Jamie Dunton and Gabriella Botelho are the first graduates of the program, created by the WJA Foundation and Julius Klein Diamonds.
Chelsy Davy Goes Back to her Roots with Africa-Inspired Jewelry
The Zimbabwe-born lawyer-turned-designer introduced her jewelry line to the U.S. market at Couture.
Las Vegas--You might have heard of Chelsea Davy in regards to a certain royal romance, but be prepared to start associating the young lawyer-turned-jewelry-designer with emeralds, rubies and tanzanite.
Launched this year, Davy’s jewelry line, Aya, made its U.S. debut at this year’s Couture show with Muse showroom.
“It started with a fascination with the actual gemstones,” explained Davy of her career change, “and I wanted to do something that would take me home.”
Davy hails from Zimbabwe and the spirit of her brand is firmly rooted in Africa, with Zambian emeralds and Mozambican rubies sourced through Gemfields, and tanzanite from the Tanzanite Foundation. The jewelry is made in Cape Town, South Africa, with Davy splitting her time between there and London.
“I wanted to create something that was authentically African,” Davy said. “It was very important that everything was ethically sourced.”
Davy designed the brand’s first collection while staying on the Zambezi River. The resulting “Zambezi” assemblage heavily features a tusk motif to reflect the area’s elephant population.
With a simple, less-is-more approach to design, “Zambezi” also features lots of round-cut gemstones set in yellow gold.
“I thought the stones were beautiful enough to stand on their own,” said the Gemological Institute of America-trained designer. “They don’t need diamonds.”
Ultimately, Davy wants to create pieces that customers never take off. “It’s low maintenance, in a way,” she laughed.
Aya also is designed to give back to the communities where it sources stones; the company is currently building a block of classrooms for the Kapila Community School in the Kabufu emerald area in Zambia.
Aya’s “Zambezi” collection ranges from $829 to $6,992 retail. It is currently available at Plukka, Baar and Bass and at Aya.co.uk.
The Latest
In the spirit of giving, Retrouvaí will donate $4,000 from the sale of this ring to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Co-owner Dan DeVries shared what it’s like moving into a space triple the size of its old store and how it feels to be a “real jeweler” now.
‘Forever Present’ campaign revives the iconic A Diamond is Forever tagline and celebrates the diamond dream.
Along with the latest “Gardens” collection, the brand has released limited-edition designs offering more indulgent pieces.
The man and woman are accused of stealing jewelry from a shipping container then trying to flee by paddling a small boat out into a bay.
The 2,488-carat diamond recovered from a mine in Botswana has been dubbed “Motswedi” while its 1,094-carat sibling is “Seriti.”
For over a century, Jewelers of America has been the voice of the industry and valuable resource to jewelers across the country.
The average price per carat hit a record high for the miner, which said it remains unaffected by the conflict in Mozambique.
The nearly 17-carat stone made history for the color-change gem that, according to the auction house, is experiencing a “notable surge” in the market.
More than a century after survivors gifted a Tiffany timepiece to the captain of the ship that rescued them, the jeweler has reclaimed it.
The videos highlight how pieces from the “Xpandable” and “Reversible Xpandable” collections put the wearer in the spotlight.
Feldman reflected on 45 years in the jewelry industry and clarified that it’s not a total retirement.
The luxury brand is being honored for excellence in high jewelry design in its “Haute Joaillerie Sport” collection.
Circelli was a pioneer in the world of TV shopping who is remembered for his passion for gemstones and his big personality.
The nearly 6-carat stone headlined the recent jewelry auction, which also featured Mica Ertegun’s jewelry.
The three men, who got their nickname because they’d toss the jewelry they stole into black plastic bins, were arrested back in August.
Gearys opened a 6,200-square-foot Rolex store with a design that pays homage to the brand’s connection to the ocean.
The diamond cut grade is now available for marquise- and pear-shaped diamonds.
DDG said the honorees’ business practices embody a commitment to positive social impact, industry innovation, and community empowerment.
These half-moon tanzanite earrings totaling 25 carats are part of a special trunk show taking place this weekend in Dallas.
The National Jeweler editors recap the top news, the best jewels, and their favorite stories of the year.
The highest-grossing lot of the sale was the retired QB’s Rolex Paul Newman Daytona “John Player Special.”
Recent expansion initiatives at the Zambian emerald mine have shown strong production numbers, said Grizzly founder Abdoulaye Ndiaye.
Carrie Forman joins the brand to guide it into the next phase of growth with major and independent retailers in the U.S. and abroad.
The competition awarded 12 designers, each from a country where De Beers recovers diamonds, with business support and tuition assistance.
The high jewelry collection features 14 one-of-a-kind pieces, with serpent and ribbon motifs winding their way through the collection.