For those in the jewelry business, from manufacturers to retailers and everyone in between, the JCK show in Las Vegas is THE jewelry show of the year–not to be missed if you want to see what every store will be selling during the very important 4th quarter of the year.  Everyone from the top design houses to Pandora to the small specialty brands no one’s ever heard of, are there showing their latest and greatest creations to the world.  This year was certainly no exception but there are definitely a few specialty brands that stood out among the rest.

REACTOR watches!  If you still wear a watch–and you should (as it is arm jewelry as well as functional) this specialty brand ROCKS!  Built by the legendary Jimmy Olmes (of Freestyle fame) these watches are definitely some of the best built out there, featuring triple screw-down crowns and solid screwbars, they are water-resistant to 660 feet and even bulletproof!  Priced right, there is no need to buy a super expensive watch from a more well known brand as these guys are the REAL DEAL!  Durable, tough and backed by a 2 year unconditional guarantee.  Find them at your local independent jewelry store, please!

Men’s wedding bands are definitely getting cooler…literally.  Thanks to ELYSIUM black diamonds, men can own their very own diamond band made of solid diamonds (approximately 8 ctw in each band), look great and get something to fidget with during parties.  Watch my Instagram video and see this band melt ice right before your eyes!  This is the band everyone will be talking about!  In addition, I was thrilled to see some other alternative metal men’s bands beyond tungsten.  I know those tungsten bands have come a long way and they are inexpensive but the latest and greatest contemporary metal band out there now is SERINIUM.  SERINIUM is a combination of metals that are also hypo-allergenic, extremely durable, are easy to remove in case of an accident and best of all…will NOT change color or fade when worn in the water.  Priced similarly to tungsten, SERINIUM is a new metal for a new generation of wearers made to withstand all lifestyles.

Where fashion and bridal meet function there are some interesting and new items on the horizon.  How about an engagement ring with a built-in sizing bar that will accommodate different size fingers without actually changing the size of the ring!  Or how would you like a pair of diamond hoop earrings that close up and become your wedding or fashion band?!  Right?  I know it sounds crazy but it is very versatile in classic styles.  I don’t think I’m ready to go all in with this yet, but I like the direction of this concept.

And what is the JCK Las Vegas show without the Le Vian red carpet event and fashion show.  It is a spectacle of beauty and fashion, by invitation only, featuring the latest and greatest trends and gemstone forecasting for the next year.  This year was no exception as Le Vian has named the gem of the year as cornflower Ceylon sapphire and blueberry sapphires, continuing our obsession with the color blue.  In addition, the nude and nearly nude gemstones, vanilla diamonds and peach morganite, will continue to  be hot through the next season.  Avril Graham of Harper’s Bazaar magazine is always on hand to back up the jewelry with the fashion trends and is there a greater authority on fashion than Harper’s Bazaar?  They have just finished celebrating their 150 years in publication.  Not usually considered the fashionista on the red carpet or any kind of trend setter, my black ostrich feather dress was a hit as Avril announced that one of the trends of the year is feathers!  Who knew?  As usual, the entire Le Vian family makes everyone feel like a celebrity as they exude thank you’ s and love to all who love their brand–I was sitting with several personal collectors at the event and watched as Eddie Le Vian, his brother Moosa, and his son, Johnathan, walked among them shaking their hands and thanking them for being the passionate collectors they are.  The evening is always concluded by the annual Jewelers for Children dinner where, once again, Eddie Le Vian offered to match the highest contributor to the cause (this year’s highest commitment was $125,000) as well as committing to donating $500 for every person at the fashion show.  Crazy!

As for Vegas–it’s Vegas in the summer.  It’s hot, loud and vibrating all the time.  7 days in Vegas is a long time but also a fun time as I always meet some amazing people and get to see what’s new and upcoming.  Now I’m really just looking forward to going home and decompressing for a day.  

You really should check out my Instagram if you want to see all of the coolest jewelry trends on the horizon.  That’s what #frankisays!