Las Vegas Jewelry Week: Surefire Sellers Plucked from the Show Floor
Emili Vesilind August 31, 2021
"Las Vegas Jewelry Week, the biggest annual buying event for jewelry, gems, and watches in the U.S., wrapped up its 2021 events yesterday.
But though the history of jewelry trade shows in the American desert’s flashiest playground dates back to 1992, the 2021 shows were unlike any other. With COVID-19 Delta variant infections spreading across the country, every show had a mask mandate; and while group dinners and parties happened, attendance at after-show events was sparser than in years past.
Fortunately, that reality was tempered for many by the thrill of seeing business partners and industry friends in person for the first time in over two years. And business was brisk: several vendors reported that they were having banner shows, and that the retailers who showed up this year came to buy, not casually browse. “It’s nice that the show’s a little more cleared-out, without all the lookiloos,” noted designer Lauren Kessler, who showed her Lauren K collection at LUXURY.
The week, headlined by LUXURY, JCK Las Vegas, and the Couture Show, also gave retailers the opportunity to cherry pick from scads of jewelry that wasn’t only gorgeous and shelf-ready, but also deeply creative. Given a surplus of time to create during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, many designers and design teams experimented with ideas, materials, and techniques they might have formerly considered flights of fancy—or evolved existing pieces and collections in new and interesting ways. Ingenuity and playfulness bloomed in so many booths.
Below are a handful of styles we snapped that align with current trends, both new and emerging. We’re thinking these treasures will captivate consumers for many seasons to come.
Lika Behar handmade 22k yellow gold chain with diamond-paved link
Lika Behar’s Chains
Chunky chain necklaces and bracelets were all over the shows (and are all the rage wth influencers and celebrities on Instagram and TikTok). But no one did them quite like designer Lika Behar, whose gorgeous, hand-forged link necklaces incorporated 22k and 24k carat gold, sterling silver, and diamond-pave (mainly peppering chubby clasps). “They are flying out of the booth,” reported a representative at the brand’s LUXURY booth. “Retailers are loving that they’re a little different and more special because the links are handmade.”
Levian opal jewels incorporating diamond and tourmaline borders
... "
https://thezingreport.com/2021/08/las-v ... k-sellers/
