen. Receipts, if requested, are emailed.
The machine is part experimental retail and part branding vessel and, like any venture, it has its challenges.
“There is not one moment you can’t be thinking about how your customer feels about your brand.” -- Marla Aaron
The morning that I was there, Aaron and I were trying to run through a purchase so I could see exactly how the machine works, but it kept rejecting credit cards, both hers and mine.
While she messaged with her team to try to work it out (turns out, the machine just hadn’t reconnected to Wi-Fi after being turned off overnight), we took a seat and chatted a bit about something I’m sure a lot of people have wondered: what do you do when something goes wrong with a machine like this, when a credit card doesn’t work or a purchase gets stuck (which hasn’t happened so far, she said)?
“It’s not without its problems,” Aaron allows.
But, she said, she prides her company on being a “very accessible brand.”
She has, in the past, Skyped with customers who are having trouble opening her silver baby locks.
Customers also can find her on Instagram, where she’ll answer direct messages.
She has email addresses on her website as well as phone numbers that ring through to live human beings who also can help. (Aaron said initially, she proposed putting her personal cell phone number on the vending machine, but her team vetoed that.)
In addition, each vending machine purchase comes with a small card that reads in part, “If you would like to return or exchange one of our pieces, please email us at info@marlaaaron.com,” and then goes on to list the details of the company’s return policy.
“There is not one moment you can’t be thinking about how your customer feels about your brand,” she said.
Aaron’s vending machine made its museum debut on Dec. 8 and will be departing in a couple of weeks for destinations unknown, or unknown to us anyway. The designer said she has its next location picked out but isn’t making that information public right now.
Wherever it goes, the machine will be getting a bit of a facelift. Aaron plans to change up the video, which is currently very Brooklyn-centric, and she can also change out the exterior wrap and the product selection within.
The Brooklyn Museum is located at 200 Eastern Parkway and is accessible by the 2/3 train; it sits on top of the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum stop on that line.
Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. You can view the various ticket prices here.
Editor’s note: This article was updated post-publication to correct the date the vending machine arrived at the Brooklyn Museum--it was Dec. 8, not 19--and to remove an incorrect detail about the video that displays on the machine’s touchscreen.
More on Editors
The Latest
ColumnistsMay 21, 2025
Edahn’s Take: Analyzing the 2025 ‘$100 Million Supersellers’ List In a special column for the State of the Majors, Edahn Golan breaks down what the top-performing fine jewelry sellers are doing right.
MajorsMay 21, 2025
Beyoncé Dons Brilliant Earth Necklace During Cowboy Carter TourThe bolo tie necklace is inspired by “Queen Bey” and set with a nearly 15-carat black diamond.
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.
SourcingMay 21, 2025
Gem Legacy Expands Advisory CouncilThe nonprofit focused on mining communities in East Africa has added three new members to its advisory council.
Weekly QuizMay 15, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsMay 20, 2025
Annie Doresca to Lead DCA as New CEO, PresidentCurrent Diamond Council of America President and CEO Terry Chandler is set to retire in January 2026.
FinancialsMay 20, 2025
QVC Group to Voluntarily Delist from NasdaqThe company's Series A shares will continue to trade following a reverse stock split while its Series B shares will be delisted.
Brought to you by
Watch: The Winston Red: GIA Examines the Smithsonian’s Newest AdditionSupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
ColumnistsMay 20, 2025
Peter Smith: Leading Through ChangeCommunicating clearly with your staff is key to navigating turbulent times, writes columnist Peter Smith.
IndependentsMay 20, 2025
Luis Morais Opens Flagship, Launches Collection Celebrating 25 YearsThe “Inner Journey” collection debuted as the brand celebrated its 25th anniversary, with designs inspired by Morais’ journey.
MajorsMay 20, 2025
Tanishq Opens Seventh U.S. StoreTanishq is expanding its presence in the United States with a new store in Santa Clara, California, which is its largest in the country.
FinancialsMay 19, 2025
Jewelry Sales a Standout for Richemont in 2024Sales for Richemont’s four jewelry brands increased 8 percent, while watch sales picked up toward the end of the year.
Events & AwardsMay 19, 2025
NAJA Opens Scholarship Applications for 2025Two scholarships are available, one for new and non-members and another for NAJA certified members.
IndependentsMay 19, 2025
Day’s Jewelers to Open Ninth LocationThe retailer’s new flagship is set to open in October at the Tuscan Village development in Salem, New Hampshire.
SourcingMay 19, 2025
State of Colored Stones: The Big Three in the Modern WorldSapphires, emeralds, and rubies are finding their place in a U.S. market captivated by the gemstones once referred to as “semi-precious.”
MajorsMay 16, 2025
Saks Fifth Avenue, Amazon Partner on Luxury Online StorefrontPlus, parent company Saks Global announces plans to cut ties with up to 600 vendors.
Recorded WebinarsMay 16, 2025
Watch: Physical Retail Is Not DeadPeter Smith joined Michelle Graff to chat about the state of brick-and-mortar stores and share a few book and podcast recommendations.
CollectionsMay 16, 2025
Piece of the Week: Tejen’s ‘Candy Bowl’ Torque NecklaceThe necklace features a candy-colored Australian white opal in 18-karat Fairmined gold, as the brand was named a Fairmined ambassador.
Supplier BulletinMay 15, 2025
Treasure Hunting at the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch ShowSponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show
AuctionsMay 15, 2025
'The Mediterranean Blue' Diamond Sells for $21M at Sotheby’sA private American collector purchased the 10-carat fancy vivid blue diamond.
CollectionsMay 15, 2025
Jessica McCormack’s ‘Fruit Salad’ Collection Is Fresh for SummerThe designer has taken the appeal of freshly picked fruit and channeled it into a capsule collection of earrings, necklaces, and pendants.
SourcingMay 15, 2025
Tariffs Take Toll on India’s Gem and Jewelry Industry in April The country’s gem and jewelry exports fell 5 percent year-over-year last month, while imports declined 18 percent.
Policies & IssuesMay 15, 2025
State of Retail: How to Better Serve Customers With DisabilitiesAround 54 million Americans and counting live with a disability. Here’s how to make your jewelry store and website more accessible.
Events & AwardsMay 15, 2025
Poet Sekou Andrews to Give Closing Keynote at ConvergeThe event is also accepting poster submissions now through June 16.
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.
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.
