jewelry is about to get a lot more colorful
trend report from JCK Las Vegas, aka the fashion week of the jewelry biz
Hi!
June gloom has finally burned off in the Bay, we’re getting some straight up paradisiacal weather. Around town: lots of baobab woven baskets at Berkeley Bowl, produce snobs picking cherries at Monterey Market like it’s an extreme sport, the line at Fish in Sausalito was “like, 200 people long” according the ladies in front of me who gave up after 10 minutes, I’ve been wearing this chili red one-piece swimsuit with this striped button-down to the pool.
💎 Today’s newsletter is a recap of JCK Las Vegas, which is like Paris Fashion Week for jewelers.
While there were several shows taking place from June 4-9 (Luxury for example, is the adjacent, high-end counterpart), the focus today is on JCK because it’s a larger global gathering of gem, jewelry, luxury and fashion circles (Forbes).
Whether you’re an up-and-coming jewelry designer or a buyer for Moda Operandi, JCK is the essential professional event of the year. Here’s who I interviewed:
Julyssa Rose, jewelry designer and metalsmith behind July Rose Jewelry
“I listened to a lot of Hemlocke Springs and Addison Rae while getting ready to solidify the vibe of the day: glamour, empowerment, sexiness.“
Xarissa B., content creator aka @jewelboxing on JewelryTok
“Last year, the lab diamond booths were mobbed. They still did a nice business this year, I'm sure, but every designer and retailer I talked to was saying they have a huge uptick in requests for interesting colored gems.”
I absolutely loved doing this interview. Vegas has been a niche interest of mine ever since I took a college class and fell in love with its history of campy architecture. Nowadays, even with the influx of sports teams and crypto conferences and leg-lengthening surgery clinics and general boom boom vibes, Vegas still retains an undeniably kitschy spirit.
It is this very tension of old and new influences, pushed to the extremes, that make Las Vegas a retro-futurist, zeitgesity city. And events like JCK contribute to that. When non-traditional press (like TikTok creators, or this newsletter!) broadcast to wider audiences beyond the jewelry industry niche, it establishes Vegas as a rising player in the fashion world.
This interview covers:
the biggest emerging jewelry trends at JCK
what makes a designer stand out in a sea of booths vying for attention?
behind-the-scenes itinerary breakdowns
what people were wearing?
comfy but cute shoes for surviving a weeklong trade show
Interviews have been lightly edited for clarity and concision.
💎 What makes Vegas an ideal setting for one of the world’s biggest jewelry trade shows?
Xarissa:
If there's one place where it's appropriate to wear all your biggest and gaudiest things at once, it's definitely Vegas!
I also wonder if there's an element of security to it—we all know how much surveillance there is at casinos, and if you're a vendor showing millions of dollars of inventory, it probably feels a little safer to be there than some other places you could exhibit. There are guards everywhere and you can see why.
Julyssa:
Oh it is just perfect. First of all, folks in the casinos are dressed in their favorite pieces, adorned in their sweetest jewels, whether they are watches, pearls, huge colorful rings. It just makes sense. If you were to reflect the glamour of jewelry in a city, it would have to be Las Vegas.
Even if I were not there for business, that city inspired the hell out of me. Here is one thing I haven’t shared yet, but I will be making a Flamingo Milagro pendant inspired by the flamingos I met at the Flamingo Hotel. Obsessed!!!
💎 What’s the difference between this event and the Tucson Gem Show? I know both are big deals for the jewelry industry.
Xarissa:
Having gone to both shows for several years, the vibe is definitely different.
Most designers and jewelers go to Tucson specifically to buy gems. There are a lot of international vendors with the latest material coming from different mines, especially colored stones, and you really get a sense of what the smaller independent brands will be working with in their collections over the next year or two.
JCK is more broad: you have a lot of high-end finished jewelry at the Luxury show, as well as supplies, tools, and gems on the regular floors, plus events and workshops. Most press will prioritize JCK, especially because it's concurrent with By Couture and the Vintage & Antiques shows, which are in the hotel next door.
If you cover jewelry design, Vegas is the place to see almost everything in a very short period of time.
Julyssa:
This was actually my first time attending a jewelry trade show! Though I haven’t attended Tucson yet, I see a clear difference in the focus of the two events. The Tucson Gem Show is very gem-focused, hence the name. From what I understand, it’s a dream for sourcing stones and raw materials.
JCK, on the other hand, is more like the jeweler’s equivalent of Fashion Week. It is highly curated and touches the full spectrum of jewelry business needs, tools, packaging, to fully finished fine jewelry.
As both a designer and a metalsmith, JCK was a dream. It wasn’t just about admiring beautiful gems (though we absolutely did), I got to actually interact with high-end tools I’ve only seen online. That hands-on aspect was so inspiring for me. And honestly, if I had to choose between gems and metalsmithing tools…I’ll almost always choose the tools!
💎 What were the biggest trends in materials, stones, and/or designs?
