The Jewelry “Think Tank”
Written WJA and read Women's Jewelry Association: it is the organization regarded as “cultural pioneer” that, from 1983 to present day, has made a little cultural and professional "revolution" in the sector
Cultural Pioneer in jewelry can mean many things. From the designer who creates a new cut for stone or an internationally patented piece, to the company that launches a sustainability and a foundation that aims to protect the goldsmith tradition or develop previously unthinkable synergies. Some have wanted to do most of this from a privileged female point of view. The Women's Jewelry Association was founded in New York exactly forty years ago, an organisation that, for the first time, put the profound inequality that had always characterized the jewelry world at the centre of discussion: the almost total absence of women in leading roles in a sector dedicated to, and inspired mostly by, women. The first signs of a veritable cultural movement began with this lucid reflection and, over the years, has contaminated every branch of the trade, allowing hundreds of female designers, creatives, craftswomen and entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams. Telling us how things went then and what sparked the establishment of the WJA are Susan Chandler, President of the WJA, and Gabrielle Grazi, President of the WJA Foundation, the philanthropic offshoot of the association. «The seeds for a new female organization in the jewelry sector were planted at a party at the home of Toni Lyn Judd in 1982 (a renowned American buyer, Editor’s note). At that time, women were having difficulty breaking into the all-important professional networking and social events held by the industry. Not to mention that the top jobs were predominately taken by men. Those who then became the founders of the WJA had experienced various levels of discrimination and needed mentorship to develop skills to build their careers. As they shared their experiences, those seeds began to take root until, in 1983, 47 female suppliers and retailers got together to form a network which became the WJA. To date, we now have over 20 chapters abroad, including the one that just opened in Mexico and another that is due to open in Toronto. WJA has over 2,000 members among designers, manufacturers, store owners, corporate brands and many more. We have awarded the best and brightest among the members of our branches with the Shining Star Awards, presented to outstanding members who have served with distinction, while we have created our annual Awards for Excellence Gala for groundbreaking industry leaders. On 2 November 2023, we are celebrating these impactful 40 years with a Ruby Gala Fundraiser in New York. Heading into 2024, we will be trying to ramp up our programing and events on a national scale, focusing on important topics, like disability and sustainability, and on our WELF (Women's Executive Leadership Forum) program for education and mentorship. Educational scholarships and grants are our primary mission at fundraising campaigns. And as always, we will continue to support our chapters with the aim of guaranteeing additional funding. International members that do not have a local chapter, like those in Italy, are automatically invited to take part in international chapter events virtually and in-person at trade shows. They can also choose to become part of any single chapter's mailing list, to be added to their communications and virtual events, and to have the chance to serve remotely on boards or committees. In a digitally connected world, the WJA connects women from around the world to share experiences and knowledge, without borders.»
Gabrielle Grazi continues the story of this extraordinary pioneering adventure… «In these last 40 years, the organization has helped pave the way for so many successful female entrepreneurs, designers, retailers and manufacturers. Members support each other through networking events and create essential contact moments for each one’s development through our Mentor Match program. We have also assigned more than a million dollars in grants and scholarships to women so that they can achieve their aims and gain additional education. We have initiated educational programs like our Jewelry Loupe project, which provides business level mentorship. In 2023 alone, we supported 13 individuals who were then able to feature their brands and work at the JCK industry event in Las Vegas. The Women's Executive Leadership Forum (WELF) was created to provide networking opportunities for female executives in a “think tank” format to discuss the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. We also support a training program for chapter leadership, financial investment, human resources, guest speakers and organize a series of thematic meetings centered on diversity, equity and inclusion. Lastly, two excellent examples sum up the potentiality of what we are doing. The first is Helene Fortunoff, the owner of Fortunoff, a high-profile retail chain, who has recruited several more distinguished women from within the association. Last year we even launched the Helene Fortunoff Women in Retail scholarship to add to the one entitled Radiant Minds Technology. Then there is Phyllis Bergman, the owner of a jewelry company, who has brought top retailers into the WJA and invited chapter presidents to sit on the national board. A key figure in the creation of the WJA Diva Design Awards, she was the first female president of the 24 Karat Club. We can basically say that Phyllis Bergman has truly smashed the “glass ceiling”!»
