Online Articles

When Form Meets Function Tips for creating clean transitions in CAD By Darla Alvarez, GIA Jewelry Design and Technology Instructor The cleanliness of transitions can make or break the aesthetic appeal of a design. Sometimes, it is difficult in CAD to create clean transitions when incorporating functional moving components. In this example, we will fix […]

The Missing Link Simple ways to draw three common chain styles By Rémy Rotenier Quick Links: Chain Basics • Cable Chain • Wheat Chain • Paperclip Chain When I was a young designer, I would sketch what I thought were very cool pendants, but drawing the chains that they were hanging from seemed much more […]

Post-Pandemic Positivity Pantone’s spring 2024 color palette radiates optimism By Deborah A. Yonick In its seasonal report, the color institute notes “a new sense of freedom reflected in tones that are evocative yet familiar” and invites us to explore our own creativity and re-envision the future. The latest seasonal palette offers a versatile mix of […]

Little Wonders A guide to choosing and sourcing findings to compliment your designs By Shawna Kulpa (Originally Published September 2023) Although customers may not think about them when purchasing their jewelry, findings can literally make or break a piece. After all, post earrings won’t stay put without backs, and a pendant is useless without a […]

Wild Thing Darci Shea Bogdan’s cloisonné enamel necklace highlights the connection between humans and a fragile environment By Tina Snyder (Originally Published September 2023) Darci Shea Bogdan Darci Shea Studios | Santa Cruz, California As a child, designer Darci Shea Bogdan lived on a sailboat with her parents, traveling up and down Central and South […]

Bringing History to Life Finding inspiration with Chris Ploof By Deborah A. Yonick (Originally Published September 2023) Chris Ploof Chris Ploof Designs | Leominster, Massachusetts The inspiration for Chris Ploof’s latest pendant collection has roots in childhood trips to an arms and armor museum near his home in a small town in Massachusetts; there the […]

Mystery Box Challenge: Raising the Bar Christopher Taylor Timberlake’s Neckpiece Chris Speaks about His Design I sensed that Sarah was somebody connected to the world through nature and art, and that was my entry point. Because of her interest in kayaking, I thought of erosion and geologic time, so I shaped and smoothed three wooden […]

Mystery Box Challenge: Raising the Bar Kyle Sharos’s Neckpiece Kyle Speaks about His Design My main influence was the importance of Africa to Sarah. I researched African jewelry and found lots of large-scale neckpieces. The first challenge was cutting the wood with my band saw—it was like cutting a stone and gummed up my saw […]

Mystery Box Challenge: Raising the Bar Shayna Egan’s Pin Winner, Instore Show Buyer’s Choice Award Shayna Speaks about Her Design For her presentation, Shayna took an unusual tack: she read a letter addressed to the fictional client, Sarah Williams. Sarah,Congratulations on your recent graduation–how exciting! I was honored to be asked by your parents to create […]

Raising the Bar MJSA’s Mystery Box Challenge, with a twist In August 2023, at the Instore Show in Chicago, three intrepid designers took part in MJSA’s first live Mystery Box Challenge. An annual feature in MJSA Journal, the Challenge traditionally involves taking a box of “mystery” materials (which always includes a least one oddball item) […]

Personal Growth To highlight his personal connection with nature, Redus combined the three natural materials of wood, stone, and metal in his ring design By Tina Snyder (Originally Published October 2023) Everett Walker Redus Everett Walker Jewels | Dallas, Texas When Everett Walker Redus of Dallas read about the American Jewelry Design Council’s call for […]

Best of the Bunch Jewelry designer Barbara Heinrich shares the story behind her favorite gem purchase (Originally Published August 2023) Barbara Heinrich Barbara Heinrich Studio | Pitsford, New York What was your favorite gem purchase?It was a set of three African Paraiba tourmalines. What drew you to the stones?A long time ago, I bought Paraiba […]

A Matter of Perspective Yen’s creation explores the connection between human beings and the environment By Tina Snyder (Originally Published August 2023) Liaung-Chung Yen Henrietta, New York In his “A View from Above” series, Liaung-Chung Yen of Henrietta, New York, explores a variety of landscapes as metaphors for viewing the world from various distances. “It […]

Keeping It Classic A guide to sketching three types of solitaire pendants By Rémy Rotenier (Originally Published July 2023) A diamond seemingly floating at the neck is a difficult-to-beat classic look. Although it feels like it’s barely there, the visual effect of a diamond solitaire pendant is powerful, as its simplicity celebrates and elevates the […]