Xarissa:
Color, color, color. Last year, the lab diamond booths were mobbed. They still did a nice business this year, I'm sure, but every designer and retailer I talked to was saying they have a huge uptick in requests for interesting colored gems. There's also a lot of desire for personalization, like bespoke enameling or engraving, and anything that articulates or moves.
Julyssa:
I honestly did not pay too close attention, as I was really invested in the tools and equipment section! However, I was obsessed with staring at the contents of other peoples’ baskets when we were picking out gems. At a glance, all of the gems look so similar in soft, gentle color, but in the curated baskets, you can really see the branding and personal taste shine through, and that was so magical.
💎 What was your main objective for attending JCK?
Xarissa:
I mostly go for research and to produce as much content as I can. I'm looking for designers I want to cover in more detail, as well as overall trends that help me to plan out my videos for the next few months. At the last couple of shows, I also carved out time to hunt down gems for some collabs I'm working on, which is incredibly fun. I always say I won't shop for myself—and turn out to be a liar! But that's not the main goal.
Julyssa:
My mom and I attended JCK together. She is the studio manager, so us as a team worked out perfectly. We did go in with an objective of seeking out contractors to assist us with some tasks just way out of our scope. Other than that, I did not expect to leave with so many gems and so many fun little free items! I really went more to network and to be reminded of the resources out there. That is the beauty of a convention, however. There is so much more than you can imagine!
[Viv follow-up question] What does success look like for you as a small biz at a show like this?
I love this question, because it is something I contemplated before heading in. I was nervous. This is a male-dominated industry and I have been reminded of that many times during my work, especially when I was first starting. So, success for me as a small business at JCK was being able to show up completely as myself without feeling like I needed to prove my success or achievements.
Our second day at the show, I got a message from the woman who ran the JCK social media saying she would like to meet me for a Jewelry of the Day video at the show, and she was wearing various pieces of my work throughout the event weekend!
This was success for me! For an event where you’d want to wear your best pieces, she chose mine. I cannot express how surreal this moment was. It really sealed my incredible first experience at a professional jewelry event.
💎 How would you describe the fashion and style at the event?
Xarissa:
Different shows have different vibes. By Couture is very fashion-adjacent, so people really want to show off their personal style.
At JCK, it tends to be more businesslike, people are there to buy and sell and network, but there's definitely a lot of variation and creativity is expected for designers and press.
My personal dress code is that I need tops or dresses that I can model jewelry around, so it's a lot of deep V's and scoopnecks, lol. And nothing that will get lint or fibers caught on the jewelry. I wore a mohair sweater to a show once and it was a nightmare. Never again.
Julyssa:
It was a total mix, and it really makes sense, since there are retailers, metalsmiths, designers…people from every corner of the jewelry industry. I leaned creative/casual and felt perfect that way! I also, of course, saw some women in head-to-toe glitter and instantly wanted to introduce myself.
💎 Does the Vegas aesthetic influence what you saw on the show floor?
Xarissa:
To some extent, although I really think it's more about the presence of so many retailers and press. Designers want to stand out, so they're going to show their best and most interesting pieces.
Sometimes that isn't about glitz, but about doing something no one else is doing. Like a charm that's also a working pinball machine (Mined & Found), a necklace that looks like crochet squares (Harwell Godfrey) or the diamond hand claw thing at Yeprem that I am kicking myself for not trying on.
Julyssa:
I would say so, but I think that is just the nature of the jewelry world! The bags of micro-gems that looked like glitter, the shining diamonds, the deep velvet of the curtains. It just aligns with Vegas so naturally.
💎 Walk me through your Day 1 itinerary!
Xarissa:
Well, since I'm on East Coast time, I woke up at 5am. Already not loving that. But I went down to the casino to get a coffee and spent an hour going through the show program for my first day to make sure I knew the booth numbers of everyone I wanted to see. My first day is at the Wynn for the By Couture show, which has hundreds of booths, and if I just go where the spirit takes me, I'll miss something good.
I had planned out my outfits in advance because my mental bandwidth to make new decisions during the show week is basically zero, so I got dressed and made sure my hair and makeup looked good enough to make it through a 15 hour day. I also made sure my phone, clip on light, and battery pack were fully charged, because the way these hotels are laid out, it's like half a mile from where my room is just to the show entrance, and I really don't want to come back until it's time to change for dinner.
The shows usually start between 9 and 10, and since I'm already up I prefer to go early. I grab a pastry or some fruit, then check in at the show to get my badge. Because these are trade shows with a lot of very expensive inventory, security is tight, and I have to show my ID along with my badge every time I go in.
Then, it's just a whirlwind. When you walk in, all you see is rows and rows of booths, and they're all full of literal treasure. Every single time, I get a little giddy, because everything is just so so much fun to explore and try on.
Julyssa:
On Day 1, my mom and I were sure to wake up extra early to ease the nerves and have a nourishing breakfast. While doing our makeup, we contemplated what to wear. We decided wearing our “best” outfits because there is no time like the present!
