Dazzling Vegas – 2023 JCK Fair Report
“World’s No. 1 among jewelry fairs” – reading such a bold declaration in JCK Las Vegas promotional materials, one could have doubts. A slogan? A coquetry? An empty promise? None of these. I came, I saw, I confirm – the shimmering fair, which took place at the beginning of June in the surreal, opulent space of the legendary Venetian hotel, is everything that the organizers promised.
This year, 30,000 professionals – brand representatives, designers, buyers, investors, journalists – arrived in Nevada, including your favorite sister duo! Our last visit to the JCK fair took place before the pandemic. Since then, the fair has grown threefold (!!!). 1900 exhibitors, a program executed on an area of nearly 40,000 square meters (that’s like a large shopping center!). As we know, extravagance is a way of life in the United States. However, at JCK, quantity went hand in hand with quality. The fair was organized perfectly. A well-designed mobile application guided us among the stands like the best American friend, familiar with all ins & outs. Guests could also make use of wonderfully friendly staff with “ASK ME” badges. Thanks to this professional care and service, we were able to 100% focus on discovering jewelry, meetings, conversations, and, of course, creating reports for you, jewellery enthusiasts!
Luxury Business
JCK Las Vegas, thanks to its vast scale and diversity, serves as a comprehensive business platform for all players in the jewelry industry. Networking, market overview, products, trends, shopping, and trade agreements – you name it. Parallel to this mass event, the exclusive Luxury by JCK takes place and, as you can probably easily guess, I got lost among the showcases of the most luxurious global brands, enchanted by the brilliance of rare jewels and dazzled by the genius of designs. There are no statistics on the value of trinkets presented in this part of JCK and business deals made in the halls named in honor of Italian master painters: Titian, Bellini, Veronese, and Bassano. I can only estimate that the unit of measurement here were hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars.
Jewellery Lover – The Explorer
Professionally, visits to foreign jewelry fairs for me are an opportunity to get to know brands that are not yet in Poland, or even in Europe. All this to show you, jewellery lovers, the best of the best – because after all, BLINGSIS is about discovery. During Luxury by JCK, my heart was stolen, among others, by the sophisticated diamond jewelry from Christophers Design New York (fun fact: the boss and founder is Polish!), artistic, vibrantly crafty gems from Dorian & Rose, colorful “statement pieces” from the family brand Mazza, and fairytale gems in Omi Privé collections.
What do I love about going to fairs? Sometimes one smile in the press room, one exchange of business cards, and… magic happens. That’s how Katarzyna and I ended up at two events of the very prestigious brand Le Vian, which occupied the largest space at the Luxury by JCK fair. Whenever I go to an industry event, I have a plan – a list of brands I want to visit, scheduled meetings, chosen outfits for each day… But I intentionally pack a few extra outfits in my suitcase (like the metallic Affair dress or divine Dollina jacket) – following my rule “expect the unexpected” – you never know when you’ll end up at a fashion show of one of the international jewelry giants! Le Vien’s domain is color. The house creates such wonders as jewelry with chocolate or strawberry diamonds. Stunning Le Vien sparkles are “regulars” on the red carpets. The brand’s spectacular designs have been worn by stars such as Jennifer Aniston or Taylor Swift.
#JetLeggedButHappy, my Vegas
Las Vegas is a city of contrasts – like any big city in the USA. I wanted to discover all the faces of this incredible place: from the plush-carpeted interiors of gaudy hotels to seedy alleyways and cheap street food. Everything, everywhere, a lot, at once – that’s how I can summarize these experiences. Katarzyna and I decided to squeeze this trip like a juicy lemon – to the last drop. Late in the afternoon, I swapped my elegant dress for shorts and Converse. Together with press friends, we did a daily “competition” of who took the most steps (laughs). My record? 28k! On my smartphone, next to photos of fabulous necklaces and rings – neon lights, murals, a replica of the Eiffel Tower, and the fountain at the Bellagio Hotel. The head is buzzing from stimuli, but under the selfie from Fremont Street – the colorful, poppy center of Vegas – I type the hashtag #JetLeggedButHappy. The highlight of our “after hours” time was going to a Cirque du Soleil show. We sat down in the wonderful company of jewellery enthusiasts: our companions were colleagues from Italy, organizers of Vicenzaoro. The luxury of jewelry – always and in every dose. I like to season full-glamour memories with a moment in a slightly shady American burger joint, a secret menu tasting at the cult In-N-Out (password: wild animal), a walk in a crowd of crazy party-goers and costumed people. I believe that to feel jewelry, one must live and catch different inspirations. The keyword: balance… and sparkle – of course. JCK – thank you for an unforgettable time!”
