Emerging Opportunities for Women in Jewelry Production
Emerging Opportunities for Women in Jewelry Production
While jewelry is often considered a women-centered industry, its production has been dominated by men. Women have consistently faced barriers when attempting to enter the world of jewelry production, with male bench jewelers considerably outnumbering their female counterparts. Many women jewelers have reported facing inequality in accessing jewelry education, technical bench training, professional employment, and workers’ compensation.
Recent years have seen a growing number of female jewelry designers, but equality in jewelry production has been slow to grow. Some individuals and institutions, however, are making intentional steps towards creating tangible opportunities for women in jewelry production.
The Women’s Jewelry Association Bench Jeweler Scholarship
In the spring of 2025, the Women’s Jewelry Association announced a new partnership with Stuller, Inc. to launch a Bench Jeweler Scholarship. The Scholarship, valued at $7,500, aims to provide hands-on training to an aspiring female professional in the jewelry industry. Last year’s Stuller Bench Jeweler Scholarship was awarded to Alejandra Garcia, a Colombian jewelry artist and founder of Oh Voilà Jewelry.
“The demand for skilled bench jewelers has never been greater, and hands-on training is essential to keeping this craft alive and thriving,” said Nikia Levesque-Meyer, the WJA Foundation President. “Through this partnership with Stuller, we are proud to provide women with the opportunity to develop their technical expertise and refine their skills in an environment that fosters growth and mentorship.”
The Women’s Jewelry Association Foundation and JKD Ella Klein Internship
The Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) Foundation instituted several initiatives that support women in their pursuit of technical jewelry training. Among these campaigns is the Foundation’s partnership with Julius Klein Diamonds, which supports women in the industry through the prestigious Ella Klein Internship program. The program provides critical opportunities to learn from leaders in the diamond and jewelry industries, who ultimately help women build careers through on-site training in diamond evaluation, sales, and industry practices.
GIA Expands Gemology Education to Classrooms
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has also launched its own initiative, which strives for equal opportunity in jewelry education by bringing gem science to classrooms. Designed for grades four through six, the GIA Gem Kit includes lesson plans for teachers, as well as engaging activities that are designed to spark interest in gemology. The Gem Kit exposes young female students to jewelry-adjacent science education, increasing their future chances of accessing the design and production workforce.
Looking Ahead
While these initiatives are currently helping women achieve gender equality within the jewelry production sector, we must still make considerable improvements.
Photographer and jewelry designer Linda Kozloff-Turner, author of the 2020 book 100 Women of Jewelry, says, “Education is the key. Provide resources for more women [and women] of color to have an opportunity to start their own businesses. Training needs to be made available . . . Providing resources for women will greatly increase the scope of the jewelry industry for everyone involved”.