Through the Torii Gate Designer Cynthia Renée Marcusson on cultivating an inspirational symbol of transition into her work By Deborah A. Yonick (Originally Published July 2023) For many years Cynthia Renée Marcusson, the award-winning bespoke designer based in Cary, North Carolina, has been fascinated by the torii gates found in Japan. Commonly located at the […]

Thinking Outside the Jewelry Case Susan Eisen Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry & Watches, El Paso, Texas Because Susan Eisen makes and sells jewelry in an area that prefers conservative styles, she doesn’t often get the chance to create the modern designs she prefers. “Ultramodern does not sell as much in this area, in comparison to […]

No Laughing Matter Michael Good Michael Good Designs, Rockport, Maine As someone with five decades of jewelry-making experience, Michael Good isn’t one to turn down a challenge. In fact, challenges are just par for the course for Good. “I’m a founding member of the American Jewelry Design Council,” he explains. “Every year for the last […]

Night & Day From raw materials to masterpieces in four weeks By Shawna Kulpa (Originally Published June 2023) Most jewelers probably don’t think about how their designs will appear in the dark. After all, why would they? If it’s dark, who will see them? But for the jewelers participating in this year’s Mystery Box Challenge, […]

Colorful Couple Behind the design of a custom alexandrite wedding ring set By Tina Snyder (Originally Published June 2023) Denver-based jewelry designers Lauren and Matthew Tuggle of Tuggle Designs share a passion for making one-of-a-kind jewelry that puts a modern spin on traditional design. Inspired by patterns and architecture, the husband-and-wife design team were thrilled […]

Throwing a Curve Ball Exploring new granulation techniques By David Huycke (Originally Published May 2023) Editor’s Note: This article is excerpted from “Decorative and Structural Granulation in Larger Silver Artefacts,” a paper by David Huycke that was published in the proceedings of the 2022 Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology. Granulation is an ornamental […]

Beam Me Up Behind the design of a Star Trek-inspired pendant By Tina Snyder (Originally Published May 2023) Most designers would agree: It’s a rare treat to be given creative free rein on a custom design project. Such was the case with this 14k white and 18k yellow gold moldavite, trapiche emerald, and black spinel […]

Jamie Hollier Balefire Goods Arvada, Colorado Jamie Hollier first fell in love with metalwork and jewelry thanks to her exposure to metalwork in her grandfather’s machine shop, jewelry in her great aunt’s antique shop, and going to art shows with her mother. Although she studied art history and metalsmithing in college, her career took her […]

Wendy Woldenberg WEND Jewelry Seattle A goldsmith and founder of WEND Jewelry, Wendy Woldenberg taught high school jewelry/metals for 22 years while making custom jewelry on school breaks. After a two-week backpacking trip around Mount Rainier, everything changed. She founded WEND Jewelry, a rugged fine jewelry brand focused on ethical sourcing and nature-inspired designs. She […]

Alisa Thorp Mercurius Jewelry Oakland, California Alisa Thorp co-founded Mercurius Jewelry with her husband, goldsmith David Thorp in 2007. She holds a BS in environmental science from Columbia University but followed her heart to study and teach yoga for more than a decade before taking over the operations at Mercurius. Currently, she is studying gemology […]

Niki Grandics Enji Studio Jewelry San Diego Niki Grandics is a designer, jeweler, writer, and activist who holds degrees in marketing and applied design from San Diego State University and a Graduate Jeweler diploma from GIA. She is the founder of Enji Studio Jewelry, an “ethical with an edge” fine jewelry studio. A member of […]

One Word, Many Meanings Four jewelry designers share their views on “responsible design” By Shawna Kulpa (Originally Published April 2023) What does it mean to be responsible? Does it mean using only certified recycled and repurposed metals? Eliminating waste and hazardous chemicals from a jewelry studio? Knowing the exact origins of all your materials and […]

The Gang’s All Here A step-by-step guide to designing round, marquis, and pear-shaped cluster earrings By Rémy Rotenier (Originally Published April 2023) Originally found in collections from the best high-jewelry houses, the diamond cluster earring has lately gone a little more mainstream. You’ve likely even spotted them featuring bouquets of colored gemstones. These earrings lend […]

