CrimeOct 22, 2026
Jeweler Shot and Killed in His Suburban Cincinnati Store Tara Sinchuri was the owner of Everest Jewels in Fairfield, Ohio, and a father of three. He was found dead in his store on Tuesday.
EditorsApr 13, 2015
Rent the showcase?
A few weeks back, I attended the Women’s Jewelry Association In the Know conference here in New York City.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, Rent the Runway, which Hyman co-founded with her Harvard Business School classmate Jennifer Fleiss, is a website where women go and pay a reasonable rate to rent a lovely dress for a special occasion. When they are done, they return it.
It’s one of those concepts that’s so startling in its simplicity it brings up the question, “Why didn’t I think of that?” After all, men long have been able to rent tuxedos, and there’s no reason there shouldn’t be a similar service for women that’s equally as successful.
One of the more interesting points of Hyman’s talk was her thinking on brands and, more broadly, how consumers come to identify with a brand--they actually have the chance to wear or use it.
“I really believe that the way someone falls in love with a brand is they have an experience with that brand,” she said. “It happens organically.”
This is what she means: A customer goes on Rent the Runway, rents, for example, this hot-pink Helmut Lang dress for $35 and they have a great night. They’ve picked a brand that’s cut perfectly for their body, they’re willing to be a little daring with the color because they didn’t drop hundreds or even thousands on the dress and they get a dozen compliments that night, as opposed to just two or three.
The customer who rented that dress is going to walk away thinking: Helmut Lang is the brand for me.
And while they might not have the money to buy that designer right now, they could later down the road. Hyman said during her talk that after renting, many customers do go on to purchase merchandise from the brand they tried through Rent the Runway.
Her talk got me and plenty of others in the audience buzzing.
One of the biggest problems facing the industry is the younger generation’s lack of interest in fine jewelry; we’ve lost many of them lost to handbags, iPads, travel. Is the industry missing an opportunity to get them back by introducing them to jewelry brands on a rental basis?
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
As Hyman mentioned in her talk, Rent the Runway does not have fine jewelry--at least for now. A quick sweep of the site shows that the priciest piece offered for rent is an Erickson Beamon necklace with Swarovski crystals and gold-plated brass that rents for $225 and retails for $1,412.
But Rent the Runway could add fine jewelry in the future, and there’s also another site called Haute Vault, which does rent traditional fine jewelry. That site currently has fewer than 50 brands and most of them are large, well-established players: Stephen Webster, Roberto Coin, Ippolita and, in watches, Rolex and even Patek Philippe.
Should more fine jewelry brands be seeking to add themselves to the inventory offered on sites such as Rent the Runway and Haute Vault? Designers, what do you think?
Also, what about retailers? I know through I chat I had last week with Laurette Merusi, vice president at insurance company Jewelers Unblocked, that there are some higher-end retailers that have jewelry loan programs covered by riders on their insurance policies.
She said she didn’t know of any independent retailers offering a rental program to customers, though she notes if they wanted to, such a program likely could be added on to their current policy. Merusi also noted that if the individual renting the jewelry from a retailer had a personal articles policy for jewelry, that might also cover borrowing or renting jewelry.
She said she hasn’t any inquiries about jewelry rentals from independent retailers yet but notes of rentals in general that, “We are seeing it more and more.”
Merusi said many people were uncomfortable sporting expensive jewelry during the recession--a trend dubbed “luxury shame”--but that feeling is fading as the economy improves. There is, she thinks, a “strong likelihood” some independent retailer might try to make a rental program of some sort work in the future.
Retailers, what do you think of rentals as a way to introduce customers to different brands and, hopefully, increase their appreciation for fine jewelry as a whole?
But Rent the Runway could add fine jewelry in the future, and there’s also another site called Haute Vault, which does rent traditional fine jewelry. That site currently has fewer than 50 brands and most of them are large, well-established players: Stephen Webster, Roberto Coin, Ippolita and, in watches, Rolex and even Patek Philippe.
Should more fine jewelry brands be seeking to add themselves to the inventory offered on sites such as Rent the Runway and Haute Vault? Designers, what do you think?
Also, what about retailers? I know through I chat I had last week with Laurette Merusi, vice president at insurance company Jewelers Unblocked, that there are some higher-end retailers that have jewelry loan programs covered by riders on their insurance policies.
She said she didn’t know of any independent retailers offering a rental program to customers, though she notes if they wanted to, such a program likely could be added on to their current policy. Merusi also noted that if the individual renting the jewelry from a retailer had a personal articles policy for jewelry, that might also cover borrowing or renting jewelry.
She said she hasn’t any inquiries about jewelry rentals from independent retailers yet but notes of rentals in general that, “We are seeing it more and more.”