I am so happy I went this route, because I felt so good and confident; obviously vital for such a big business step. I wore this beautiful Vivienne Tam S/S 1994 shift dress and a glitzy vintage bag. For my jewelry, I wore our classic Heart Milagro, Initial Heirloom Ring, new bangle coming soon, and the To Be Held ring in Aquamarine. I listened to a lot of Hemlocke Springs and Addison Rae while getting ready to really solidify the vibe of the day: glamour, empowerment, sexiness.
Then, of course, I stopped to make a few TikToks before heading out because i just love sharing the little details with my followers (I love a what’s in my bag?).
We went to a restaurant in the hotel to ease the decision fatigue. My mom and I both had the eggs benedict with an iced vanilla latte. The coffee made us so hyper and talkative that we definitely talked way over our schedule, but I will never rush a chat session with my mom.
We took an Uber to the convention, and the driver was a really nice Mexican man who didn’t speak English, so I am always thankful that my mom and I can accommodate. The interaction with him really kind of sprung me into the event confidently, because he was asking us all sorts of questions. First of all, he is from the same city of Mexico as my family, which is already so wonderful. When he asked how I had my own business, he asked if our family was rich. My mom explained that no, I built this all on my own. He looked at me through the rearview mirror and said “That’s really amazing, I am proud of you eh?”, but in Spanish. He was shocked to hear I was only 26. His excitement for me seemed so unbelievably genuine. My mom and I left the car beaming with gratitude and a generous tip.
We entered the convention center and got hit with the whiff of chaos. Enormous lines, people bumping into each other, just craziness. After a faulty badge and a little waiting, we were finally in the showrooms. My mom and I first kind of floated around the displays that showed finished fine jewelry, which I honestly am not drawn to.
Though they can be gorgeous, they are just not for me. We finally found the tools and equipment sections and had our excitement reignited. We spent so much time touching the tools, asking questions, and my mom was thrilled to share her knowledge of the engraver we already own, proud that she actually knows how to run such a beast of a machine. It was really fun to meet some of the vendors we already work with. The imposter syndrome dissipated quickly, and I just had a fun and exhausting first day experience with my mom.
After, we ordered Cheesecake Factory to our room and ate on our beds before getting ready for a raunchy Las Vegas show called Absinthe. I wore my huge Jimmy Choo heels and my favorite vintage bustier, and was so excited to throw my pajamas on at night. My mom and I spread all our freebies on the bed, talking about the show, before falling asleep.
💎 Do people go all out with wearing their best bling?
Xarissa:
Not necessarily at the shows themselves, but going out at night? Definitely. Especially for events and awards, people plan their outfits around the jewelry they will be wearing.
Julyssa:
I certainly did. I wore my To Be Held ring everyday because it is my most eye-catching piece. I also wore my Grand Swan because it is my most impressive in terms of craftsmanship, just such a good conversation piece. While many people were dressed simply, I did notice a designer picking gems out next to me with huge rings all stacked on a finger or two and thought it was just so dreamy. I stacked my rings for our Cirque De Soleil show that night.
💎 I imagine there's tons of walking...what shoes got you through the long days?
Xarissa:
The heels get lower each day that goes by, definitely. But since I'm on camera a lot, they have to stay on the cute side of practical. I got a lot of miles out of my Loeffler Randall sandals and a pair of M. Gemi clogs that added some height but were surprisingly comfortable for a 14,000 step day.
Julyssa:
Absolutely, lol. I brought heeled sandals for most days and only wore them once. My foolproof shoes for style and comfort are my Coach Winley Mary Janes which do not look comfortable at all but are my absolute favorite shoes of all time for this reason.
💎 JCK has traditionally been a trade-only event, but more attendees are now sharing the experience on social media. Do you think JCK is becoming more visible through creators, and how is this impacting the industry?
Xarissa:
These shows are definitely becoming more known. Jewelry has historically been a pretty opaque industry, and we all want a peek behind the curtain. In my opinion, it’s really good that the traditional definition of “press” is changing—buyers aren’t as dependent on any one editor’s opinion, because you have lots of creators across old and new media sharing their favorites. That’s huge for newer designers trying to get their pieces out there, and it creates more diversity of opinion, taste, and background, which is good for everyone.
Julyssa:
I certainly think so! I am so proud to be one of the artists to bring not only events like JCK to my social media world, but so many other deep aspects of the jewelry and art industry that really help shape how folks experience my work and my ethos. Through my love for the detail, my passion for the experience of crafting, sourcing, and learning, my customers and followers can indulge in my jewelry business that is more of a world, a poem, and an experience.
Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did. Brb looking up flights to Vegas…
xo viv
Thanks for being here. You can find me on IG and TT. My wardrobe pieces and recs are saved here—unless it’s vintage, of course ;)
do i spy a $20 pink tax on that saw frame? yikes
Anyone know where Julyssa's black vest with the see-through bits is from?