This month's issue

Subscribe to Colored Stone!
Contact Customer Service

Vegas Sales Lukewarm as Competition Heats Up

June 13, 2005

The JCK Show — Las Vegas 2005 ended on a cautious note, with exhibitors overall reporting spotty sales. While some companies did very well — especially those who did pre-show promotions to get customers to their booths — others had so-so sales.

The week started earlier than usual as The Couture Jewellery Collection and Conference, a high-end, invitation-only show, moved from its previous home in Phoenix, Arizona, to the Wynn Las Vegas. The newly-opened hotel is right across the street from The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, where the rival invitational Luxury by JCK was going into its sixth year. Both shows opened on May 30, Memorial Day, and closed on June 2.

Couture was the larger of the two at 184 exhibitors, compared to just over 100 for Luxury. In the final analysis, though, both shows finished about even — they had good sales to their core group of invited retailers, though not spectacular.

In that sense, they set the tone for The JCK Show and also for Signature Salons, a second high-end show organized by the same company that does Couture, VNU Expositions. Many Couture exhibitors remained for Signature Salons, and they were joined by other companies who either defected from JCK or exhibited at both venues.

Signature Salons had a total of 209 exhibitors and approximately 3,200 retail attendees. Many companies did well, particularly the high-end brands, while less established companies had a slower time of it. But most exhibitors agreed that the exhibition space — a series of ballrooms in the Wynn Las Vegas — was more conducive to doing business than the hustle of the JCK show floor.

The JCK Show, now tellingly billing itself as “the only show in town,” saw respectable business. Show organizers do not release attendance figures, but the mood on the show floor was positive, if subdued. Buying was not as brisk as some buyers hoped, but it was steady.

The buying trend for fall was spice tones — yellows, oranges, and reds in gemstones like sapphire, garnet, and carnelian. Taking a cue from their European counterparts, more American designers were playing with alternative materials like wood, which played up the warmer tones nicely. Pavé was more prevalent than before, especially in gradient colors; one particularly popular combination was a series of sapphire going from yellow to orange to red, all in the eye-catching shades of beryllium diffusion.

In terms of design, versatility was the catchword. Necklaces that could be layered or left to dangle, changeable pendants and earrings, bangles that could be stacked or worn separately — every designer was putting his or her own twist on the theme. Most of the designs were in keeping with the antique Art Deco look that has been in fashion for the past few years.

May/June 2005 • Style: A Touch of Class • Selling: Cultured Youth • Online Poll: Myanmar Gems • News & Updates • In This Issue