This Jewelry Auction Will Benefit the Navajo Nation
MJSA and Columbia Gem House are using their design competition to raise funds for the community, which was badly hit by COVID-19.
Held from Nov. 1-7, the event will feature the custom jewels entered in this year’s MJSA Responsible Design Challenge, sponsored by Columbia Gem House.
Held every year, the challenge asks participating designers to create a piece of custom jewelry based on a hypothetical scenario that also features gemstones provided by Columbia Gem House.
The 2021 entries are open to online voting now through Oct. 31. The winner will be announced in the MJSA Journal in December and online.
The story presented to this year’s designers focused on a wedding gift for a Native American woman dedicated to issues affecting indigenous peoples around the world.
The challenge also had a new component this year—instead of just submitting renderings of their pieces for the voting, the designers produced the pieces so they could then be in the auction.
The participating designers are: Jennifer Dewey of J Dewey Designs in Ridgway, Colorado; Betty Padilla of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Helen Chantler of Reflective Jewelry in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Dana Bronfman of New York City; Dominique Larson of DAL Art LLC in Chicago; and Donna Distefano Thomas of Donna Distefano Ltd. in New York City.
Columbia Gem House will preview the pieces along with designer insights on it its social media ahead of the event, as well as host Instagram Live events with some of the designers leading up to the auction.
The supplier first began sponsoring the MJSA Responsible Design Challenge in 2019, but this marks the first time the partnership has also included a benefit auction, designed to assist the Navajo Nation, which was hard hit by the pandemic.
The funds will give back to the community from which some of the design materials were sourced, a goal that’s at the core of CGH’s operations.
In May of 2020, the Navajo Nation had the highest per capita rate of positive COVID-19 cases in the country, and while those rates have gone down drastically since the roll-out of the vaccine, the community still struggles with a lack of resources to help it recover.
“When COVID-19 first hit, we wanted to support any way we could and were thrilled when MJSA was interested in extending the Responsible Design Competition into a fundraising auction for Navajo Nation. This is the first of many we see in the future.”
Donated materials included a small weight of silver and varying gemstones that were optional for the design, including anthill garnet from Navajo land, peridot from the San Carlos Apache Reservation, and turquoise from the surrounding region.
Pieces can be bid on beginning Nov. 1 on the Columbia Gem House website.
The Latest
The company said Benjamin Clymer will return to his role as head of the watch news website, which will maintain editorial independence.
The industry veteran is also the president-elect of the Women’s Jewelry Association.
Slither into spooky season with this scary snake ring that boasts two heads with tsavorite eyes.
This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
A strong economy, a growing middle class with an affinity for brands, and rapid expansion of organized retail have fueled the market’s rise.
Ladell Tharpe, 39, took part in a 2022 jewelry store robbery and then posted pictures of cash on Instagram with the text “Robbery Gang.”
The trade organization welcomed Sheryl Jones to its board of directors for a three-year term.
Don't miss this one-stop-shop in October, curated with buyers’ needs in mind.
New Chief Marketing Officer Berta de Pablos-Barbier has worked for LVMH’s champagne brands and Kering-owned Boucheron.
Transition to fall with this month’s birthstones of opal and tourmaline.
Sotheby’s will auction jewelry belonging to the “Diamonds Are Forever” singer Oct. 10 in Paris.
The De Beers-owned lab-grown diamond company is rebranding and creating new collections, though its long-term future remains unclear.
The collection is part of the retailer’s new “Rethink Everything You Know About Diamonds” campaign.
The sale includes the custom-made, diamond-set Audemars Piguet watch the QB wore for Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady.”
The Armenian Jewellers Association is hosting its design competition for the second year, with winners showcasing at GemGenève in May 2025.
The jewelry retailer has named her successor and also will expand the role of Chief Financial Officer Joan Hilson.
The Signet Jewelers-owned banner has a new campaign and plans for store redesigns.
Creative Director Jen Insardi brings a new take on classic gold bead designs to her “Solar” collection.
The recipient, Glenn Douglass, also was inducted into the OJA Hall of Fame.
The manufacturer recognized several team members at its 2024 Milestone Anniversary Banquet.
The single-owner collection sale, which took place in New York last week, achieved $4.8 million, with almost every lot finding a buyer.
While statement pieces always shine, it’s time for everyday staples to be the star of the show.
Three members of JA's 2024 "20 Under 40" class join Amanda Gizzi and Lauren McLemore to share their tips for seasonal retail success.
The necklace, inspired by ancient artifacts, celebrates strength, endurance, and the natural world.
Rocksbox is the first banner owned by Signet to sell its jewelry through the retail giant.
“America Telling Time: 150 Years of Bulova” dives into the watchmaker’s storied past, from its ad campaigns to the first women’s wristwatch.
The new additions include flat coil rings, bracelets, and necklaces designed to layer elegantly.