From Crass to Class Exploring techniques for bonding gold to steel By Bette Barnett Editor’s Note: This article is excerpted from “Steel Jewelry—Expanding the Horizons of Steel with Gold,” a paper by Bette Barnett that was published in the proceedings of the 2022 Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology. Despite its humble reputation, steel […]

Discovering the Magic of Steel with Bette Barnett Airdate: July 1, 2023 Bette Barnett, owner of Studio Migoto, in La Mesa, California, is recognized for her expertise fusing steel with gold utilizing various techniques. In this episode, Bette discusses her transition from a career working in corporate communications to one in jewelry-making, how she discovered her […]

Triple Take Go behind the design of Chatham’s reversible and convertible boulder opal earrings By Tina Snyder Lindsay Jane Chatham sketched at least 100 designs before arriving at the final concept for her 20.20 carat striped boulder opal earrings. “These stones were just so amazing, I could think of a million designs for them,” says […]

From Jewels to Tools A look at the journeys of three jewelry artists-turned-toolmakers By Sharon Elaine Thompson If you’re like most jewelers, you probably spend a lot of time altering and creating tools. Maybe it’s because you need a tool that better fits your hand or to make it do something it was never designed […]

Capturing the Glow A primer on drawing in lifted and classic perspective By Rémy Rotenier Born from a defense mechanism of oysters, pearls have been a favorite of jewelry lovers for a very long time. Unlike gemstones, which can display many optical phenomena, pearls just quietly glow, as if animated from their core. Pearl rings […]

Cutting Loose: Exploring the World of Diamonds, with Maarten de Witte Airdate: February 1, 2023 Maarten de Witte is one of the world’s premier diamond cutters and expert, renowned as a craftsman, innovator (he created the American Rose Brilliant Cut), and educator. In this episode, de Witte discusses the lessons he’s learned during his 50 years […]

MJSA Journal Live: Expo 2022 Behind the Design: Getting Inspired When Your Muse Is Tired Every designer has been there: a deadline looms, the clock is ticking, and your creativity is… well, it just isn’t. The good news is there are ways to revitalize those creative juices and keep them flowing, whether you’re looking to […]

Coffee Break Fiery red Catlinite takes center stage in this piece, inspired by the artist’s Venezuelan heritage By Tina Snyder (Originally published October 2022) A miniature sculpture inspired by her Venezuelan culture, the CasitasSeries Brooch 1 is a favorite piece of Deborah Vivas, co-owner of Vivasmith with her partner, gemstone carver Melissa J. Smith. Spotlighting […]

Beth Farber Elizabeth Farber Designs, New York For New York–based artist Beth Farber, beading is a second career. During a work hiatus after she’d left the corporate world in the early 2000s, Farber took a beading class and immediately fell in love with the meditative quality of the work. It was a golden age for […]

Valerie Hector Valerie Hector Designs Ltd., Chicago Valerie Hector of Valerie Hector Designs Ltd. in Chicago was introduced to beading the way many of us were—as a child threading colorful Playskool wooden beads onto a string. Unlike many of us, however, Hector admits, “I carried my beads with me wherever I went. My obsession grew […]

Jacqueline Johnson JJ Attic, Yonkers, New York Jacqueline Johnson, principal at JJ Attic, started her career as an elementary school teacher. But then she bought a loom and fell so in love with weaving that she returned to school in her mid-20s, attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Right out of school, she […]

Bead Weavers Three bead artists share their off-loom beading techniques By Sharon Elaine Thompson During excavations in Morocco between 2014 and 2018, archeologists discovered what is regarded as the world’s oldest jewelry: a set of 33 shell beads that date back around 150,000 years. In the tens of thousands of years since then, beads have […]

Lyrical Moment Creating flow and movement articulated ain metal By Tina Snyder New York City–based designer Rina Young has been designing jewelry for 34 years—and she’s been working with sterling silver wire for as long as she can remember. While she has hand fabricated many smaller jewelry pieces featuring the signature wrapped ribbon pattern shown […]

Back to Your Roots Behind the design of Tracey Beale’s family-tree–inspired Legacy Ring By Tina Snyder Most of designer Tracey Beale’s jewelry is story-based. Inspired by ancient Egyptian artifacts and articles of adornment, she strives to emulate their mystery in her modern relics. With the Legacy Ring, Beale sought to capture the essence of a […]

