What is New York City Jewelry Week?

Slated for Nov. 12 to 18, the new event is designed to promote jewelry to the public.

Brecken Branstrator brecken.branstrator@nationaljeweler.com

New York—Good news for jewelry lovers in New York City: an event is launching this fall that will put jewelry of all kinds front and center via a slew of educational events.

Jewelry and retail veterans Bella Neyman and J.B. Jones are introducing New York City Jewelry Week, which they say is the city’s first and only week dedicated to promoting jewelry through educational and innovative New York-focused programming.

It is slated to take place Nov. 12 to 18.

The jewelry event’s two co-founders told National Jeweler that they felt really strongly about creating an event that celebrates all sectors of the jewelry industry while at the same time promoting everything that New York has to offer for jewelry lovers.

And while the industry certainly isn’t lacking in events, this one is consumer-facing, meant to be a “cultural event” in New York.

Education is an important part of their mission, Neyman said, adding that they talked to many people across the industry’s various sectors about what they want the public to know and how to get the messages across.

“Jewelry has become so popular among so many people, so we wanted to highlight all the places in the city you can go to learn about it,” she said.

This necklace from Charles Loloma will be a part of the Mahnaz Collection’s “Jewelry of the American Southwest” ongoing exhibition during NYC Jewelry Week.

It also is meant to bring awareness to the places around the city where consumers can buy jewelry, be it the big chains or the independent retailers, and provide a place for conversations among those involved in producing all types of jewelry.

NYC Jewelry Week will feature exhibitions, educational lectures, workshops, exclusive tours and unique collaborations with brands, individual jewelers, artists, designers and other businesses throughout the city.

The lineup of events so far includes: “Jewelry of the American Southwest,” an exhibition at the Mahnaz Collection in Midtown Manhattan; “Show and Tell” at Fred Leighton; a studio tour and “Meet the Founders” event at Brooklyn jeweler Catbird; and a “Made in NY” talk from Town & Country Editor-in-Chief Stellene Volandes at the 92nd Street Y.

Only about a quarter of the total events are listed on the jewelry event’s website so far, but the co-founders estimate there will be around 60-65 total.

Most will be open to the public but a few are invite-only due to security and/or space concerns.

Banner will be right here …

Neyman and Jones also created an advisory committee, which includes well-known jewelry designers Deirdre Featherstone and Kara Ross, jewelry historian Levi Higgs and Volandes, among many others.

Jones said they wanted to include experts not only in jewelry but also in arts, design, fashion and more to help develop a program that would “tell a rounded story of how jewelry exists in New York … and sits in all those worlds as well.”

In addition to hoping that the industry helps to promote NYC Jewelry Week, Neyman and Jones have connected with the city for outreach to consumers.

They are working with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which runs the “Made in NY” initiative, borough presidents and the Chamber of Commerce as well as PR firm Cultural Council, which supports events like Jewelry Week.

Those interested in learning more can visit NYCJewelryWeek.com, follow the event on Instagram for updates or reach out to the co-founders on the website.

Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.