We just got back from Las Vegas — visions of jewelry dancing in our heads, inspired and only slightly exhausted from shaking our tail feathers at the JCK Rocks Nelly concert (yes, it was exactly as fun as it sounds). The JCK Las Vegas international jewelry show pulls together designers, retailers, gemstone dealers and creative visionaries from around the world for what amounts to a very glamorous, very sparkly week of commerce and community. (Be sure to check out our highlight reels here, here and here.) We came with a packed agenda: scouting the floor with a particular eye toward women-owned lines, catching informative panels (including one featuring our Austin friend Elizabeth Gibson of the always-original Eliza Page), sneaking in time at the spa and pool, exploring the Venetian's restaurants (hello, pasta, cheese and more cheese) and raising a few glasses of champagne (for Stacy) and effervescent NA bubbly (for Melanie).
What we came home with — beyond a serious case of jewelry envy and new goodies for the shop (coming soon!) — was a clear picture of where fine jewelry is headed. Here are the five trends that spoke to us most.
Yellow Gold: It's Not a Comeback if It Never Left
Yellow gold is everywhere, and we couldn't be more thrilled. Across both the JCK show floor and the adjacent Luxury show, the showroom floor delivered. JCK magazine reports from the show confirmed what we've been seeing and hearing from our clients, which is that yellow gold remains among the most in-demand metals in the market. We have always believed in its quality, warmth, timelessness and the way it carries both light and, most important, story. Your story.
Whimsy, Storytelling, and the Hand of the Maker
The hunger for jewelry that tells a story and shows the hand of the person who made it was everywhere we turned. (Which was of course so validating for us, since that's such a huge part of Maison Mariann's ethos.) The NouvelleBox section at Luxury — which gathered eight up-and-coming brands in a single room — felt less like a trade show and more like a gallery opening. We spied hand-carved abalone charms, flying pig pendants in mother-of-pearl and other designs created with precision, personality and panache.
Affordable Luxury: Alternative Materials (and One Brand We're Still Talking About)
With gold hovering around $4,500 per ounce on JCK's opening day, accessibility was one of the loudest conversations on the floor. We were struck by the designer's creativity and ingenuity. Think: fine gold and diamonds with ceramic, wood, mother-of-pearl and abalone for pieces that feel luxurious without requiring a second mortgage.
One brand that stopped us in our tracks at NouvelleBox was Tacit. We had the pleasure of meeting founder Michelle Fantaci, and her work (pictured here in a screenshot from Tacit's Insta) is exactly what we love — thoughtful, playful and a little subversive in all the right ways. Her Bodega Pool Party collection is a surreal, joyful mashup of beach balls, puffy letter charms and pop-art whimsy. Tacit speaks directly to the self-purchasing woman (that's you!) who wants something fun, yet special without waiting for a special occasion or a special someone. We can see Fantaci's pieces layering seamlessly with our Bubble Collection.
Customization and Personalization: For Every Chapter
The desire for made-for-you jewelry has expanded well beyond bridal, and the show made that unmistakably clear. People want jewelry that reflects who they are right now — their achievements, their relationships, their particular aesthetic at this particular moment. That might mean a custom ring stack marking different chapters of a life, a bracelet built around charms collected seasonally or annually or a piece inspired by a stone someone has been saving for years. Whatever the form, she wants her jewelry to mean something, and she wants it to mean her. That's exactly what we offer through our custom design service, and it was wonderful to see the whole industry leaning in the same direction.
Transparency and Traceability: Know Your Jewelry's Journey
The push for provenance — knowing where materials come from and how they traveled from source to finished piece — has moved from niche concern to baseline expectation. De Beers' Origin program made a dramatic showing, tracking individual stones from mine to market. But the conversation extends well beyond diamonds to gemstones, metals and manufacturing practices across the board. Consumers are asking harder questions, and the brands earning their trust are the ones with real answers. At Maison Mariann, ethical sourcing and fair trade practices have been foundational from the beginning, so watching the broader industry move so purposefully in this direction was moving.
We came home with pages of notes, a camera roll full of gorgeous jewelry and confirmation of our belief that jewelry is in a genuinely exciting moment. Cheers to what's ahead! ✨🥂✨
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