Pushing the Boundaries of Beading with Valerie Hector Airdate: September 1, 2022 Bead artist Valerie Hector (Valerie Hector Designs) brings a background in anthropology, deep knowledge of Asian bead styles, and a passion for pushing boundaries to her work. In this episode, Hector discusses her creative approach to design and why she’s driven to develop new […]

Labor of Love A look behind the design of Denise Betesh’s intricately crafted bracelet By Tina Snyder While studying jewelry making at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in the 1980s, Santa Fe, New Mexico–based designer Denise Betesh fell head over heels for chain making. “We had access to the Roman chains and ancient foxtails […]

Need a Hand? A step-by-step guide to drawing an adjustable bracelet By Rémy Rotenier Every one of us has struggled at some point with putting on a bracelet.When I had a collection on Jewelry Television, I designed many bolo bracelets because of how versatile they were. The wearer would just slide the bracelet on and […]

Judith Haas Judith Haas DesignBrooklyn, New York My studio is in an area of Brooklyn with many converted old warehouses, and that industrial environment is often reflected in my work. I’m especially inspired by how nature reclaims the urban landscape. For example, in New York City you can see metal structures turn different colors when […]

Cornelia Goldsmith Cornelia GoldsmithSan Francisco Every year I create a piece for the American Jewelry Design Council’s annual design project. The theme of last year’s project was “Secret Garden.” As I was thinking about a design for it, I started thinking about how everyone was at home in lockdown, how we had the time to […]

Jorge Adeler Jorge AdelerGreat Falls, Virginia Idesign two ways. When I’m designing for a customer, the design is not necessarily mine; it’s the emotions and dreams of the customer. I try to interpret all of that into jewelry, but the design comes from the soul of the customer. When I’m designing for me, the design […]

Linda MacNeil Jewels of GlassNew Hampshire I went to school for metalsmithing and jewelry, and I evolved into using glass because it’s such an intriguing material. Working with glass is a unique way of making things, and I’m hooked on the range of colors I can develop with glass processes. I find that with minerals […]

Victor Velyan Victor VelyanLos Angeles It always starts with stones with me. I’m the opposite of most designers in that I never make a list and then go to a gem show. The beauty of a stone is what grabs me, and then that stone comes home with me, which is what happened with a […]

Theresa Kwong TK Metal ArtsSan Francisco Ihad been feeling less than motivated to do much during our COVID-19 quarantine, stuck in a giant creative block. I was shocked as I watched the pandemic rage through our communities, and I spent a lot of time reading the news, hoping to find any morsel of hope. At […]

Lynda Bahr Lynda Bahr JewelrySan Gregorio, California When my husband and I started working on this piece in 2008, it was going to be a watch. We were making watches at the time, and the owner of a gallery we worked with requested a special piece. We created the mosaics for the side bands and […]

Jennifer Rabe Morin Gregore & Jennifer-Rabe JewelersSanta Barbara, California Asatisfying part of being a member of the American Jewelry Design Council (AJDC) is the chance to make projects. As a commercial jeweler, [I find] it refreshing to break out of making things for others and instead make something that is more intimately about my experience […]

Where It All Began Exploring sources of jewelry design inspiration By Shawna Kulpa How often do you scroll by a jewelry image on Instagram or walk by a jewelry showcase and stop in your tracks? You may be captivated by the piece’s beauty, or fascinated by its display of technical mastery. Or maybe it’s just […]

Finer Points Designer Sara Bran’s 18k gold lace collar comes to life By Tina Snyder A self-taught jewelry artist, Sara Bran of St-Just, France, became fascinated with textile lace in 2008. During a seminar she attended in Lisbon, Portugal, with masters of Portuguese and French art, Bran was drawn to these textures. “With the exception […]

Even Flow Go behind the design of Evgenii Fedko’s titanium and gold bracelet By Tina Snyder Of the many metaphors for life, New Jersey–based Evgenii Fedko elected to portray life as a river in his titanium and gold bracelet, aptly named River of Life. In the bracelet, the blue titanium water flows from link to […]

Breaking down a custom piece, fee by fee Editor’s Note: Knowing how to price your work, especially when you’re just starting out, is never an easy feat. It’s a lesson that Cady Carlson Dill learned the hard way. Like many new designers, she faced the common combination of not being able to find information about […]

Learning Curves A look behind the design of Brenda Smith’s three-dimensional flower necklace By Tina Snyder You’ll find a sketch pad and pencil on Brenda Smith’s nightstand so she can capture the inspiring visions that appear in her dreams. The idea for the “Printemps” (French for “springtime”) necklace came to the Woodstock, Georgia–based designer in […]

