Founded in 1992, JCK Las Vegas (then simply called Jewelry ’92) is still going strong after 34 years for one essential reason: No matter the time, no matter the economy, jewelers are perennially on the hunt for something new—even more so when times feel challenging or unpredictable.

Keep that in mind should you find yourself at the JCK and Luxury shows at The Venetian Resort and Expo later this month. A raft of new exhibitors, representing traffic-driving new categories, promises to make this one of the most exciting Las Vegas jewelry weeks in years.

Time Keepers Unite

For starters, the two shows are inaugurating a new neighborhood, Timepieces at Luxury & JCK, that will open May 27–28 to Luxury’s invite-only buyers and will open to all Luxury and JCK attendees May 29–June 1. Home to a cohort of familiar brands—including Alpina, Bulova, Casio, G-Shock, Citizen, Accutron, Movado, and Frederique Constant—the new section reflects growing demand for wristwatches, much of it fueled by Gen Z.

“We’re seeing renewed momentum from both heritage houses and independent brands, alongside a younger, design-driven audience discovering watches as both a style statement and a gateway into fine jewelry,” Sarin Bachmann, senior vice president at RX Global, who oversees the RX jewelry portfolio, tells JCK.

“At the same time, retailers are looking for new ways to differentiate, through storytelling, expanded categories, and broader price points, and watches deliver on all three,” Bachmann says.

It reminds us of something Marc Friedant, CEO of Robbins Brothers, told us in mid-November, when we attended the grand opening of the Southern California retail chain’s Pasadena showroom. “Today’s consumer wants to find a jeweler with whom they can have a relationship through all of their shopping experiences,” he said. “We now have watches in five of our 14 stores. We didn’t have watches until earlier this year.”

Friedant pointed to the watch showcases lining the wall, including one devoted to the accessible luxury brand Frederique Constant. “These are all Swiss-made,” he said. “And the nice thing is it’s not an overwhelming price point. In the watch space, a lot of folks have the big brands, and you’re somewhat beholden to them. We wanted to have it as an offering that any consumer could aspire to purchase.”

When the JCK show opens Friday, May 29, retailers interested in exploring the wristwatch possibilities will find another batch of brands in the Timepieces at JCK Ballroom, including Fossil Group, D1 Milano, Vostok, Tsar Bomba, and more.

On Friday at 4:30 p.m., all JCK and Luxury attendee badge holders are invited to an official welcome cocktail event in the Timepieces hallway and ballrooms. The celebration is a precursor to several watch-centric events taking place over the weekend, from an invitation-only global meetup hosted Friday by the collectors group RedBar, to the WatchPro Hot 100 Party at the Luxury Lobby Bar in The Venetian Saturday, May 30 (also by invitation only).

For attendees seeking watch education, the show has partnered with the Fondation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) to present dedicated sessions and workshops centered on watchmaking, trends, and more. These include two JCK Talks sessions—one on Friday at 3 p.m. about how Gen Z is reshaping the watch market and another on Sunday at 3 p.m. that examines the future of watch retail.

If you’re interested in a mechanical deep-dive, FHH will host a 90-minute, $290 watchmaking workshop from Friday through Sunday, where attendees will learn how to disassemble and reassemble a mechanical movement.

Finally, the organization will present lectures ($50) on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, focused on watchmaking complications as well as iconic watches. Seats are extremely limited and can be purchased during the registration process.

Fine Jewelry Adjacent

Demand for wristwatches is growing right alongside the industry’s ongoing love affair with lifestyle products—think candles, coffee-table books, even fancy knives—that complement fine jewelry without cannibalizing it. Now, retailers in search of stylish merch can shop the new Lifestyle Pavilion at JCK, which will open Thursday, May 28, alongside the Gems Pavilion in the Gems hall.

“The Lifestyle Pavilion is a natural evolution of how our industry and our customers are thinking today,” Jennifer Hopf, event director at JCK, says. “Retailers are no longer just curating cases, they’re curating experiences to drive more traffic into their stores.

“This new space brings together products that complement and enhance the core jewelry offering, giving buyers fresh ways to tell a broader story in-store to their clients,” Hopf says. “It’s about helping our community tap into new revenue opportunities while staying deeply connected to how consumers actually live, shop, and express themselves.”

There is wisdom in offering clients a selection of merchandise that may be an easier sell than fine jewelry. But don’t take it from us. “In today’s world, luxury stores and boutiques need to add a lifestyle element and experience to their repertoire,” Candy Udell, co-owner of London Jewelers, in Manhasset, N.Y., tells JCK. “This is a must to lure new and existing clients.”

Design Squad

Speaking of luring new clients, Luxury has added a roster of impressive designers to its list of exhibiting brands, starting with jeweler-to-the-stars Lorraine Schwartz, who will show through her wholesale line, Jules Trading, alongside her sister Ofira Sandberg, whose brand, Ofira Jewels, is also showing.

The New York City design house Gumuchian is back at Luxury, which also welcomes Khepri Jewels, a fast-growing emerging designer line featuring fancy natural colored diamonds.

But that’s not all. Luxury has partnered with NouvelleBox, the London-based virtual and physical designer collaborative, to bring a number of exciting independent jewelry designers—including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, Kiaia, and others—to center stage. The NouvelleBox Ballroom, located in the Bassano area on Level 2, provides a platform for talented designers from around the world to connect with top-tier retailers and press in an intimate and refined setting.

Something similar is happening at JCK, where the Out of the Jewel Box (OJB) Experience, a curated lineup of designers and artisans that originated in Tucson during the gem shows, is bringing its unique blend of talents—Rémy Rotenier, Gold and Smoke, Dawes Design, and more—to the Design Collective.

Meghan Margewicz, event director at Luxury, sees the wave of new voices as a consequence of the show’s ability to marry an exceptional experience with access to a high-quality audience of retailers who are ready and able to buy.

“Luxury is deliberate about delivering the right balance of both—a curated community of serious buyers and growth-focused brands in an environment designed for meaningful connection and real business outcomes,” Margewicz says. “Over time, exhibitors have recognized that this is where that truly happens. Simply put, brands come to Luxury because it is where business gets done.