As demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.
Responsible Sourcing Expert to Keynote Portland Symposium
Bennett Freeman, who has helped promote sustainability and human rights globally, will speak at the ninth annual Portland Jewelry Symposium in October.
Portland, Ore.--This year’s Portland Jewelry Symposium, the ninth to be held, aims to highlight responsible sourcing for the audience of jewelers and designers.
The event will be led by keynote speaker Bennett Freeman, who has worked in global corporate governance and at the State Department, and has been involved in setting policy for human rights standards for the oil and mining industries.
The Portland Jewelry Symposium is scheduled for Oct. 2 to 3 at the Sentinel Hotel in downtown Portland, Ore.
Two others also will speak to responsible sourcing at the event--Toby Pomeroy, a designer who works with Fairmined gold, and Stewart Grice, vice president for Mill Products at Hoover & Strong, who will share his recent experiences with fair mining gold practices in Peru.
Other presentations to be given at the event are “Lean Manufacturing Principles” from Andrea Hill, “Successful Casting of 3-D Printed Acrylics” from James Binnion of James Binnion Metal Arts and “SEO and Maximizing Web Presence” by Lake Giles of Thinkspace, among others.
In addition, Gillian Frances of TechForm will moderate a panel about selling custom jewelry with Jim Tuttle of Greenlake Jewelry, Travis Issacson of Lashbrook and Jennifer Dawes of Dawes Designs, and Phil Scott of Rio Grande will host bench demonstrations with a focus on “Innovations in Finishing.”
Early bid registration is $185 until Sept. 9, at which point it increases to $210. For more information or to register for the event, visit PortlandJewelrySymposium.com.
“We are excited to be exploring the topic of Responsible Sourcing this year in addition to our full program,” founder Teresa Frye said. “Increasing interest from the consumers on the origins of precious metals and stones is something that the industry will strongly benefit from learning more about.”
The Latest

Graduated stones make for elevated tennis-style pieces and dramatic statement necklaces.

He retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.


The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.

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

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 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 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.