Editor’s Note
As the summer slowdown takes hold, this week’s lighter agenda features the latest JCK vodcast, a groundbreaking Etruscan exhibition, and the final days to submit nominations for the jewelry industry’s top awards.
The summer slowdown is in full effect. This week’s (light) agenda includes the latest vodcast from JCK, a paradigm-shifting exhibition on Etruscan culture, and a soon-to-close nomination period for the jewelry industry’s answer to the Oscars. Get to it!
The Jewelry District Podcast, Episode 175 (ongoing)
In the latest episode of The Jewelry District, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and cohost Rob Bates talk to Gabrielle Saunders (pictured), founder of Ruveil, a jewelry brand that allows people to “wear what they hear.” She explains how her jewelry design is informed by her background working at jewelry houses such as Alexis Bittar and Harry Winston, studying gemology at GIA, and becoming a sound meditation facilitator. Bridging the seemingly disparate worlds of wellness and fine jewelry, Gabrielle’s brand taps into a growing market and creates a personal connection between each piece and its wearer.
Etruscan Exhibition in San Francisco: Through Sept 20
Etruscan ring with the Ambush of Achilles, 550‒500 B.C., in gold-plated silver and gold; from the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (photo courtesy of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco)
The Etruscans thrived in what is now Italy for almost a millennium, from around 900 to 100 B.C., before the rise of the Roman Empire. A new exhibit at San Francisco’s de Young Museum, “The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy Exhibition,” shows how they laid the foundation for present-day architecture, engineering, and artistic achievements. Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries and cutting-edge scholarship, this is the most comprehensive exhibition on Etruscan culture in the United States to date. Over 150 exquisitely crafted and well-preserved examples of bronze and terra-cotta sculpture, gold jewelry, ceramics, and architectural features, as well as the longest-surviving piece of Etruscan writing, reveal a legacy that continues to captivate today.
Gem Awards Nominations: Due July 31
Last year’s finalists for the David Yurman Gem Awards Grant with the man himself: (from left) Hiba Husayni; Johnny Nelson, the grant winner; Lorraine West; Jules Kim; Yurman; Dorian Webb (photo: BFA/Matt Borkowski)
The 2027 Gem Awards nomination period is open through July 31. Jewelers of America, the event’s organizer, is accepting nominations in jewelry design (individual), media excellence (individual), and retail innovation (company). Note: All submissions must be self-nominated. The Gem Awards committee wants to hear from designers, editors, and retailers directly. (Save the date for the 2027 Gem Awards, taking place on March 12, where the winners will be announced live.)
Top: Pendant with 1 ct. heart-shape heated ruby, ruby accents, and diamonds in platinum, $20,000; Pompos