MJSA Mystery Box Challenge 2022 with participating designer Geralyn Sheridan Airdate: June 1, 2022 In this podcast, Geralyn Sheridan of Geralyn Sheridan Designs in Chico, California, breaks down the design and technical details behind her sea-inspired necklace. Read more about the 2022 Mystery Box Challenge and see additional pieces from designers Alex Boyd and Michael Bondanza: […]

MJSA Mystery Box Challenge 2022 with participating designer Alex Boyd Airdate: June 1, 2022 In this podcast, Alex Boyd, owner of Alex Boyd Studio in Denver, explains his approach to design, his experiences working with new and unfamiliar components, and the challenge of working with this year’s Mystery Box “surprise” materials. Read more about the 2022 […]

The Perfect Storm Michael BondanzaMichael Bondanza Inc., New York City Although Michael Bondanza has been making jewelry in one form or another since the early 1970s, there are still things that manage to surprise him—one of which he discovered in this year’s Mystery Box. Although he immediately recognized the abalone, as he has made violins […]

Same but Different Geralyn SheridanGeralyn Sheridan Designs, Chico, California Geralyn Sheridan is a long-time fan of MJSA’s annual Mystery Box Challenge. “I was always really amazed by how metalsmiths with the same tools and materials [create items that] are completely different,” she says. She’d look at past projects and think that she would never have […]

A Sea Change Alex BoydAlex Boyd Studio, Denver Alex Boyd likes stepping outside his comfort zone. “The best feeling for me is making something that I haven’t made before and thinking about things I haven’t thought about before,” he explains. So, when he was asked to participate in MJSA’s annual Mystery Box Challenge, it was […]

The Element of Surprise How this year’s designers brought their mystery box materials to life By Shawna Kulpa Some do it for fun. Some do it for the challenge. Some do it…just because. Regardless of the reason why, the jewelers who agree to participate in MJSA’s annual Mystery Box Challenge clearly aren’t afraid to try […]

Classic Twist Designer Kate Eickelberg takes a modern and fresh approach to a classic pearl necklace By Tina Snyder There’s nothing more inspiring to Kate Eickelberg than cruising the aisles of a hardware store. “While people don’t generally think much about the everyday items and parts found in a hardware store, to me, they are […]

Puddle Jumping How designer Megan Clark expanded her gemstone color palette to diversify her line By Tina Snyder What’s the best place for a jewelry designer who doesn’t use a lot of color to break out of her monochromatic shell? Well, the Tucson gem shows, of course! That’s where Durham, North Carolina–based designer Megan Clark, […]

Sweet Sixteen Behind the design of Kristen Baird’s gold Napoleon III coin ring By Tina Snyder Jewelry imbued with family traditions is extra special. So when a couple commissioned Kristen Baird of Savannah, Georgia, to make a ring for their daughter’s 16th birthday incorporating a French coin that has been in the family for generations, […]

Honoring One’s Heritage MJSA Design Challenge: Responsibly Sourced Designs Entry 6: Donna Distefano Thomas When contemplating the design, I immediately thought of Haseya moving to and living in New York City, a place so different from where she grew up, and I wanted to give her a talisman that would connect to her heritage. A […]

Honoring One’s Heritage MJSA Design Challenge: Responsibly Sourced Designs Entry 5: Dominique Larson As a designer, I listen to the story my client is telling, and I consider what the commissioned piece should convey to reflect that story. This project was intended to be something that my clients’ daughter, Haseya, would regularly wear, and that […]

Honoring One’s Heritage MJSA Design Challenge: Responsibly Sourced Designs Entry 4: Dana Bronfman In considering what to create for Haseya, I knew I wanted to make something that was a bit of a statement piece, colorful and celebratory, but one that could be worn every day. She travels a lot and interviews people for work, […]

Honoring One’s Heritage MJSA Design Challenge: Responsibly Sourced Designs Entry 3: Helen Chantler – 2021 Winner! As I mulled the project for a number of weeks, I started getting an image of a bear in my mind. I like creating animal-themed jewelry, and to me, a bear is about strength, playfulness, and all that time […]

Honoring One’s Heritage 2021 MJSA Design Challenge: Responsibly Sourced Designs Entry 1: Jennifer Dewey Although I live in close proximity to Navajo Nation, I don’t have detailed knowledge of many Navajo traditions and ceremonies so it was important to me do some research on the subject. I wanted to make sure my piece incorporated things […]

