Local Jeweler J. Landa’s New River Oaks Boutique

For more than two decades, Houstonians have called upon Jay Landa for unique fine jewelry. He opened his J. Landa boutique in Rice Village in 1999, growing and renovating the space many times over, transitioning from his silversmith roots to a statement-piece brand. Now, J. Landa Jewelry has relocated to River Oaks, just a few doors down from State of Grace and Sid Mashburn.

The new boutique has been decked out by designer Dennis Brackeen of Moxie Interiors. The space is lighter and more open than Landa's Rice Village storefront. Diagonally laid French oak floors and antique armoires displaying the beautiful baubles draw the eye at first, but more subtle details, like artisan plastered walls and custom lighting, add another dimension of chic. Brackeen, who also designed previous iterations of J. Landa, says the goal for the new showroom was to be "quiet, sophisticated … timeless," and to provide a "spare yet warm atmosphere."

The elegant aesthetic is emitted through the jewelry as well. Landa has expanded his offerings, adding many new gold-and-diamond pieces — plus a vibrant collection of jewels from Turkey, Nigeria, India and other countries — to his signature collection of vintage turquoise sourced from Native American artisans in New Mexico.