JCPenney Knows Feelings Change. Your Jewelry Can, Too

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 26, 2026--

This Valentine's Day, JCPenney is rewriting the romance novel. Not every love story lasts forever – and let's be honest, not every piece of jewelry should have to either.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260125825034/en/

Introducing The JCPenney Ex-Change, a bold, one-day event designed to help customers transform reminders of the past into something that reflects who they've become. On Saturday, Feb. 14, shoppers are invited to bring in a once-loved treasure and exchange it – flat trade, zero guilt, zero extra cost, zero questions asked – for a fresh start: a stunning ½-carat lab-grown diamond necklace set in 14k yellow gold over silver. Give yourself the gift you actually want this Valentine’s Day.

Because we all have that piece. The ring gathering dust in a drawer. The necklace that screams "who was I?" every time you see it. The bracelet that's basically a mood ring for your past. It's not bad energy – it's just yesterday's energy, and you've evolved. At JCPenney, we’re turning what no longer fits your life into something that makes you truly shine. Your old jewelry gets its glow-up and you get to move on guilt-free.

On Feb. 14, the first 100 customers at JCPenney’s flagship store in Garden City, NY – and the first 50 customers at other participating store locations – can reclaim their moment (and their jewelry drawer). Visit JCPExchange.com to find a participating location and discover why your next chapter deserves better jewelry.

Can't make it in store? No hard feelings (seriously). Shoppers can still celebrate moving on with The Perfect Ex-Cuse Discount – offering up to 70% off fine and fashion jewelry after extra 30% off with JCPenney Credit Card, or an extra 25% any way you pay, available on select styles – available Jan. 26 through Feb. 16 with code EXCUSE.

Jewelry collected through the Ex-Change will be donated to the nonprofit organization Good360, where pieces get a second chance to shine – becoming new treasure for someone else's next chapter. Because closure looks better when it gives back.

"The Ex-Change is about celebrating fresh starts – with a sense of humor and zero judgement," said Marisa Thalberg, EVP & Chief Customer & Marketing Officer at Catalyst Brands. "We all have that piece of jewelry that no longer fits our style; our tastes change, but our stories don’t end there. It's a playful reminder that moving on can feel empowering, joyful and genuinely fun. And by passing these pieces to Good360, that spirit of renewal continues well beyond Valentine's Day."

This Valentine's Day, love looks like self-expression. Closure looks like sparkle. And moving on has never looked so good.

JCPenney Fine Jewelry: Bigger Sparkle, Smarter Luxury You Didn't See Coming

Here's what catches people off guard: JCPenney's fine jewelry is good. Like, really good. The brand is quietly becoming a destination for lab-grown diamonds priced 60–85% less than mined stones – which means bigger carats, elevated craftsmanship, and trend-forward designs without the traditional sticker shock.

"The moment our shoppers experience the quality, brilliance and variety of JCPenney’s fine jewelry, the surprise sells itself," said Jillian Roig, VP & DMM of Fine Jewelry at JCPenney. “Many are especially excited to discover our lab-grown diamonds, which let them go bigger and bolder without the traditional price barrier."

The assortment spans both natural and lab-grown diamonds, including timeless solitaires with hidden halos starting at $699, plus bold statement pieces up to five carats, across 10k and 14k yellow, white and rose gold and sterling silver. Coveted brands like Le Vian, Citizen and Bulova, alongside JCPenney exclusives including Yes, Please!, deliver everyday elegance with a modern edge.

Add flexible financing, a Lifetime Jewelry Protection Plan, complimentary cleanings and gift-ready packaging, and suddenly fine jewelry feels effortless – not intimidating.

And because a great moment deserves a complete look, JCPenney offers everything to finish the picture: date-night fashion and statement accessories to beauty, fragrance and self-care essentials. Whether you're treating someone special or finally treating yourself, JCPenney makes it easier to step into the moment with style, confidence and value that actually lasts.

About JCPenney

JCPenney, part of Catalyst Brands, is the shopping destination for America's diverse, working families. With inclusivity at its core, the Company's product assortment meets customers' everyday needs and helps them commemorate every special occasion with style, quality and value. JCPenney offers a broad portfolio of fashion, apparel, home, beauty and jewelry from national and private brands and provides personal services including salon, portrait and optical. The Company and its 50,000 associates worldwide serve customers where, when and how they want to shop – from jcp.com to more than 650 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

In 2022, JCPenney celebrated 120 years as an iconic American brand by continuing its legacy of connecting with customers through shopping and community engagement. Please visit JCPenney's Newsroom to learn more and follow JCPenney on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Introducing The JCPenney Ex-Change, a bold, one-day event designed to help customers transform reminders of the past into something that reflects who they've become.

TOKYO (AP) — Oil prices continued to surge on worries of a prolonged Iran war but most Asian markets that were open Friday rose moderately in cautious trading.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 11.4% to $111.54 a barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 7.8% to $109.03 per barrel.

“A more extended conflict raises the threat to physical infrastructure, extends disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, and will entail a longer post-war recovery period, with price impacts spilling over later into the year,” according to a report from BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions.

The U.S. relies on the Persian Gulf for only a fraction of the oil it imports, but oil is a commodity and prices are set in a global market.

The situation is very different in Asia. Japan, for example, needs access to the Strait of Hormuz for much of the nation’s oil imports or would need alternative routes. But some analysts say Japan and other nations are counting on an agreement with Iran to allow fuel to be transported through the strait.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 1.3% in Friday afternoon trading to 53,164.30. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.0% to 5,391.78. The Shanghai Composite sank 1.0% to 3,881.99. Trading was closed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia and India for the Good Friday holiday.

Wall Street, where trading is closed Friday, finished its first winning week since the start of the Iran war, although trading started out with a decline driven by a surge in oil prices.

That came after U.S. President Donald Trump late Wednesday vowed the U.S. will continue to attack Iran and failed to offer a clear timetable for ending the conflict in the Middle East.

The S&P 500 rose 7.37 points, or 0.1%, to 6,582.69. Several days of solid gains this week helped the benchmark index notch a 3.4% gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 61.07 points, or 0.1%, to 46,504.67. The Nasdaq composite rose 38.23 points, or 0.2%, to 21,879.18. Both indexes also notched weekly gains.

Treasury yields remained relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to to 4.30% from 4.32%.

In currency trading, the U.S. dollar edged up to 159.64 Japanese yen from 159.53 yen. The euro cost $1.1538, inching up from $1.1537.

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

Currency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A currency trader talks on the phone at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

President Donald Trump arrives to speak about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

Motorcyclists crowd into a filling station as they wait their turn to buy fuel, in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Raza)

A currency trader works near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)