See Martin Katz’s Stunning Bespoke Jewelry for Saks Fifth Avenue

Martin Katz. Photo: Courtesy of Martin Katz

After three years, the “grand renovation” of Saks Fifth Avenue’s Manhattan flagship is finally complete. As part of the $250 million overhaul, the luxury retailer added a floor featuring hard-to-find designer fashions plus a dining experience crafted by Philippe Starck and 10022-SHOE, a footwear salon so expansive it was given its own zip code. Also giving the iconic department store a major “wow” factor is the multilevel holographic escalator conceived by architect Rem Koolhaas.

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The final piece of the experiential puzzle is The Vault, which occupies the lower-level storage area that’s been meticulously designed with jewel-like terrazzo floors, custom rugs, and a highly curated selection of fine jewelry and heritage watch brands. Included in the mix are Boucheron’s and Repossi’s first U.S. spaces, as well as Baume & Mercier’s first external North American boutique.

The Martin Katz display within Saks Fifth Avenue’s new jewelry floor, The Vault. Photo: Justin Bridges

A number of fine jewelry brands are making their debut at Saks, including Lorraine Schwartz, Oscar Heyman, Piaget, Assael, and Martin Katz, the latter of whom has created artful bijoux for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. (Among them are Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, and Jennifer Aniston.) Over the years, Katz has hosted several successful trunk shows at Saks, but this marks his first permanent in-store space. “As I saw the drawings and the architecture coming together, we saw this tremendous lobby atrium that makes you feel like you’re in this beautiful rotunda,” Katz tells Galerie. “It’s quite lovely.”

Martin Katz round Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline and trapezoid ring in platinum. Photo: Courtesy of Martin Katz

Among Katz’s selection of gems are a number of one-of-a-kind creations, including 18-carat Whistle tanzanite and diamond earrings as well as a pair of 18K-white-gold Deco earrings with emeralds and diamonds. Dazzling is a richly colored 18K-white-gold necklace set with 125 mixed-shape Brazilian Paraiba tourmalines and a showstopping round Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline and trapezoid diamond ring in platinum. “What I really wanted to do was create a fashionable look that still imparts the Martin Katz DNA of our stylizations, of the couture type of workmanship,” says Katz. “I wanted to go with colors that were most requested. People are always into blues and pinks.”

Martin Katz Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline necklace in 18K-white-gold set with approximately 125 mixed-shape Paraibas. Photo: Courtesy of Martin Katz

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“Retail is changing,” the jeweler continues. “Every time you can work with a collaborative luxury brand that can help bring your brand to more people, it’s a direction you must go in. By being available in Saks, we’re able to put our pieces in the hands of people that would otherwise only see them on our website.”

Martin Katz Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline and diamond drop earrings in 18K white gold with six round diamonds, microset with 264 diamonds and 210 sapphires. Photo: Courtesy of Martin Katz