CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry HeistThe heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.
SourcingSep 21, 2020
Gem Legacy Celebrates 2 Years with Benefit Auction
Funds raised from bids and donations will go to its new initiative—a miner toolkit.
This Madagascar green sapphire from Michael Couch & Associates is one of several gemstones being auctioned off this week to benefit Gem Legacy’s new program creating and distributing miner toolkits.
Royal Oak, Mich.—Nonprofit Gem Legacy is turning two this week, and it’s celebrating by doing what it does best: raising funds to provide needed materials to African gemstone miners.
This week, from Sept. 22 to 26, it will hold an auction to raise funds for its latest project—a miner toolkit.
“Tools are absolutely essential to small gem miners’ success,” said Rachel Dery, director of communication and outreach for Gem Legacy.
Dery spent five months in East Africa recently, distributing more than 100,000 meals and critical disease prevention supplies on behalf of Gem Legacy to 43 miner communities hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis.
While she was doing that she also had the chance to observe how the miners work.
“We know that over 90 percent of East African miners are, or were, farmers first. Once they found gems on their property, they began gem mining, but most of them simply use farming implements to mine, which are mostly ineffective,” Dery explained.
“The Gem Legacy Miner Toolkit will provide them with more efficient set-ups that will allow them to be more productive in their mining.”
Created in partnership with local governments, which surveyed miners to ensure the kit met the greatest needs, the Gem Legacy Miner Toolkit includes a shovel, chisel, hammer, pickaxe, hand drill, blasting tools, helmet, head light, gloves and a sieve.
It also will be adjusted based on the needs of each mine supported.
Gem Legacy will start giving the toolkits in Tanzania and Kenya but noted it plans to expand the program to other countries with gemstone mining communities.
To raise money for the kits, it will hold an online auction tomorrow through Saturday. One hundred percent of bids and donations will go directly to purchasing items for the toolkits as Gem Legacy’s Advisory Board underwrites all administrative fees for the nonprofit.
The companies donating jewelry and loose gems to the auction include Anza Gems, Caleb B. Quashen International, Dan Lynch Gems, Enji Jewelry Studio, Michael Couch & Associates, Parlè Jewelry Designs, Roger Dery Gem Design and Stauer.
Items include Enji Jewelry Studio’s 14-karat recycled gold earrings featuring Arkansas quartz crystal dangles and flush-set Montana sapphires; a Madagascar green sapphire from Michael Couch & Associates; a rhodolite garnet from Parlè Jewelry Designs and an aquamarine from Dan Lynch Gems.
For more information about the nonprofit or the auction, or to donate or bid, email info@gemlegacy.org or visit it online, on Instagram or on Facebook.
The family team behind Roger Dery Gem Design launched Gem Legacy in 2018 to support education, vocational training and local economies in small, artisanal gem mining communities in Africa.
Concurrent with the news about the anniversary auction, Gem Legacy said it has appointed Bjorn Merisheki as its East African initiatives director to help with the new project and other ventures on the ground.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’sThe 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.
EditorsJun 18, 2025
Q&A: Caryl Capeci Dives Into Cruise Jewelry ShoppingThe Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
16th-Century ‘Gresham Grasshopper’ Ring Sells for $56KThe historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.
Weekly QuizJun 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJun 18, 2025
Kirk Kara Celebrates 135 Years With New JewelsTo mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.
TechnologyJun 18, 2025
Alex Brown Named President of Smithee GroupFounder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
EditorsJun 17, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 1Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.
ColumnistsJun 17, 2025
Peter Smith: Is Your Comp Plan a Hiring Hindrance?If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.
AuctionsJun 17, 2025
Colored Gemstones, Signed Jewels Shine in Sotheby’s High Jewelry SaleThe top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Amanda Gizzi Gets a Promotion at JAGizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Kering Names Automotive Exec as Its New CEOLuca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.
EditorsJun 16, 2025
Q&A: Bogolo Joy Kenewendo on Mining, Tariffs, and the Energy of Las VegasFollowing visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.
IndependentsJun 16, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Launches Commitment Campaign Celebrating LGBTQ+ CouplesThe “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Ivette Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos Joins Tiffany & Co.The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Catbird Names WNBA Star Nyara Sabally as Its New Brand AmbassadorThe New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.
CollectionsJun 13, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s Pear EarringsTake a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.
Events & AwardsJun 13, 2025
AGA to Host ‘Diamonds From Mine to Market’ Education ConferenceThe one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.
EditorsJun 12, 2025
15 Questions With Jewelry Photographer Ella SophieThe California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Vintage Patek Philippe From the ‘50s Sells for $4M at Sotheby’s Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.
Events & AwardsJun 12, 2025
Gabriel Love Foundation Introduces Scholarship Honoring Elias GabrielThe foundation has also expanded its “Stronger Together” initiative with Jewelers for Children.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Former De Beers Exec Celine Assimon Joins BonhamsAssimon is the auction house’s new chief commercial officer.
EditorsJun 11, 2025
Q&A: Al Cook on Differentiating Natural Diamonds, Traceability, and TariffsThe De Beers Group CEO discusses the company’s new “beacon” program, the likelihood diamonds will be exempt from tariffs, and “Origin.”
MajorsJun 11, 2025
Pandora Bets on Las Vegas for First North American FlagshipThe Danish jewelry giant hosted its grand opening last weekend, complete with a Pandora pink roulette wheel.
GradingJun 11, 2025
Tiffany Stevens Exits IGI, Lab Appoints New Board LeaderIndustry veteran Anoop Mehta is the new chairman and independent director of the IGI board.
Events & AwardsJun 11, 2025
Kering Announces Winners of Sustainability-Focused AwardThe winners of the inaugural “Kering Generation Award x Jewelry” are student Lee Min Seo and China-based startup Ianyan.
