Gem Legacy Adds Melissa Quick to Board of Directors
The president of Chicago’s Steve Quick Jewelers has traveled to the sites in Africa where the nonprofit works.

Quick traveled to East Africa with Gem Legacy in 2018, visiting gem mines and meeting the miners.
As the retailer saw the impact the industry could have on these communities firsthand, she stepped up her support of the nonprofit and started targeting specific projects with her store’s fundraising efforts.
Steve Quick Jeweler started by contributing scholarship funds for students at the Gemology and Gem Faceting School in Arusha, Tanzania.
“Training Africans to cut gems closer to the source helps distribute the profits of the supply chain more equitably and allows African artisanal miners to reinvest in their communities,” Quick said.
Since the pandemic started, the jeweler also has contributed to Gem Legacy’s initiative to supply food and safety supplies like masks, water, and soap to mining communities as well as funds for breakfasts and lunches to the Kitarini Primary School in northern Tanzania, where Gem Legacy helps provide for 800 children of ruby miners.
“I am ‘all in’ on Gem Legacy, and its vital initiatives, and I’m thrilled to accept this board position. Jewelry is a notoriously difficult product category for those of us interested in responsible sourcing,” Quick said.
“Our customers are asking questions, and Gem Legacy helps us tell an important story about how the jewelry industry is contributing to positive change. I look forward to making meaningful contributions to the organization and furthering its mission to empower those at the beginning of the supply chain.”
Quick, along with her husband and business partner Steve, is also a member of the American Gem Society, Jewelers of America, and Women’s Jewelry Association.
The Quicks also support industry initiatives like Mercury Free Mining and the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference.
She joins Craig Danforth, Peggy Jo Donahue, Ben Smithee, and Monica Stephenson on the board.
Gem Legacy, dedicated to education, vocational training, and local economies in small, artisanal gemstone mining communities in Africa, launched in 2018.
The Latest

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.

Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025

Globally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The Brooklyn-based jewelry designer is remembered as a true artist and a rare talent.


Production at the mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories topped 1 million carats in Q2, the third consecutive quarter of growth.

A new slate of Learning Workshops will take place in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The middle class is changing its approach to buying jewelry and affordable luxury goods, the NRF said.

It marks the third consecutive quarter of growth for Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, and Vhernier.

The reseller’s market trends report, based on its sales data, also shows exactly how much Rolex prices have jumped since 2010.

The auction house will be hosting a retrospective paying tribute to jeweler Jean Dinh Van and his company’s 60th anniversary.

Jake Duneier and Danielle Duneier-Goldberg have stepped into the roles of CEO and president, respectively.

The “Impermanence” collection contemplates nature through the Japanese art of Ikebana (flower arranging) and philosophy of wabi-sabi.

The Texas-based jewelry retailer has set up shop in Tennessee and Arizona.

Eric Ford will step into the role, bringing with him decades of experience.

In addition to improved capabilities, the acquisition will allow the jeweler to offer support to other independent jewelers.

The “Celestial Blue” capsule collection campaign features Olympian Kateryna Sadurska.

The seasonal store, located in Mykonos, Greece, offers exclusive events, personal styling, and curated experiences.

The New England jeweler is hosting a bridal event for the month of August.

The trade-only event will host its debut fair in the Emerald City later this month.

Its sessions will focus on inventory strategies, staff performance, retention and acquisition, emerging market trends, and more.

For its 10th anniversary, Miseno designed the “Arco” earrings based on the Arco Felice, an arch conceptualized in A.D. 95 in Miseno, Italy.

Inspired by fiancé Sid Wilson’s nickname for her, the white and yellow diamond ring features a unique honeycomb design.

The brand is marking its 50th anniversary with a limited-edition bangle, high jewelry suites, new collections, and more.

Goldfarb said changes in the industry, coupled with his age and the updates needed to modernize his business, drove his decision.

Longtime LVMH executive Michael Burke has stepped into the role.