Welcome to the second installment of Pendant and Ring’s Jewelry News Round-Up! We have four articles of interest today: First, let’s talk about engagement rings, second, the upcoming Christie’s Only Watch auction is in a few days, third and fourth, Barney’s and Pandora stores are shaking it up trying to stay relevant in an increasingly e-commerce world.  Let’s get started!

How much do you plan to spend on your engagement ring?

The word is out and people are spending less than you might think! Analysts say couples are spending between $3,000 and $7,000 on dainty engagement rings with smaller center stones and a lot fewer diamonds! Did we not just say this in our “Diamond Engagement Ring? Maybe Not” post? According to The Knot’s research Moissanite is the number one choice for non-diamond engagement rings. Check out all the details in Michelle Graff’s article: “The Average Amount Spent on an Engagement Ring Is…”

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On November 9th, Christie’s of Geneva is hosting the ONLY WATCH auction.

Every one of the 50 watches up for auction is a one-of-kind, and I could write a sparkling review of each watch. They are all beautiful examples of ornate and masterful craftsmanship!

Of the fifty watches, these are my top four in no particular order:

Lot 12 JAQUET DROZ: This ceramic skeleton wristwatch has a black powder finish, red hands on two faces, and a red band. The mechanism is visible from both sides and the second hand is popped out, in its own larger dial with a sixty red demarcations. The simple combination of red and black look smart and classic when paired with the red band. The face is 41.5 mm across and anyone with an appreciation of art and functional design would love this one.

Lot 31 BOUCHERON: The Ancient Egyptian ouroboros is a symbol of a snake eating its tail. The symbol represents infinity and the cyclical nature of existence. Boucheron took that idea and unwound it. The gold snake released his tail and slithers a figure eight with the 18mm clock face in the larger, lower loop, all surrounded and supported by a diamond-encrusted silver circle.

Lot 36 RJ: The Arraw 6919 is the watch for night owls and space buffs. Centered in the top of the shades-of-black face is a moon applique. As the moon changes phase in the sky, so too does your moon. As if the moon movement were not enough, the coordinates of Kennedy Launch Site and Tranquility Base are etched into the face.

Lot 41 ARTYA: Unlike the other three watches on this list the Artya watch features a simple design. The 44mm face is free from dials and the mechanism is only visible from the back. The hour, minute and second hands are rendered in gold and the face is entirely covered by a blue-colored buttery wing. The wings are harvested after the butterfly dies a natural death and delicately mounted in the watch face.

The other 46 watches are almost as awe-inspiring as these four. 🙂 If you have a minute you can view them on Christie’s website.

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Barney’s Department Store of New York is facing restructuring.

The brand was recently purchased by Authentic Brands Group, an American company headed by Canadian CEO, Jaime Salter. Under new management, Barney’s will keep their New York location open for one more year, but then those doors will shut and Barney’s New York will open as a boutique in Saks Fifth Avenue. Salter promises to treat the iconic brand “incredibly carefully,” noting that the revenue streams from the NYC and LA stores are lucrative, but changes are inevitable. Other locations are making changes too. Read more about Barney’s future in Rob Bates’s article: Barney’s Flagship to Remain Open as Others Close.”

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Pandora is overhauling its stores.

To provide a cozy, comfy, explore and discover experience for its customers and increase their bottom line Pandora is making big changes. Next time you visit Pandora irl take notice of these changes; fewer salespeople, written details about each of the Pandora charms, and trending counters where e-commerce data will dictate what is displayed. This is a good move on Pandora’s part. E-Commerce is growing and changing the way customers interact with items for sale. Taking cues from the website data is good business in our changing world. For more information about Pandora’s changes, read Katie Richard’s article, “Jewelry Brand Pandora is Overhauling US Stores,” in Glossy.

That’s a wrap!
We hope you enjoy reading these jewelry tidbits as much as we enjoy finding them!
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