Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2023
Watch: How Is the Industry Doing When It Comes to Diversity?Policies & IssuesJun 07, 2023
Experts Discuss Disability Inclusion at WJA’s Las Vegas Breakfast
Members gathered Friday morning at JCK to hear from Diversability founder Tiffany Yu and Molly Kettle of Gamut Management.
WJA members stand with GAMUT management’s Molly Kettle (second from left) and entrepreneur and disability advocate Tiffany Yu (fifth from left) following their panel talk at WJA’s second “Generating Community Impact Breakfast” at JCK.
Las Vegas—This year at JCK, the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) hosted its second “Generating Community Impact Breakfast” and the topic was disability inclusion in the jewelry and watch industries.
Members gathered in the San Polo Ballroom Friday morning to hear from entrepreneur and disability rights advocate Tiffany Yu and GAMUT management Chief Operating Officer Molly Kettle on the types of mindset shifts needed, from designing adaptive jewelry to marketing jewelry and timepieces for people with disabilities.
Yu is the founder of Diversability, a social enterprise to advocate for equality for people with disabilities.
In 2020, she was the co-chair of the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit.
Started in 2019, GAMUT management is a consulting, talent management and accreditation company helping businesses to become “disability confident” in how they engage with, create adaptive products for, and represent people with disabilities. Yu is represented by the company as well.
To begin the breakfast, Yu presented and then the two joined a panel led by WJA Executive Director Jennifer Markas.
Related stories will be right here …
Members gathered in the San Polo Ballroom Friday morning to hear from entrepreneur and disability rights advocate Tiffany Yu and GAMUT management Chief Operating Officer Molly Kettle on the types of mindset shifts needed, from designing adaptive jewelry to marketing jewelry and timepieces for people with disabilities.
Yu is the founder of Diversability, a social enterprise to advocate for equality for people with disabilities.
In 2020, she was the co-chair of the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit.
Started in 2019, GAMUT management is a consulting, talent management and accreditation company helping businesses to become “disability confident” in how they engage with, create adaptive products for, and represent people with disabilities. Yu is represented by the company as well.
To begin the breakfast, Yu presented and then the two joined a panel led by WJA Executive Director Jennifer Markas.
In her opening presentation, Yu recalled how, at 9 years old, she was in a car accident that left her paralyzed in one arm.
“You can either age into disability or it can happen very suddenly,” Yu said. “A lot of people will say that disability is one of these intersections and one of these communities that you can join at any time.”
Yu said disability is not just about the health condition; it’s the interaction with a person’s physical, external environment that creates a disability experience.
She cited the 2022 “Disability Impacts All of Us” report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates that one in four American adults are living with a disability.
“We, as disabled people, actually control about $21 billion of discretionary income, which is more than the Black ($3 billion) and Latinx markets ($16 billion) combined,” Yu said.
“We’ve got some money and we want to spend it at your companies.”
Yu showed the audience a video of how she puts on a necklace, demonstrating how clasps can be difficult for people with certain disabilities.
She said adaptive design—things like curb cuts, electric toothbrushes, bendy straws and speech-to-text—while good for business, also are helpful for people, like moms with strollers, who don’t have a disability.
During the panel discussion, Kettle echoed that sentiment, stating that while there does need to be a shift in product design and marketing strategy, there’s also “an innovation aspect,” that everyone can benefit from an easier clasp.
“If we’re all lucky enough to age, we will probably join the disability community at some stage in our life,” Kettle said.
“If you want true change and you want to make more money, hire disabled people into your company.” — Tiffany Yu, Diversability
Also, people with different disabilities have different ways of engaging with products.
As an example, Yu shared the story of a company that created a tactile watch for someone with impaired sight.
“It has little bumps all on it where someone who is blind is able to wear the watch and be able to tell what the hour it is,” Yu said. “The interesting thing about that watch is, I still can’t put it on.
“What is inclusive and adaptive for one person might not be for another. And that highlights the diversity within disability. We all want to wear watches and we all want to know what time it is, but we all have different ways of engaging with that product.”
Adaptive products also should include cohesive marketing with disability representation.
“How inviting you are being? What kinds of products do you have to offer?” Kettle said. “There’s a whole new customer base you could reach by providing products those customers may need as well as targeting them in a different way.”
Yu prompted the audience to think, “If Tiffany is your archetype of customer, how would she engage with the product?”
For true inclusivity, intentionality is necessary at every level, including internally.
“I spend most of my time talking about disability at work because to me, that’s the place I think will create the biggest type of systemic change,” Yu said. “So, if you want true change and you want to make more money, hire disabled people into your company.”
Kettle reminded attendees that disability inclusion is a journey and a process, but what matters is the intentional effort and the willingness to listen to feedback.
“It’s thinking about it in your day-to-day, in your plans, in your strategies and what it looks like,” she said. “Wherever you are is OK.”
The WJA breakfast was sponsored by the Natural Diamond Council, Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Guild+Facet, V&A Group, SHR Jewelry Group and the JCK Industry Fund.
More on Policies & Issues
The Latest
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Video Puts Jewelry Front and CenterIconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.
MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This SummerThe luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.
Events & AwardsApr 03, 2026
JCK Luxury, NouvelleBox Partner on New Designer BallroomThe NouvelleBox ballroom will feature independent jewelry designers, including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, and Kiaia Limited.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Buddha Mama Brings Its ‘Moon’ Locket To DallasThe one-of-a-kind locket, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal three hidden images to keep close to your heart.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
