Summer Jewelry Events And Store Openings

Many articles written during the past several months speak to the growth of online jewelry sales which continues to evolve. They report how jewelry designers, stores and renowned brands are providing ultimate experiences across multiple channels to entice consumers to buy luxury jewelry in a way they wouldn’t have before the pandemic. And jewelry enthusiasts loved the new way of shopping during lock down. Self-purchasing women, gift givers or couples seeking engagement rings grew into a comfort level with buying higher ticket items. But they also missed the interaction with the jewelry and the venues that they used to frequent for their artfully curated collections. During the summer months women have been hankering to to get out more and touch and feel the jewelry. Those that long to enjoy the pleasure of trying on new pieces in person will be happy to learn there are a  number of store openings, events, and collection launches  taking place this summer in vacation spots and designer’s hometowns. The pandemic weary, bleary eyed online shopper can take a walk from the beach, their private getaway or their hometown to a private viewing, a pop up shop or a trunk show. It’s important to still be careful when out and about and these shops are following protocol to create a space that is both alluring and as safe as possible.

On The Island

Katherine Jetter/ The Vault/ Nantucket MA

For jewelry designer Katherine Jetter, summer 2021 is a busy time. During the pandemic, she designed a new collection that is somewhat of a departure for her with stackable pieces in a variety of gemstone cuts and colors that are more geometric and easygoing, sexy and fun then her signature more serious opal statement pieces. It fills a gap in the collection for more everyday wearable jewelry. But Jetter is also a born curator and stylist. In 2016, she opened a seasonal shop on Nantucket called The Vault which features leading jewelry innovators and peers in the industry.  The Vault, now in its fifth summer  has become a destination shop for jewelry connoisseurs and women building wardrobes and collections. This season, Jetter is bringing  new designers to the island including  Emily Wheeler, Melissa Kaye and Robinson Pelham. She is also hosting a series of trunk shows throughout the summer with Fernando Jorge, Paul Morelli and Hoorsenbuhs. Says Jetter, “Its halfway through the season  and we are already having a  record breaking summer. It’s so exciting to see the following we’ve built in Nantucket. Jewelry lovers are longing to buy. They consider us vacation spot venue for some of the most talented designers in the industry.  We are so busy, there are day when I have no idea where the time went. But when we are the busiest and buzzing with excitement are my favorite times. It makes me fall in love with what I do all over again.”

Go East

Jemma Wynne x Muzo/Mayfair Rocks/ East Hampton NY

 For those of you who vacation or live out in the Hamptons and love emeralds (the stone of hope and prosperity), you will have the pleasure of viewing the debut collection of designers Stephanie Wynne Lalin and/ Jenny Klatt of Jemma Wynne x Muzo which will be shown exclusively this season at Mayfair Rocks in East Hampton. This partnership unites one of today’s most sought after contemporary fine jewelry brands with the legendary Colombian emerald producer. “Jemma Wynne’s affinity for colored gemstones and emeralds, in particular, made the brand a natural fit to align with Muzo.” Says co-designer Wynne-Lalin.  

“There is a really great energy this out east this season and we are seeing people out and about again. Mayfair Rocks has been an East Hampton destination for years (and a fourth generation family business,),”say Klatt. We have had a fantastic relationship with them so it was a no-brainer to choose them to show our Muzo collection (alongside other Jemma Wynne pieces). Their customer really appreciates one-of-a-kind jewelry and is always looking for something that they can’t find everywhere else.”

Jemma Wynne’s new emerald capsule collection with Muzo Emerald Colombia will soon debut at Mayfair Rocks in East Hampton.

Emerald and diamond Flower Toujours necklace, with a 1.16-carat fine Muzo and emerald and diamond Flower Toujours bracelet, with a 1.53-carat fine Muzo emerald.

Keep it Close

Colette Steckel/Colette Jewelry/Brentwood CA

How to celebrate a 25^th year anniversary as a jewelry designer? Open a retail store that pays homage to your heritage, reinvigorates your collections  and then adds in an exclusive curation of a few of your favorite things that take the store to the level of a concept shop. That’s what designer Colette Steckel recently did to feature her eponymous brand. The boutique is located in the heart of Colette’s neighborhood, Brentwood, across the street from the Brentwood Country Mart.

Steckel had the space designed to immerse visitors in her French-Mexican background with décor inspired by contemporary French interior design. The venue will  be home to Steckel’s signature collections along a selection of her favorite home and fashion essentials from France and Mexico. These include chocolates from François Pralus, velvet Backgammon sets by Hector Saxe, artwork by Benjamin Pietri, belts from NDA, and bags from Baní.  The assortment is a compilation of pieces from her home countries that provided a sense of comfort to her while quarantining in LA during the height of the pandemic.  Steckel explains, “Moving to a new space was a great opportunity to expand our offering and create a place that isn’t only home to my brand but also a celebration of my French-Mexican heritage. I’m thrilled to have a store in my own backyard, where I can introduce my community to the unique work of artists I admire from both countries.”

One on The Way

Lauren Wolf/Esqueleto/San Diego, CA

Esqueleto is opening its fifth location this summer in San Diego’s south Pacific Beach neighborhood. Owned by jewelry designer Lauren Wolf, the shops all have their own unique essence based on the area in which they are located and the variety of designers Wolf curates for each shop. Each venue also sells antique and vintage engagement rings and a range of decorative items and home goods that are rustic yet refined. Wolf introduces emerging designers all who work, like she does, toward raising consciousness of sustainability in jewelry and craft their pieces from recycled metals and conflict free diamonds and precious stones.  Oakland, which was Lauren’s first store, is down the street from her studio and offices evokes a Georgia O’Keefe vibe.  Other stores including Echo Park, Los Feliz also are imbued with a desert feeling while the Nolita-based New York City shop features her favorite cult designers in jewelry and home goods but offers a more metropolitan feeling inside the more streamlined shop.