My plane to Las Vegas was seventeenth in line and 45 minutes late for takeoff when I decided that whatever happened during my first time at COUTURE and JCK, I would just roll with it. I was about to attend the most important annual jewelry trade shows in the country, and I needed to chill out.
My anticipation had been building since January, when I asked my bosses if I could register under Zadok Jewelers so that I could attend for Jewels Abound. I would pay my own way, running around and exploring for the blog while they attended to official buying business. It would be one of the coolest experiences of my life, and I’d have an amazing time. But I didn’t know that, because I was stuck on the tarmac at IAH.
I did finally make it to Vegas with my nerves intact. The silver lining of arriving much later than I’d planned was that my room at the Mirage was ready for check-in.
The next stop was picking up my badge at the COUTURE registration desk at the Wynn hotel. Since 1995, COUTURE has brought together big-name heritage brands and emerging design talent to showcase their newest creations. Thousands of retail buyers and members of the press attend the show each year. (COUTUREtime, for Swiss watches, is also at the Wynn, but I did not make it to the watch show.)
Once I got my badge, it was time to hit the booths. I was really nervous. Even though I work for a well-known store, I didn’t know if anyone would want to talk to me. I felt like the new kid at school trying to find a seat in the cafeteria for the first time. Where do I go first? Who looks nice?
Irene Neuwirth is a personal favorite, so I made a beeline for her booth. I was hoping to see the one-of-a-kind ribbon earrings Rachel Brosnahan wore to the 2019 SAG Awards in person, since I knew they were still for sale. I asked someone working there if I could see them, and got to hold them in my hand. They were stunning in person, just lovely. But when I asked if I could take a picture of them, the girl helping me got uncomfortable and said she wasn’t sure. This was the only time during my three days in Las Vegas when someone didn’t respond with an immediate yes to a photo request. I’m still not sure why. There are photos of those earrings all over the internet and they were trying to sell them at the show. Oh well! I decided to move on.
As I tried to decide who to visit next, a friendly “Hello!” rang out in my direction. It was David, a kind gentleman who works for Beverly Hills designer Dena Kemp. Dena herself was there as well, and we started chatting. It was also her first year at COUTURE, and she and David were more than willing to show me their line. My favorite piece was a one-of-a-kind mint tourmaline and diamond ring.
After this second encounter, I began feeling more comfortable. I walked around the COUTURE showroom as much as I could, trying to visit as many designers on my list as possible. All in all I got to see a decent amount of jewelry and I met a lot of really nice people who were happy to show off their designs. I didn’t get as many photos and videos as I would have liked because a lot of designers were in meetings, so sometimes it was difficult to capture the pieces I wanted to see. Here’s a bit more of what I saw.
These Jacquie Aiche pendants are really interesting. Opal was popular in Vegas this year. 
Jacquie Aiche is a Hollywood favorite. Her aesthetic is very LA.
Karen Suen, based in Hong Kong, is another favorite Instagram follow that I was excited to see in person my first time at COUTURE and JCK. These black, gray and white diamond earrings have amazing movement. Her team could not have been nicer! Karen had stepped away when I was there, unfortunately, and I never did find the time to go back to her booth.
These emerald and diamond earrings were divine. Look at the carved emerald leaves and the smooth cabochon drops. Phenomenal color. Plus, the drops are detachable!
Before I knew it, it was time to head back to my hotel to prepare for the COUTURE opening night party. I decided to make a quick stop at the Stuller table on my way out. I’ve ordered many an earring back from this Lafayette, Louisiana-based company, so I wanted to say hi. Plus, they had a zen garden to play with! Then, something crazy happened. One of the women working for Stuller, Katie Kennedy, and I realized that our mothers are both from Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Donaldsonville is an extremely small town, so we pretty much flipped out and texted our mothers immediately.
It turned out my mom did know of her family growing up! It was one of those crazy small-world moments that I never could have imagined would happen during my first time at COUTURE and JCK.
Finally, it was party time! The theme was #ThrowbackThursday 80’s Night. Not a lot of people came in 80’s themed outfits, but there was an awesome band, plenty of drinks and good company. It was a great way to officially kick off my first time at COUTURE and JCK.
Jewelry people know how to party! 
With Betty and Stacy from the Zadok team
Stay tuned for more from my first time at COUTURE and JCK!