Annie Doresca and Michelle Graff welcome Reggie Johnson and Sheryl Jones for a frank conversation on the state of DEI in fine jewelry.
The 10 Designers of JANY’s New Designer Gallery
They will be making their trade show debut at the JA New York Summer show, which opens Sunday.

New York--Ten jewelry designers have been chosen to make their fine jewelry trade show debut at the JA New York Summer show this weekend as part of the New Designer Gallery.
Liz Kantner, a jewelry consultant and publicist, who spent 4 years as a marketing communications specialist for Colorado-based designer Todd Reed, curated the group, taking over for designer advocate Cindy Edelstein, whom the industry lost earlier this year.
“Each designer we’ve selected to participate in the New Designer Gallery has a very unique aesthetic,” Kantner said. “The consumers who shop with our retail partners are looking for something different, wearable and meaningful; they’re prepared to invest in quality pieces that they can wear daily and layer with their existing jewelry wardrobes. This group of designers provides all the touch points that our retailers need to fit their client’s needs.”
Among the designers showing is Elisa Solomon of Elisa Solomon Jewelry, the group’s most recognizable name who sells at the likes of Roseark, ABC Carpet & Home, and Catbird. The New Jersey-native created her first collection in 2004 after studying metalsmithing at the University of Michigan.

Solomon’s designs center on organic, tactile settings with a 1960s flower-child vibe: think peace signs adorned with multi-colored sapphires, and guitar and daisy motifs.
The designer also is inspired by Native American iconography and features small, carved animals in much of her work.
Jacqueline Stone of Salt + Stone previously authored “Designer’s Diary” for National Jeweler, a regular column on the day-to-day life and struggles of being an independent jewelry designer.

The former Tiffany & Co. product development specialist and former JCK Design Ambassador, who is now based in Colorado, specializes in custom engagement rings as well as fashion fine jewelry collections, like her Gumdrop series, which features bright cabochon-cut stones that, true-to-their-name, look good enough to eat.

Designer Roman Drake of Santi Rom has worked as an artist in several mediums for more than two decades. Each piece from the Santi Rom collection is handmade by Drake, and individually molded and cast, making each creation one-of-a-kind.
Drake is inspired by the
Nantucket-native Hannah Blount operates her eponymous jewelry line from Boston’s artist district.

Among the pieces she will be bringing to JA New York are the face-motif rings from her Cameo line, which feel mythical and spooky at the same time.
Blount’s jewelry is earthy, organic and spiritual; the designer often works with semi-precious stones ranging from Herkimer diamonds to turquoise, aquamarine and moonstone.
Adriatic Jewelry’s Rebecca Fragola will debut a new collection at JA New York. Called Veza, the range features 14-karat yellow gold and white sapphire pieces in a sleek, minimalist design that lends itself well to layering.

Fragola also produces a brass and silver line, and will have previous fine collections on hand at the show. All of her work is handmade in the United States.
Designer and gemologist Rachael Sarc worked at a number of jewelry brands in New York before launching her own collection in 2014.
Her signature is a crisscross motif, in which gemstones are draped with intersecting lines of diamond pave. She has also designed a large volume of bespoke pieces for her clients.

The daughter of a goldsmith, Alexis Kletjian launched her namesake line in 2011 after a career in fashion design and the birth of her children.
Her collections range from a series of jewels engraved with Victorian star motifs to stacking rings and her most compelling collection, the Lotus Shield, in which a center stone and accent diamonds are set in a gold shield-shaped pendant.

Emilie Shapiro cut her teeth at Pamela Love and Allforthemountain after studying jewelry and metalsmithing at Syracuse University and Alchimia in Florence.
The accomplished designer relies on the lost wax casting technique to create her pieces by hand in her New York studio.

Shapiro’s affinity for rough stones and hand-crafted pieces ring loud and clear in her eponymous collection.

The Wave and Splash collection from Alexandra Gunn Designs is designer Alexandra LaValley’s first.
Previously, LaValley worked across several mediums including painting, sculpture, drawing and fashion design.
The artist’s fore into jewelry came about when LaValley couldn’t find jewelry she liked to wear on her wedding day so she decided to make her own, eventually branching into a full-blown business.

The designer of line Acanthus, Minnesota-based Nichole McIver, specializes in exploring the interplay between oxidized silver and 24-karat gold.
She derives inspiration from the moon, stars and planets as well as more macabre symbols, like skulls and daggers.
All 10 designers will be on display at the New Designer Gallery at the JA New York Summer show, which runs this Sunday, July 24 through Tuesday, July 26 at the Javits Center in New York City.
For more information, visit JANewYork.com.
The Latest

Jeff Gennette will step down in February 2024, passing the torch to the CEO of another notable retailer.

Artisan Martin Roberts fashioned lunar meteorites into 48 beads to create this out-of-this-world necklace.

Distinguishing natural diamonds from laboratory-grown stones – now more available than ever – has been difficult for jewelers. Until now.

As for new members, the organization welcomed Jewelers of America’s Annie Doresca and Parag Jain of Parag Diamonds.


Jacob & Co.’s new “Billionaire” timepiece features more than 200 carats of yellow diamonds.

Heidi Horten, wife of department store magnate Helmut Horten, collected jewelry from Bulgari, Cartier, Harry Winston and Van Cleef & Arpels.

De Beers Institute of Diamonds provides the very best in diamond verification, education and diamond services.

The jewelry industry insurer and solutions provider is celebrating 110 years in business this month.

The statement came as the National Retail Federation released its retail sales forecast for 2023.

Sotheby’s will auction the diamond, which it says is “arguably the most significant pink diamond to ever appear at auction,” in June.

The retailer, recently acquired by Signet Jewelers, will lay off 119 employees in July.

The Swiss watchmaker introduced 17 new models at Watches & Wonders Geneva.

As part of the promotion, Smith will share his sales expertise during a 90-minute training session.

At Watches & Wonders, the Swiss brand unveiled a follow-up to last year’s Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante.

The “rêve” collection’s engagement rings and wedding bands are geared toward “sustainability minded customers.”

A new word appears on the dial each day of the week.

Bensons Jewelers closed for good Feb. 24, impacted in part by the decline in foot traffic downtown since the onset of the pandemic.

Kolja Kiofsky has been with the crystal and jewelry company since 2010.

The Kruse GWS Auctions sale will include the replica “Taj Mahal” necklace Elizabeth Taylor made with Avon as well as a costume piece Marilyn Monroe wore.

Massimo Basei is moving up, while Chief Commercial Officer Martino Pessina is stepping down.

Sold by Christie’s Hong Kong, this masterwork of complications now holds the record for most expensive watch ever auctioned online.

The watch company expects first-quarter sales to fall as much as 15 percent due to inflation and tough comps.

Adam O’Grady, general manager of the Lightbox Lab, has taken on the new role and will report directly to Lightbox CEO Antoine Borde.

The watch marketplace gathered data from 1.3 million collectors, highlighting the most popular timepieces and exploring value appreciation.

Burgundy has opted not to exercise its option to buy the mining claims Gibb River Diamonds currently owns.

Patented and specialty cuts now can receive an 8X Proprietary Certificate, which can be customized to include a company’s brand and logo.