TrendsJun 12, 2020
Designers, Industry Members Create FIT Jewelry Design Endowment for Black StudentsCollectionsJun 18, 2021
Foundrae Has an Epic Charitable Giveaway in Honor of Juneteenth
All proceeds of “Juneteenth Medallion” sales, as well as raffle tickets, benefit organizations that support BIPOC.
Foundrae is selling $25 raffle tickets for a chance to win this new medallion commemorating Juneteenth, along with the pictured chain, valued at a total $8,710. Proceeds from the raffle, as well as medallion sales, benefit organizations that support BIPOC.
New York—Fine jewelry brand Foundrae is predicated on the power of symbols and talismans, and its latest medallion represents the value of giving back to underserved communities.
The “Juneteenth Medallion” uses Roman numerals to depict the date marking the end of slavery in the United States—June 19, 1865.
Every Foundrae medallion is inscribed on the reverse side with the concept its symbol depicts, such as “Wholeness,” “Strength,” or “Karma.” The Juneteenth Medallion reads: “Social & Racial Justice.”
President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
It is the 12th legal public holiday in the United States and the first to be established in decades, since President Ronald Reagan signed Martin Luther King Jr. Day into law in 1983.
Here, Foundrae’s Juneteenth Medallion is pictured worn, along with the Sister Hook Charm, both of which will be given away via a charity raffle. Pictured at right is the medallion’s reverse side, engraved with “Social & Racial Justice.”
Growing up in South Texas, Juneteenth was on Foundrae designer Beth Bugdaycay’s radar as a longtime state holiday, but she noticed a lack of awareness around it in her current home, New York City.
“I thought maybe the lack of familiarity with Juneteenth in other parts of the U.S. could be that people saw the history of slavery as a Southern issue, but actually it’s part of our New York City history too,” she said, “It’s part of the history of every single territory of the United States.”
Bugdaycay has significant knowledge of the implications of slavery in New York City, serving on
a research committee of the Brooklyn Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) for the last few years as the group worked on a book, “Brooklyn, Quakers and Slavery.”
“I learned so much from being part of that research team,” she explained, “including the fact that Brooklyn, New York actually had the second-greatest population of enslaved Black people in the United States, second only to Charleston, South Carolina, due to the reliance on enslaved labor to harvest the primary crop grown in Kings County: tobacco.
“I think most people just don’t know that.”
The Juneteenth Medallion isn’t just about raising historical awareness, however. Bugdaycay intends it to have a real impact.
All of the proceeds of the pendant’s sale will benefit The Loveland Foundation, which helps provide access to therapy for Black women and girls, as well as The Lower Eastside Girls Club of NY.
Foundrae also has a giveaway underway to raise more money for these organizations.
This week, the New York City-based brand is selling raffle tickets for a Juneteenth Medallion and an accompanying 16-inch “Sister Hook Chain” which can be worn as a necklace or doubled over as a bracelet.
Both handmade in 18-karat yellow gold, the medallion retails for $2,195, and the chain for $6,515.
Raffle tickets cost $25 and are available for purchase online through June 18 at 8 p.m., in honor of Juneteenth.
“We have still not achieved social and racial justice in America,” Bugdaycay said.
“I believe that every single one of us has the ability to move the needle—even if it’s a little—we all have our areas of influence. For [Foundrae], we make jewelry, so this is something we were able to contribute.”
Related stories will be right here …
More on Collections
The Latest
AuctionsJun 26, 2026
‘Hogback’ Diamond Ring Finds a New Home A ring set with “hogback” diamonds, an early stone cut dating to around the 16th century, sold for more than $20,000 at a U.K. auction.
MajorsJun 26, 2026
Rembrandt Charms Debuts ‘Charms That Give Back’The new initiative donates a portion of the proceeds from select charms to charitable causes.
TrendsJun 26, 2026
Bernard James Celebrates Knicks’ Win with RingThe Brooklyn-based jeweler created a limited-edition version of its “Aura” eternity band, set with gemstones in the team’s colors.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingJun 25, 2026
ICA Names Brandee Dallow as CEODallow will lead the International Colored Gemstone Association, effective July 6.
