Women's Jewelry Association (WJA)

Mayumi Ishii, CEO of @Chrysmela, shares how joining the Women’s Jewelry Association transformed her business by connecting her with a supportive community of industry leaders and peers. Click the link to join this Membership Month! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/egmCu4E #WhatIsYourWHY #WJA #WomenInBusiness

The recipient of the 2023 Radiant Minds Technology Scholarship is Karina Mogha! Congratulations 🎉 "My name is Karina Mogha, and I am an entrepreneur passionate about revolutionizing the jewelry industry. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University and a Graduate Diamonds credential from the Gemological Institute of America. With over 4 years of industry experience, I founded Deilya, a jewelry line that aims to transform the industry by integrating advanced technology. My goal is to modernize operations by developing an app that automates manual, paper-based processes, enhancing efficiency and streamlining workflows in the jewelry industry. I am extremely happy to receive this scholarship as it will help me achieve my goals of enhancing the jewelry industry with advanced technology. This support is crucial in my mission to modernize and revolutionize traditional practices within the industry." Thank you to @JewelersMutual and @BlackinJewelryCoalition for helping to make this scholarship possible!

MEET WJA MEMBER GRANT WINNER ✨ Wendy Wagner✨⁠ ⁠ "A huge thank you to WJA for my $500 Member Grant! I will be using this money to take a class in 3D modeling for jewelry. I am excited to learn this new tool and see how it can speed up and streamline my workflow and jewelry production."⁠ ⁠ Help us congratulate Wendy in the comments below!⁠ Learn more about our grants & scholarships at the link in our bio.

We're excited to announce our recipient of the 2024 Cindy Edelstein Jewelry Design Scholarship - Kelsey Merkeley! Congratulations 🎉 About Kelsey: Kelsey Merkeley is the Creative Director and Designer of NVR NUDE — a fine jewellery brand based in Canada. NVR NUDE is inspired by adventure, art, and the joy of savouring the simple sensuous delights that surround us. A reader, researcher, and traveller by nature, Kelsey weaves an eclectic tapestry of cultural and personal moments into her work. She has travelled globally to acquire hands on training in historical and modern techniques, has been mentored by some of the world’s finest jewellery artists and craftspeople, attended several prestigious jewellery institutes, and lived in the some of the most influential centres of the jewellery and gem industries (Mumbai, Bangkok, London, Los Angeles, Florence). Kelsey believes that the sensual resides in the simple. The smallest details resolve into memories we savour for decades. We deserve jewellery that exalts our exquisite points in time — a kiss that lingers, a perfect latte at a warm window, the crack of a crisp new novel, a vase of tulips on the table, or a pop of your favourite lipstick. These small perfections sparkle with joy, which Kelsey playfully yet intricately integrates into NVR NUDE. “Winning the 2024 Cindy Edelstein Jewelry Design Scholarship is such an honor and a huge boost for me personally, as well as, for my business, NVR NUDE. It's incredible to be recognized and supported by such an outstanding organization. I can't wait to see where this journey takes me! Thank you WJA!” Follow Kelsey through her journey in jewelry design @nvr.nude.jewellery

Application link: https://shorturl.at/1sGgb Let's create a brighter future for the jewelry and watch industry together! 🌟 Nominate yourself or a colleague for ⁠WJA's 2025 National Board of Directors⁠. We are searching for energetic, community-driven, and strategic thinkers who will join our board of volunteers and help us create impactful programming for the jewelry and watch industry. We deeply value diversity, equity and inclusion and welcome professionals, entrepreneurs and consultants from all backgrounds, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates, to serve on our board. Men are also welcome to apply for a board position. Application link: https://lnkd.in/dzVeynni Apply now through September 30th. Don't miss this opportunity! #WJA #Jewelry #Watch #Leadership #EmpowerWomen

Get ready to dazzle! 🤩 We’re thrilled to announce our Annual Gala on Wednesday, November 13th at the breathtaking Guastavino’s. Stay tuned for more details about the event. #WomensJewelryAssociation #Gala #November13th #Guastavinos #SaveTheDate #NYC

Enjoy sunny Miami Beach while exploring 600+ suppliers of fine jewelry, gold, silver, natural and lab grown diamonds, fashion jewelry, jewelry equipment, technology, services and more!! This event is perfectly timed to stock inventory before the holidays. Don’t miss out on the largest JIS event of the year, happening from October 6-9, 2024, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Register today at jisfall2024.com/WJA   #JISShow

