NEW YORK, NY.- This week, New York becomes the stage for one of the most anticipated debuts of NYC Jewelry Week: the unveiling of THEN & NOW, the inaugural collection from Rebecca Rau Jewels. Blending original antiquities with contemporary gemstones, the collection introduces a groundbreaking vision of historic-to-modern jewelry, where artifacts dating from 1200 BC to 1880 AD are transformed into singular, wearable works of art.

Rau, a fourth-generation art and antique dealer with roots at the renowned M.S. Rau gallery in New Orleans, brings a lifetime spent among rare treasures into her first fine jewelry collection. With a master’s from Sotheby’s Institute of Art and years spent sourcing antiques and jewels across Europe and Asia, she channels a curator’s rigor and a designer’s intuition into pieces that preserve the past while reimagining its future.

Jill Newhouse, gallery owner and host of Rau’s exhibition states, “As a longtime fine art gallery owner, we are committed to exhibitions that connect the historical and the contemporary, combining fresh perspectives with a nod to the past. Rebecca Rau’s innovative collection does exactly that we are pleased to being showing this work alongside our gallery’s important drawings and paintings.”



Among the standout pieces premiering this week are the Hand-in-Hand Ring, featuring a rare medieval Fede (fidelity) ring cradling an old mine diamond; the Granulated Goddess, a Phoenician gold votive pendant framed by a vibrant pink sapphire and other gemstones; the Green Flame Necklace, built around a Saxon bridle mount illuminated with Lightning Ridge opal and mint garnet; and The Good Pope, an intricate Italian micromosaic encircled with spinels and finished with a South Sea pearl. Each jewel upholds its original form while integrating modern design, where preservation meeting imagination.

NYC Jewelry Week guests can experience THEN & NOW through a launch reception, guided tour, and public exhibition hours from November 20–22 at Jill Newhouse Gallery on the Upper East Side.

The collection officially debuts at the launch reception on Thursday, November 20, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, with beverages and chef-curated bites. On Friday, November 21, at 2:30pm, Rau will lead an intimate tour, offering insight into the histories, transformations, and craftsmanship behind each piece. To attend the launch or collection tour, RSVP via Eventbrite here. The public is invited to explore the exhibition during open gallery hours on Friday, November 21, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Saturday, November 22, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Walk-ins are welcome, and private appointments may be arranged for collectors, press, and industry professionals seeking a deeper engagement with the pieces. To explore the full collection, visit www.rebeccaraujewels.com. For private appointments, contact info@rebeccaraujewels.com or call +1 504-475-4266.