Merusi said many people were uncomfortable sporting expensive jewelry during the recession--a trend dubbed “luxury shame”--but that feeling is fading as the economy improves. There is, she thinks, a “strong likelihood” some independent retailer might try to make a rental program of some sort work in the future.
Retailers, what do you think of rentals as a way to introduce customers to different brands and, hopefully, increase their appreciation for fine jewelry as a whole?
More on Editors
The Latest
MajorsOct 22, 2026
Neiman Marcus Has Gifts for the Jewelry Lover Who Has EverythingBespoke experiences from Buccellati and Verdura are on the retailer’s 2026 “Fantasy Gifts” list.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2026
JIS Fall 2026 Reports Record-Breaking Attendance The number of participants at the fall show was up 12 percent.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
CollectionsOct 22, 2026
Billie Eilish, Finneas Co-Design Collection for John HardyThe Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings have collaborated with John Hardy on a new jewelry line inspired by their personal style.
Weekly QuizOct 22, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsOct 21, 2026
Episode 10: This Episode Is Haunted Diana Singer shared the stories of two “cursed” diamonds on this month’s podcast, which was inexplicably riddled with technical issues.
IndependentsOct 21, 2026
Gardner-Collier Jewelry to Close After 9 Decades in BusinessThe family-owned jeweler has three locations across Missouri and Iowa.
Brought to you by
Open an Account, Get $50 Off Your First Order. No Code Needed.Built on Relationships. Refined by Craft.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Venetia Mines Final Carats Ahead of 2-Year ShutdownThe De Beers-owned diamond mine in South Africa is being put on ice as part of a round of previously announced cost-cutting measures.
CollectionsOct 21, 2026
Helzberg, Nordstrom Carrying New Jewelry Collection From Off-WhiteThe collection centers designs with clean geometric lines, chunky sculptural pieces, and recognizable details from the luxury fashion brand.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Gemfields’ Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Earns $52MThe miner said it saw particularly strong prices for larger, fine-quality rubies at the sale.
CrimeOct 20, 2026
Security Guard Charged With Murder in Shooting at Texas MallThe guard opened fire on a man who was smashing a jewelry display case at La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth last week, police said.
IndependentsOct 20, 2026
David Gardner’s Jewelers Unveils Newly Expanded, Revamped ShowroomThe Texas jeweler added 2,000 square feet to its reimagined showroom, complete with a new design studio and an event space.
SourcingOct 20, 2026
The $50M Victoria’s Secret ‘Fantasy Bra’ By The NumbersJacob & Co.'s diamond masterpiece is the most expensive Fantasy Bra ever worn on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway.
CollectionsOct 20, 2026
Mignon Faget’s Collection Chooses Handmade Over AIThe “Atelier” collection was inspired by the tools, rituals, and objects in an artist’s studio as a quiet rebuttal to an automated world.
MajorsOct 19, 2026
The Knot to Acquire Rival Wedding Planning Platform ZolaThe pending acquisition is an “exciting opportunity” for wedding vendors to grow their business, said The Knot Worldwide’s CEO.
SourcingOct 19, 2026
Jewelry Design Competition Show Airs in Thailand"The Secret Gems" features eight Thai jewelry brands paired with a team of young craftspeople who create jewelry together to win challenges.
CollectionsOct 19, 2026
John Hardy Enters the Medallion Chat With Talisman Collection The brand’s “Modern Talisman” capsule collection introduces pendants inspired by the mythology, natural world, and spiritual ethos of Bali.
IndependentsOct 19, 2026
The Stories of 5 Jewelers Celebrating Their Centennials in 2026Independent jewelers from New Mexico to New Jersey answer the question: What has kept your store in business for 100 years?
SurveysOct 16, 2026
How Inflation, Gas Prices Will Affect Holiday Sales The NRF is expecting holiday sales to increase this year, but consumers and retailers alike are facing Grinch-like headwinds.
CollectionsOct 16, 2026
Christina Puchi’s Earrings Hold the UniverseOur Piece of the Week gathers the planets, represented by a variety of colored gemstones, in a pair of 14-karat yellow gold earrings.
IndependentsOct 16, 2026
Reeds Jewelers Expands, Relocates FlagshipThe New York-based jeweler is moving its Amherst flagship store to a larger location in nearby Snyder.
MajorsOct 16, 2026
Katy Chen Appointed Executive Vice President of Graff USA Chen, who worked at Cartier and Tiffany & Co., will lead retail sales and operations for the luxury jeweler’s 11 U.S. stores.
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
WatchesOct 15, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb’s New Movado Watches Are Made for Your Wrist StackMovado teamed up with the New York-based fine jewelry designer on a new collection of Movado Museum Velura watches.
SourcingOct 15, 2026
Signet Jewelers, Richemont May Join Bidder for De Beers, Report SaysThe two companies are reportedly in talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium, led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny, as per Bloomberg.
