Houston Gets a Coveted New Jewelry Store First: New York Has to Wait, Play Shopping 2nd Fiddle

Just when you thought River Oaks District had it all, jewelry brand John Hardy is readying its first freestanding U.S. boutique in Houston, alongside luxe neighbors Dior, Tom Ford, Hermès, Harry Winston, and Cartier.

Hardy’s new digs may be glittering and modern, but the eco-conscious company — which is based halfway around the world in enchanting Ubud, Bali — employs more than 700 Balinese artists and craftsmen, whose artisanship and sense of community symbolize the brand’s ethos. Preserving master craftsmanship and Balinese tradition, ensuring sustainability, and establishing a  mission to provide training, mentoring, and financial support for Balinese orphans keeps Hardy chiefs awake at night.

But the message is consistent and on point: Past campaigns have promoted “Wear Bamboo, Plant Bamboo,” assigning a portion of sales of the silver and gold Bamboo collection to fund plantings in Asia. And you thought John Hardy was just another pretty jewel.

The artisan-made collections are crafted with 100 percent certified recycled gold and silver. Poetic bead bracelets in ruby, lapis, malachite, and moonstone symbolize power and strength; Legends Cobra, Macan, and Naga collections represent mythical talismans, and new is the woven gold and silver Modern Chain collection, inspired by a men’s bracelet first produced in 1992 and requiring the work of at least five artists and 15 hours to create.

As part of a global brand transformation led by CEO Robert Hanson, John Hardy will open a second U.S. store, in New York City, later this year. But Houston bows first.