Honoring One’s Heritage MJSA Challenge 2021: Responsibly Sourced Designs Sponsored by: And the Winner Is… Helen Chantler of Reflective Jewelry in Santa Fe, New Mexico Go behind the design and learn more Chantler’s inspiration, fabrication techniques, and her passion for creating animal-themed pieces here. The MJSA Design Challenge annually present six designers with a fictional […]

5 Favorite Tools with Michelle Pajak-Reynolds Airdate: November 9, 2021 Jewelry artist Michelle Pajak-Reynolds handcrafts small collections of one-of-a-kind designs featuring unique gemstones, pearls, and ethically sourced precious metals. In this episide, she shares her five favorite tools and describes the impact each has had on her productivity and creativity while at the bench. Watch Video • Listen […]

Sweeter Than Candy The story behind Geralyn Sheridan’s taffy-inspired ring By Tina Snyder Geralyn SheridanGeralyn Sheridan Designs • Chico, California Enjoying an afternoon at Santa Cruz Wharf as a child, Geralyn Sheridan’s parents had a hard time tearing their daughter away from the saltwater taffy making display. “I was completely mesmerized by the movement of […]

His Majesty Designer Seth Carlson explains the creation of his wildlife-inspired brooch By Tina Snyder If there’s one positive thing to come from the pandemic, it’s the extra time it has given jewelry designers to experiment. That was the case with Seth Carlson. The Philadelphia-based designer spent many lockdown hours exploring the possibilities of adding […]

Going Organic A step-by-step tutorial on drawing white round and drop-shaped Tahitian black pearls By Rémy Rotenier In our industry, pearls have always had their own place thanks to their uniqueness. Since they are organic, they can develop completely naturally or be cultured, which is when humans work with nature hand-in-hand to make the miracle […]

5 Design Inspirations with Geralyn Sheridan Airdate: October 12, 2021 Founder of a family-run studio in Chico, California, goldsmith and gemologist Geralyn Sheridan creates socially responsible jewelry that incorporates natural textures, sculptural curves, and flowing movement. She draws inspiration from her everyday life as well as from the memories of her childhood, and in this […]

Mr. Roboto Bongsang Cho’s designs combine old school craft with new world technology By Tina Snyder Bongsang Cho has been a fan of science fiction movies since childhood. Fascinated by robotic animations, such as Transformers, as a kid Cho spent time daily building model kits to bring various figures and vehicles to life. Today, as […]

Emily Kuvin’s approach to design By Tina Snyder Emily Kuvin Emily Kuvin Jewelry DesignNew York City Emily Kuvin has always prided herself on being a sharp observer of the world around her. It’s no surprise her knack for taking in gobs of information and distilling it down to the essence landed her in a journalism […]

Win or lose, there’s value in entering design competitions By Shawna Kulpa If you’re just getting started as a jewelry designer, you might wonder about the value of entering design competitions. After all, they often have entry fees (which can sometimes be steep), and spending the time preparing entries is time you’re taking away from […]

Brody Rice’s platinum, rose gold, and diamond floral ring By Tina Snyder After making a ring for his wife with a split shank design, Brody Rice of Brody Rice Designs in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, wanted to use the concept for this floral ring. Crafted with a jewelry design competition in mind, the platinum and 14k […]

Judith Kaufman’s druzy and moonstone brooch By Tina Snyder When West Hartford, Connecticut-based Judith Kaufman stumbled upon a donut-shaped periwinkle druzy quartz at the Tucson gem shows a few years back, she was reminded of a recurring theme in her repertoire. “Back in the 1960s, there was an abundance of clocks that had a very […]

Kenetha Stanton, kintsugi, and the healing process Kenetha Stanton stumbled upon kintsugi art several years ago, during a difficult period of her life where she experienced several intense losses. The kintsugi philosophy resonated with her, and she began visualizing how she could put back together the pieces of her life to create something better. She […]

Christopher Taylor Timberlake mimics kintsugi in metal Christopher Taylor Timberlake, a fine art jeweler in Austin, Texas, had never heard of kintsugi until a client walked into his studio a few years ago and mentioned the art form as a possible source of inspiration for his wedding ring. As luck would have it, Timberlake’s assistant […]