Weekly QuizJun 25, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
EditorsJun 25, 2026
Out & About: How Jewelers Mutual, SCAD Are Tackling the Bench Jeweler ShortageSenior Editor Lenore Fedow headed to Savannah to learn more about the 10-year, $10 million partnership between JM and the art school.
Events & AwardsJun 25, 2026
Watches & Wonders Announces 2027 DatesThe week-long event in Geneva is slated for April 2027.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
SourcingJun 25, 2026
Annie Doresca, Mark Smelzer, Sara Yood Join Gem Legacy BoardThe three industry leaders bring financial, communications, and legal expertise to the nonprofit’s board of directors.
ColumnistsJun 24, 2026
The Revenue Hiding Between Your Counter and Your Online CartJewelers are missing out by not offering this one key add-on at the online point of sale, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsJun 24, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers, Jewel Boxing’s Latest Drop Is On-TrendThe fourth collaborative collection from the retailer and jewelry content creator focuses on gemstone charms and strands of colorful beads.
Events & AwardsJun 24, 2026
AGTA Accepting Entries for Spectrum 2026This year’s AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards will feature two new categories.
SourcingJun 24, 2026
Columbia Gem House To Offer Alexandrite Melee OnlineThe collection features traceable alexandrite from Brazil in calibrated sizes that is sorted by grade.
MajorsJun 24, 2026
CaratLane Names New Chief Sales OfficerDhaval Raja has been appointed to the role.
CollectionsJun 23, 2026
Francesca Villa Goes ‘On the Road’The capsule collection looks to vintage trunk pins that echo the spirit of speed, freedom, and the mythology of the American road trip.
SourcingJun 23, 2026
New Paraíba Tourmaline Source Reportedly Discovered in EthiopiaSSEF issued a notice about the potential new source of the sought-after gemstone, citing “credible reports” from trade sources.
MajorsJun 23, 2026
Etsy Says ‘Shop Other Jeffs’ This Prime DayAs Amazon Prime Day kicks off, Etsy is encouraging shoppers to support small businesses.
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2026
AGA Announces 2026 Scholarship WinnerCole Winward is the recipient of 2026 AGA Gemological Scholarship.
EditorsJun 22, 2026
15 Pieces of Jewelry That Brought Us Joy in Vegas Whether they evoked nostalgia, wonder, or laughter, these jewels put a smile on our faces.
Events & AwardsJun 22, 2026
Plans Announced for New Trade Show in BaselScheduled for April 2027, Basilia will be the first watch and jewelry trade show held in Basel since the collapse of Baselworld in 2020.
Events & AwardsJun 22, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
WatchesJun 22, 2026
Snoopy Inspires New ‘Flying Ace’ Ball WatchThe beloved beagle dons his aviator outfit for the new Engineer Master II Snoopy Flying Ace timepiece.
AuctionsJun 18, 2026
Paraíba Tourmalines Sell for $3.4M at Sotheby'sThe recent high jewelry auction, which also featured the sale of a 10-carat blue diamond, was “a celebration of color.”
CollectionsJun 18, 2026
Michelle Obama Wears Almasika Earrings Symbolizing Feminine PowerShe wore the “Le Cauri Endiamanté” earrings, our Piece of the Week, in the Obamas’ first dual portrait for the Obama Presidential Center.
PodcastsJun 17, 2026
Episode 6: Las Vegas 2026-Trends, Traffic, Broken BathroomsCouture’s Michelle Orman joins Amanda Gizzi and Michelle Graff for this special post-Market Week episode of My Next Question.
GradingJun 17, 2026
SSEF Issues Warning on Refilled EmeraldsThe lab is seeing emeralds with filler added post-testing enter the market, accompanied by reports that indicate little to no treatment.
WatchesJun 17, 2026
Patek Philippe’s ‘Visionary’ Leader Philippe Stern Dies at 88 The third generation of the Stern family to head Patek Philippe, he navigated the “quartz crisis” and preserved the brand’s independence.
