A
t the end of July, black-and-white selfies
and portraits of women appeared on
Instagram as part of a viral challenge to
celebrate “women supporting women” and
“women empowering women.” Some sour types
— interestingly enough, mostly women — felt the
need to write long, tiresome pieces on why this was
narcissistic and pointless. How an enthusiastic
show of female solidarity could be so viciously
decried escapes me. It was a chance to discover
many people in the industry who usually kept
their faces hidden, and to read warm, friendly
messages. Of course, it didn’t change or improve
the condition of women worldwide, but it created a
connection. And connections are what we need.
I felt this evenmore acutely when Victoria
McKay, the founder and managing director of the
Women’s Jewellery Network (WJN), announced
in early August that the nonprofit association was
closing. McKay and her cofounders, all talented,
passionate advocates, couldn’t juggle full-time
jobs with running the community anymore.
Fortunately, there are other groups, such as The
Glitterati and theWomen’s Jewelry Association,
that promote education and career advancement
for women, as well as offering a space for
exchanges and support. And we can all do our bit,
regardless of our gender, role or seniority in the
trade. As McKay wrote, “My departing message
to organizations in the jewelry industry is this: A
lot can be achieved with very little when there’s
determination to drive change.”
ED I TOR ’ S
L E T T E R
With his new fine-jewelry brand W.Rosado, New York-based high
jeweler Wilfredo Rosado is experimenting with pearls in an exciting
way. His Pearl ID concept involves master stonecutters in Idar-
Oberstein, Germany, and goldsmiths in Valenza, Italy, creating
personalized jewelry featuring Australian South Sea pearls and
diamonds in 18-karat gold.
Sonia Esther Soltani
EDITOR IN CHIEF
SONIA.SOLTANI @ DIAMONDS.NET
E D I TO R ' S P I C K
IMAGES: BEN KELMER; SHUTTERSTOCK
S U P PORT I NG
THE S I ST E RHOOD
SEPTEMBER
DIAMONDS.NET