Designers taking a crack at the Japanese art of kintsugi By Shawna Kulpa It used to be if you broke your favorite bowl or plate, you mourned the loss and disposed of the remains. If the item was significant enough, you might send it out for repair, but the lingering scar would forever mar the […]

Andrew Seginovich’s Milestones Ring By Tina Snyder Andrew SeginovichKoan JewelryOdessa, Ukraine In an effort to capture life’s milestones, Andrew Seginovich of Koan Jewelry in Odessa, Ukraine, painstakingly crafted this titanium mokumé gane ring with 14k gold accents. “The design of the ring reflects life’s many crossroads and choices, while the 14k gold points represent the […]

Suzanne Schwartz’s Squares All Around Necklace By Tina Snyder Growing up, Suzanne Schwartz’s grandmother LeeLee taught her how to knit and sew at a young age. “There was something about learning how to stitch and work with textiles that introduced me to this freedom art could bring me,” she says. “It opened up my world.” […]

K. Mita Design, New York City Like many of the designers who agree to participate in the Mystery Box Challenge, Keiko Mita was excited to take on the challenge but also a bit nervous. “It was a little bit scary because you never know what you’re going to get,” she says. She felt some relief […]

Shana Kroiz Jewelry, Baltimore Shana Kroiz hadn’t been familiar with the Mystery Box Challenge when she was invited to participate in it. Once she learned the details, though, she was fully onboard. “I was excited for something new to do,” she says. “Anytime I’ve done something outside of what I normally do, it’s always pushed […]

Thomas Dailing Designs, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Some might call it sibling rivalry, but Thomas Dailing thinks his excitement over participating in the Mystery Box Challenge is because he enjoys a good challenge. Dailing’s brother Jim participated in the challenge six years ago and shared with him how fun it was. So when the invitation for […]

MJSA’s Annual Mystery Box Challenge 2021 Sponsored by: By Shawna Kulpa Fun. That was the goal when we launched what has become the annual Mystery Box Challenge 10 years ago: that the project be fun. We send out a box full of “mystery” materials, and the designers have fun figuring out how to use them […]

Luana Coonen’s Merah Necklace By Tina Snyder While beachcombing during a trip to Indonesia, jewelry designer Luana Coonen happened upon a treasure trove of red coral. “A storm had just swept in all of these amazing little pieces of coral, and I thought, ‘I can make great jewelry out of this,’” she recalls. After hours […]

Andrew Bugher’s rock star rings By Tina Wojtkielo Snyder Getting backstage passes at a concert for a band you love is a dream come true for any music fan. So imagine the delight for a jeweler whose meet-and-greet turns into the opportunity to design a collection of rings for the band members? That was exactly […]

A Home Away From Home 9: Amy Smetana As I read Maria’s story, I was amazed at the life she’s lived and all of the hurdles she’s overcome. She’s had quite a life! Now with her children grown, she’s moving into the next phase of her life, and I wanted the piece I created for […]

A Home Away From Home 8: Betsy Cross With any custom design project, I like to dig into a person’s story and figure out a way to honor that story as fully as possible. When considering Maria’s story, which is so deep and rich and filled with sacrifice and triumph, I thought about how to […]

A Home Away From Home 7: Emily Kuvin Long before I was a jewelry designer, I was a journalist and I still consider myself a writer. Perhaps that’s why I wanted to express Maria’s life story in the piece. Her story is very compelling, and in order to show off all the elements of it, […]

A Home Away From Home 5: Niki Grandics Maria’s story hit home for me, as my mother is planning on getting her citizenship later this year. Considering that this gift will be from Maria’s children, I wanted to focus on the idea of family and home, and the idea of marrying Maria’s native homeland with […]

A Home Away From Home 6: Meredith Young Appearing as far back as 2500 B.C., signet rings have long been a symbol of family. It seemed only appropriate then to create a statement signet ring for Maria. Besides being a significant reminder of her loving family, a ring is also one of the easiest types […]

A Home Away From Home 4: Emily Dubinsky As I studied Maria’s story, I began envisioning a piece of jewelry that would commemorate the occasion of her taking the citizenship oath to become a U.S. citizen. I found myself focusing on the idea of a cuff bracelet, imaging it as something she would receive on […]

A Home Away From Home 3: Sabrina Hoffman When I read Maria’s story, the thing that stood out the most to me was that this piece would be something sentimental—that all of her accomplishments in life should be incorporated in it. Since I envisioned it as an heirloom, I immediately thought of creating a pendant. […]