GROWING AND LEARNING
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‘Brilliance isn’t only in the stones we set—it’s in the people who set them.’’
Jeffery Bolling is a board member of the Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC), an advocate for DEI in the jewelry industry, and a passionate storyteller about emerging talent. With a career that spans retail sales, jewelry design and owning a store – Jeffery B Jewelers in Denver, Colorado – he joined the industry in 1986, after serving the U.S. Army.
Jeffery was honored by the Black in Jewelry Coalition in November 2023 with the BIJC Lifetime Achievement Award for his exceptional contributions to the industry over 30 years.
This past month the World Diamond Council became a member of BIJC, in support of its mission to promote the involvement of Black professionals within the gem, jewelry, and watch industry.
AUGUST 27, 2025
When I look at the jewelry industry I’ve devoted my life to, I see its beauty, its craftsmanship, and its enduring traditions. But I also see the gaps. For generations, young people of color rarely saw themselves in this world — not because they lacked talent or vision, but because an open door was never shown to them.
That’s part of why I’m so proud of my work with the Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) — the first international nonprofit membership association dedicated to the inclusion and advancement of Black professionals within the gem, jewelry, and watch industries. Born in the summer of 2020 during a moment of social awakening, BIJC was created by Black jewelers determined to end systemic barriers and build a more equitable industry. Our mission was ans still is clear – to unite our resources, partner with allies, and create opportunities through networking, education, representation, and an abundance of tools for success.
We’re not just talking about diversity—we’re building pathways so that brilliant young people, who might never have imagined a career in jewelry, can find a place to shine.
Three of BIJC’s standout initiatives are shining a light on the real changes happening today: Future Jewelers Academy, the BIJC Collective and the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP).
Jewelers’ benches at the Future Jewelers Academy at the Brooklyn STEAM Center in New York.
The spark that was lit at Baldwin High School
Let me tell you about a room I walked into at Baldwin High School in Long Island, New York. Instead of desks in neat rows, there were jeweler’s benches. Instead of stacks of textbooks, there were design sketches taped to the wall and trays of tools ready to be used. The air buzzed — not just from polishing wheels, but from the energy of students creating something that was entirely their own.
This is the Future Jewelers Academy, a program BIJC launched in partnership with the Natural Diamond Council. Here, students don’t just learn about jewelry—they make it. They saw metal, set stones, and bring their design ideas to life.
Watching students hold up their first finished pieces, eyes wide with pride, moves me every time. It’s because I know that for some of them, this is the first moment they can see themselves in this industry. In my career, I’ve met so many talented people who stumbled into jewelry almost by accident—a summer job, a friend of a friend, a lucky break. But if you’ve never been invited in, you don’t even know this world exists.
That’s why programs like Baldwin matter so much. By integrating STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics — with design, benchwork, and merchandising, we’re planting the seed early. We’re telling students: “You belong here. Your creativity belongs here. Your future could be here.”
And when that happens—when students of color start seeing this industry as theirs — our industry doesn’t just become more diverse. It becomes stronger, more innovative, and more connected to the world we serve.
And Baldwin was just the beginning. The Future Jewelers Academy is already up and running at the Brooklyn STEAM Center, and I believe it can grow even further.
I picture a future where schools across the country are giving students a hands-on introduction to jewelry — not as a hobby, but as a viable, rewarding career. And I know that if we keep building these partnerships, we can make that future a reality.
Elevating voices at JCK Las Vegas
The BJIC Collective is an initiative to provide both emerging and established Black designers opportunities to showcase their talent at trade shows, industry events and at retail jewelry stores.
This platform isn’t just for display, it’s about making a statement. It’s about representation at major industry happenings, forging new connections, and showing clients and peers alike that this industry belongs to everyone.
At the JCK Las Vegas show in June of this year, the BIJC Collective took center stage — bringing together Black designers and jewelers in a powerful and visible way.
I’ll be honest — standing alongside these designers, hearing their stories, and watching their work sparkle under the showroom lights filled me with pride. This isn’t just about seeing new faces, it’s about seeing ourselves in the industry’s future.
Participants inthe EJAP prgram visitng the visiting the BIJC Booth the JCK Las Vegas show in June 2025.
Launching emerging jewelers with real business tools
One of my favorite programs is the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program (EJAP) – a partnership between BIJC and Jewelers of America, which is supported by the JCK Industry Fund.
EJAP is more than just workshops. It’s a meticulously designed eight-month accelerator that empowers new retail jewelry entrepreneurs with the tools they need to thrive. Participants dive into topics like business strategy, AI, product development, accounting, marketing, legal issues, and ethical sourcing. They learn directly from subject-matter experts.
I’m proud that this year’s cohort of instructors is both diverse and dynamic, including designers like Jessenia Landrum (Jevela) and Britt Moore Studio, among others.
The program isn’t just educational, it’s transformational. Graduates give presentations on how they’ll apply new knowledge to their businesses, and can win grants — $10,000 for one standout entrepreneur, and $4,000 for each of the other five. But the support doesn’t stop there – they continue receiving mentorship, quarterly workshops, and invitations to industry gatherings.
Why this matters
From where I stand, this isn’t just a feel-good story— it’s a business imperative. For the World Diamond Council and everyone in the trade, the path forward is clear: our industry’s future depends on attracting fresh voices, diverse perspectives, and new ways of thinking.
When we make room for more people at the table — people who bring different life experiences, cultural insights, and creative visions — we don’t just make better jewelry. We make a better industry. And that’s not charity. That’s strategy.
I’ve seen how access makes all the difference. Talent is universal, but opportunity is not. When the Future Jewelers Academy inspires a high school student, when BIJC invites someone to JCK, or when EJAP equips a new jeweler with business savvy, that lightbulb moment changes careers, and our industry.
These are not charity initiatives — they’re smart strategies for growth, resilience, and cultural relevance. When we welcome diverse voices, we open the door to innovation, connection, and new markets.
I’ve witnessed students discover their creative voice. I’ve seen small businesses gain confidence to scale their vision. And I’ve felt the pulse of progress through programs like the Future Jewelers Academy, BIJC Collective and EJAP.
The author, Jeffery Bolloing, with WDC Executive Director Elodie Daguzan, in Denver, Colorado, during summer 2025.
If you believe, like I do, that our industry thrives when we invest in people, join me at Converge at the Omni La Costa hotel in Carlsbad, California, September 7-10, 2025. I’ll be speaking about how diversity, equity, and inclusion become competitive advantages for the diamond industry. Let’s explore together how to open more doors, and shape a future brimming with brilliance.