The Fortunoff family continues their mother’s impactful legacy by providing future retail leaders with education and training to enhance their leadership and management skills. WJA is pleased⁠ to announce its recipient of the 2024 Helene Fortunoff Woman in Retail Scholarship, Heather Ingraham. ⁠ Heather Ingraham is a forward-thinking leader in the jewelry industry with over 20 years' experience. Her deep passion for diamonds and fine jewelry led her to become a GIA Graduate Gemologist, contributing her talents to prestigious names such as Borsheims Fine Jewelry, Hyde Park Jewelers and The 1916 Company. A visionary in the industry, Heather was the first globally to introduce lab-grown diamond jewelry to retail stores, seamlessly integrating them with mined diamonds in a harmonious and luxurious manner. Her pioneering efforts were recognized on a global stage, making her the sole U.S. luxury retailer invited to speak at the world’s first lab-grown diamond symposium hosted by DMCC in Dubai. Heather’s career is marked by her ability to curate extraordinary experiences and exclusive merchandise. From acquiring the largest rough diamond mined in Canada to curating the world’s most extensive pink diamond jewelry collection, her innovative approach redefines luxury. She is also the inventor of two patented diamond shapes, showcasing her commitment to creativity and innovation. Heather believes in the power of storytelling through jewelry. Each piece she creates is a timeless symbol of love and individuality, celebrating the human spirit’s desire for beauty. With a dedication to excellence and a passion for meaningful design, Heather Ingraham continues to shape the jewelry industry with her visionary leadership and unique perspective. “As a compassionate role model, Helene left an indelible mark on those who worked for her. She was a trailblazer who built a multi-million-dollar jewelry empire at a time when the jewelry industry was male dominated. I am so proud to be part of Helene’s legacy and look forward to using this opportunity to learn and support other women in the jewelry industry.” ~ Heather https://lnkd.in/ezbCi_y3

💎 Mark your calendars for WJA’s 2024 Jewelry Night Out (JNO) coming up on Thursday, September 5th in cities across North America! ⌚️⁠ ⁠ Join jewelry and watch industry colleagues for a night of community, connection, collaboration, and celebration!⁠ ⁠ ✨️Join or renew for 10% off during September! for this #membershipmonth✨️⁠ ⁠ #wja #womensjewelryassociation #jewelrynightout #jno #womeninjewelry

✨🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ As we wrap up Pride month, @womensjewelryassociation @blackinjewelrycoalition and @queermetalsmiths have collaborated to honor and celebrate our vibrant 2SLGBTQIA+ community! 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈✨ . We proudly support our 2SLGBTQIA+ members, not just this month, but all year round! (especially at Queer Metalsmiths ;) We recognize and celebrate the incredible contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, especially the Black transgender women who led the way in the fight for equality and acceptance. . 📅 The Stonewall Rebellion on June 28th, 1969, ignited by Marsha P Johnson along with other courageous Black and brown trans women, was a pivotal moment in history. It raised awareness of the struggles faced by the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and this protest laid the foundation for what we now celebrate as Pride. . The fight for both 2SLGBTQIA+ and racial equity has been ongoing for centuries. We understand the importance of intersectionality within the queer community, acknowledging how race, culture, gender, and orientation intersect to shape our unique experiences. We stand with our 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities around the world. . ✨Together, our organizations are committed to creating diverse and inclusive communities. We provide growth opportunities in the jewelry, watch, metals, and craft fields, ensuring our members thrive in a supportive environment. We actively work to remove barriers and expand our inclusivity, offering mentorship, education and connection with others in the industry. . ―“It is in collectivities that we find reser­voirs of hope and optimism.” ― Angela Y. Davis, a Black queer fem­i­nist, polit­i­cal activist, philosopher, aca­d­e­m­ic and writer. For many decades her work has been instru­men­tal in the move­ment towards inter­sec­tion­al, lib­er­a­to­ry Black futurism. . We invite you to take action to find and engage with your own community, whether that’s a professional group, local activism, or a special interest group! . Images: @funlolacoker (she/they/+) 📷 @nate_mumford from The Texture of Place @brooklynmetalworks @isabella_clark.art (she/they) 📷 @lionel.lqlphotodesign from [queerphoria] vol.3 @the.silverfern @jdiamondmetalsmith (she/they) 📷 by the artist @blavkjewelry (they/she) 📷 @mxlawkii at @indieflea @blackqueermagic (she/they) 📸 @lizlig at @cooperhewitt @blackinjewelrycoalition members 📸 @joymalonephotography . #lgbtqpride #pridemonth #community #queercommunity #wja #womensjewelryassociation #blackinjewelrycoalition #queermetalsmiths #allblacklivesmatter