Summary: JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates recap highlights from Tiffany & Co.’s star-studded party to mark the reopening of the Fifth Avenue flagship store, where a once homey vibe has been replaced by a sleek temple to luxury. Rob shares an update from AGS Conclave along with insights about the trending topic of ChatGPT and its potential for the industry. Finally, the two compare notes on which events they’re most excited to check out at JCK Las Vegas.Sponsored by De Beers: institute.debeers.comShow Notes01:45: Tiffany’s Night to Remember12:53: Smart Ways to Harness A.I.21:35: All Eyes on JCK Las VegasEpisode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: @jckmagazine; institute.debeers.comShow RecapA night to remember marks the dawn of a new era for Tiffany & Co.The fete for Tiffany & Co.’s reopened New York City flagship on April 27th was even flashier and splashier than expected, Victoria reports. Close to 1,200 guests turned up at the Landmark, while tourists thronged Fifth Avenue to catch a glimpse of A-listers like Blake Lively, Zoë Kravitz, and Mark Wahlberg on the red carpet.After more than three years in the works, the spectacular new flagship looks nothing like the Tiffany’s store of old, Victoria says. The Landmark is filled with light wood, glass, digital screens, custom artworks, a dramatic curvilinear staircase, and, of course, beautiful jewelry. Victoria’s first stop was the seventh floor, which houses gemstone masterpieces like Bird on a Rock broaches and the Patek Philippe salon. Nearly as awe-inspiring as the gems was the sheer amount of wealth of the guests in attendance, she says.The Fifth Avenue icon was long venerated as a democratic slice of Americana, Rob notes—a place where anyone could feel at home admiring the pieces on display. He wonders if the Landmark will be as welcoming. That depends on what kind of person you are, Victoria surmises. Sleek and grand, this indisputable temple to luxury may well intimidate certain shoppers. Then again, it’s bound to be a tourist attraction—and there are affordable items to be had, she notes. (The entry price for a silver Return to Tiffany bracelet is $250.) For those confident or curious enough to be undaunted by the glamor, Victoria says it’s well worth popping up to the seventh floor to admire the art, the odes to Tiffany windows, the digital Audrey Experience with a replica of Hepburn’s black Givenchy dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and original notes from the Truman Capote novella that inspired the film.Want more detail? Read Victoria’s full report (https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/cocktails-at-tiffanys/) on the party.A.I. update: smart ways to harness artificial intelligenceNext, Rob shares highlights from the recent American Gem Society Conclave, where he found himself socializing without fear of COVID for the first time in several years.Despite warning signs like inflation and bank failures—and waning from the boom of 2020 and 2021—jewelry businesses are holding up well based on the buzz at Conclave, Rob says. Traceability and lab-grown diamonds were much discussed,
