JCK 2023 Las Vegas Sets New Standards In Diversity

Jun 28, 2023

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives at JCK make designers, exhibitors and attendees ... [+] welcome. Ring by Dorian & Rose, exhibiting at Luxury Stand LUX301A

The annual JCK show's international relevance flows from its presentation of new jewelry designs, major business announcements, networking blow-outs and a program of business development talks and seminars. Last year in its 30th edition of the show, JCK 2022 attracted retail over 17,000 registered visitors from 130 countries. Staged by global event organizer RX, this year's edition glitters from June 1 through 5 at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. The by-invitation-only Luxury show-within-the-JCK show for retailers serving affluent customers is also on offer; it takes place this year from May 31 - June 1.

In advance of JCK 2023, here is an overview of high points on the show's agenda. To begin with, retail entrepreneur Johnny Cupcakes, a.k.a Johnny Earle, will deliver the JCK show's keynote address. Sponsored by Sarine Technologies, Earle's talk, "Creating Customer Obsession & Memorable Experiences with Limited Resources," is happening on Saturday, June 3, at 8 a.m., in the Palazzo Ballroom on level 5 of the Venetian Resort.

Renowned for being the world's first "T-shirt bakery", Johnny Cupcakes emblazons its clothing and store displays with colorful culinary motifs. The chain's T-shirts are highly collectible, and Earle will share insights regarding how retailers and brands can build successful word-of-mouth marketing, loyalty that generate repeat purchases by use of experiential branding— even if and when budgets are slim.

The Plumb Club features prominently at JCK. The Plumb Club connects its members and their customers ... [+] to help support and enhance their respective jewelry businesses.

Where Retailers Discover What's New, Next and Unique

Retailers come to JCK to encounter new designers, novel trends and build their businesses for the year ahead, says Sarin Bachmann, Group Vice President of the RX jewelry portfolio. Bachmann, who is responsible for running JCK and also oversees RX's entire jewelry portfolio including, Luxury, JIS events, JCK online and JCK Magazine, continues, "Key highlights of JCK for attendees include discovering emerging designer talent and learning the latest innovations in jewelry retail." Other highlights for retailers and media include the daily schedule of panel discussions and talks involving jewelry industry professionals, including analysts and digital influencers. These are presented on The Showcase Stage and at the Social Stage on Level 2.

Luxury at JCK: The Show for Elite Retailers

Luxury is an invitation only show for the two days prior to JCK featuring celebrity keynote addresses with Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger and Dominique Dawes," she continues. "Also offered during Luxury are evening networking events with daily hosted meals and amenities throughout the show floor. During JCK, the Luxury ballrooms open to all JCK attending buyers. This year, Design at Luxury will be staged in front of the Luxury ballroom immersing attendees in the experience before they enter the main show floor.

Among the many notable Luxury exhibitors is the New York-based, family-owned, colored gemstone jewelry company David Kord. According to marketing director Jenn Kord, "Luxury at JCK is an annual highlight for us. The show is so well-organized, so well-attended and a great place to do business with upmarket retailers. The Luxury community draws important retailers, jewelry writers and editors from around the world, so it's an ideal environment in which to do business."

While emerging brands and designers are showcased throughout JCK and Luxury, a prime source of new designer talent is located within the Design Collective in JCK. For instance, Krakow, Poland-based designer and gemologist Patrycja Cyganek of Syncret creates 14-karat and 18-karat gold jewels with her goldsmith father, will be showing in Booth #1304. "This is our first year showing in the Design Collective," says Cyganek, "and we look forward to meeting with retailers and creating new relationships among the JCK community." The Design Collective also includes the "Rising Stars" realm, which highlights designers who’ve been in business five years or less. "Rising Stars was developed to make it easier for designers to step into exhibiting with JCK," Bachmann relates. "It offers them a marketing campaign and turnkey booth setup. "

Unlike many other international jewelry shows, JCK has historically helped, and continues to help, underrepresented groups participate in its epic annual event. This is worth noting, as the level of support that JCK provides is often substantial and always life-changing. "At JCK and all RX events, everyone belongs," says Sarin Bachmann, "JCK's evolution has placed a heavy focus on diversity and inclusion, both at our shows and throughout the industry."

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability

JCK started its Industry Fund in 1997, which has overall donated $7 million to und grants to organizations devoted to improving inclusion, sustainable practices, building schools and giving back to developing countries that are involved in the industry and much more. Significantly, JCK created a specific grant for Diversity and Inclusion-related causes. The first recipient of this grant was the Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) an organization focused on creating a platform for this underrepresented group within the jewelry industry. This year, $350,000 was donated to dserving organizations.

The Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) helps promote emerging designers at JCK.

"Since 2021, Bachmann relates, "JCK has partnered with the Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC), Women's Jewelry Association (WJA) and Natural Diamond Council (NDC) to showcase emerging BIPOC designers and give them a platform to network, connect with new customers and to launch or grow their businesses with JCK's thousands of attendees." JCK's intention, she continues, "is to support designers’ business growth and, whenever possible, help them launch their businesses." This focus she adds, "continues to evolve and grow."

This year, BIJC will once again showcase its designers in JCK's Design Collective neighborhood and WJA will present emerging designers in The Jewelry Loupe Project sponsored by De Beers. This showcase is also located in the Design Collective neighborhood. As a jewelry business development program for emerging designers, The Jewelry Loupe Project offers welcome opportunities for designer members and those from diverse backgrounds.

GEMS at JCK is a one-day event for sourcing loose gems and finished jewelry featuring exhibitors ... [+] from the American Gem Trade Association, Fine Gems, and the ICA.

According to Bachmann, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and sustainability are top priorities of the JCK organization and of the show. As Bachmann explains, "This is why we base an entire track of our JCK Talks program on DEI as well as Sustainability. There is much to be learned from professional perspectives and how diverse and sustainable practices are shaping the future of our industry. At JCK," she continues, the goal of JCK Talks is for attendees to take home content of the Talks and put it into practice in their retail stores and business practices."

In a related event, the WJA's second annual Generating Impact Community Breakfast focuses on "Disability Inclusion in the Jewelry & Watch Industry" and is scheduled for Friday June 2 from 8 to 9:30. Tickets are available through the WJA website. The NDC and New York-based designer Lorraine Schwartz return to JCK this year with the Class of Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative. Present for the first two invitation-only days of Luxury on May 31 - June 1 and all four days of JCK, the six designers include Amina Sorel Fine Jewelry by Amina Sorel, Bernard James Jewelry by Bernard James and Gwen Beloti Collection, founded by Gwen Beloti. Also sparkling here are Jessenia Landrum's brand Jevela, Rosario Navia and Metal x Wire by Symoné Currie.

Lab-Grown Diamonda

This year the number of LGD producers showing, along with companies that make lab-grown diamond jewels, amounts to 100. "This area of JCK continues to grow larger with each passing year," Bachmann notes. LGDs are increasingly big business. Based on data compiled by Tenoris, which produces trend analytic reports for the global jewelry industry, in the past three years, the market share of lab-grown diamond sales doubled from an average of 8.3% in 2020 to 17.3% in 2022. What's more, the share of loose lab-grown diamonds tripled from 7.2% in January 2020 to 22.9% in February 2023. More data pointing to lab-grown diamond's ascendancy: loose lab-grown diamond unit sales held a share of 13.7% in 2020. Since then, their share nearly tripled to 33.8% in 2022. In February 2023, unit sales of lab-grown diamonds reached the 46.6% mark. Clearly, the LGD realm is doing more than merely disrupting the jewelry industry —it is challenging the traditional notion of how consumers define what a diamond is.

Some of the most intriguing LGD brands showing at JCK include Smiling Rocks, which embodies a socially and environmentally progressive business model by channeling three percent from every purchase of its products into the 501 (c)(3) Smiling Rocks Foundation. (The customer dictates that donation goes to an educational, medical or environmental charity.)

Charities that receive donations from Smiling Rocks include Trees For the Future, which is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to improve the lives of impoverished farmers. The goal is to help every farmer develop a Forest Garden on their land as a reliable source of nutrition and income. "This reality would create an environmentally-friendly and sustainable global food system," explains Smiling Rocks co-founder Zulu Ghevriya. He and his co-founder Manish Jiwani have over 20 years of experience in the diamond and jewelry industries.

"We created Smiling Rocks to leave a positive footprint for future generations," Ghevriya adds. "Our brand promotes betterment of communities through education and health care, and through preserving our environment. Sustainability for us is the foundation of our business, rather than a trend," he continues. "One of the exciting things about showing at JCK is that every year, we see more exhibitors at JCK and Luxury who are operate along similar lines."

All in all, JCK 2023 promises to generate a global village of jewelry news. To find out the highlights of this year's JCK and Luxury events, watch this space in June for a post-show report.