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Support for BIPOC & Black Jewelers.

Hello, my darlings.

Much like the fashion industry, the jewelry industry has deeply ingrained issues when it comes to diversity. Many people other than me have written eloquently on this very important subject in recent months. I have tried several times to write something myself, but I can’t get past the fact that my voice just isn’t the right voice for this. But I don’t want to stay silent, either.

Instead of listening to me talk about diversity in the jewelry industry, I recommend that you read this letter: A Collective Statement from BIPOC Designers in the Jewelry Industry.

Diamonds in the Library is and always will be an enthusiastic supporter of diversity of all kinds, in design, editorial representation, sourcing, and every aspect of our glorious and complicated industry. I enthusiastically welcome submissions from any and all jewelry brands, especially if you have something exciting and new to show me (and especially if your marketing materials feature different types of models than what I normally see (diversity in editorial photography is a longtime interest of mine).

I have been making an effort in both public and private ways to support BIPOC & Black jewelers and I plan to continue to do so, always. I plan to continue to strive to grow, but I am also open to suggestions: if you ever see an opportunity for me and/or Diamonds in the Library to be a better ally to the BIPOC members of the jewelry industry, please email me so that we can talk about it.

Support for BIPOC & Black Jewelers.

For now, I have been compiling a list of grants, scholarships, and other opportunities in the jewelry industry for BIPOC & Black Jewelers and I want to share them with you here.

If you hear of our are offering a fund, grant, scholarship or similar for BIPOC & Black Jewelers, please email me and let me know the details!

Art Smith Scholarship Fund for BIPOC and Black jewelers

The Art Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund

Named in honor of influential mid-century modernist New York City-based black jewelry designer Art Smith, a group of 50 jewelry industry brands have joined forces to fund a $50,000 Endowment at FIT that will create ongoing scholarships and mentorships to support black students attending the Jewelry Design program. People of color are historically underrepresented in the jewelry industry and our goal is to turn that statistic around — with your help —one student at a time.

This fund is very new and it does not seem to be accepting applications yet, but it is accepting donations.

Learn more or donate to this fund here.

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Bang-Up Betty jewelry GIVEAWAY.

Good morning, my darlings! Are you ready to see Bang-Up Betty’s super cute, fiercely feminist jewelry and then potentially WIN a piece of jewelry for yourself? I’m pretty sure that’s going to be a YES.

Socially Distant heart necklace by Bang-Up Betty.Bang-Up Betty is a badass woman-owned jewelry brand based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The brand’s most iconic designs are all in the vein of what you see able: super cute stamped brass designs with relevant and often edgy culturally relevant phrases. Everything is handmade, and the primary materials are brass and silver, which means most of these darling designers are under $100.

Bang-Up Betty has appeared on Diamonds in the Library once before, in my popular Feminist jewelry to wear while you smash the patriarchy post from 2016. It’s also worth mentioning – for general context and because it’s a fantastic fact – that Betty is NOT the designer’s name. It’s the name of her cat.

I Believe in Science necklace by Bang-Up Betty, with molecule or microscope.

I’ve been following Bang-Up Betty for years, first on Etsy and now on Instagram and I’ve shared her designs on social media occasionally when they felt perfect for the cultural moment (this happens pretty frequently). I know I’ve shared her “I Believe in Science” necklace before, although I’d never seen this super cute circular version with the itty bitty microscope before.

I’m glad I’m finally able to show you her work in full blog post form! And of course, I’m super pumped for the giveaway – we’ll get to that soon, don’t worry.

Most of Bang-Up Betty’s stamped designs are available for customization (bracelet here, necklace here) although I always enjoy the frequently sassy, often fiercely feminist, and lavishly liberal words and phrases she offers ready made. She also makes customized pet tags and key chains.

Naughty word necklaces by Bang-Up BettyBang-Up Betty also offers crafting classes! These used to be exclusively in-person in Arkansas, but since the pandemic some of the classes have been available through a combination of virtual Zoom sessions and mail order kits. SO COOL.

The customizable “naughty word” necklaces above were the subject of one of these classes, which I wanted to take but tragically forgot to sign up for. Hopefully I’ll be more on top of things for the next one! See more info about Bang-Up Betty’s crafting classes here.

Bee and spiderweb pendant necklace by Bang-Up Betty.The newest collection from Bang-Up Betty takes the designer’s expertise in brass to a whole new level. Instead of snarky sayings, the new collection features beautiful detailed, wonderfully textured flora and fauna.

Bee earrings and necklace by Bang Up Betty

The nature-inspired designs have a beautifully serene boho Art Nouveau sort of vibe. They’re brass, so the collection is very accessible price-wise, even though many of the nature pieces also include a gemstone accent (like the prefect honey-colored citrine drops on these bee designs).

Now, I promised you a JEWELRY GIVEAWAY and I intend to deliver! The fabulous Bang-Up Betty is offering one lucky Diamonds in the Library reader the chance to win a piece from her gorgeous new nature collection.

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Lady Grey mask chains: jewelry for your mask!

There is almost nothing in this universe that I find cooler and more exciting than a completely new way to wear jewelry, and Lady Grey has found one. My darlings, I’d like you to meet the Lady Grey Mask chain.

The Lady Grey mask chain in acion! A perfect and chic way to hang onto your face mask.

Like many of you, I am someone who is attuned to the aesthetics of life. I enjoy beauty and I like to adorn the things that are part of my daily life. Masks are also now a part of my daily life, thanks to COVID and my desire to protect myself and those around me from the virus.

I’m lucky that I have a crafty sister who sews me beautiful personalized face masks out of colorful, iridescent, and otherwise gorgeous fabrics, but for the most part masks are a bummer. A vitally important bummer that everyone should be willing to embrace for the good of us all, but still a bummer.

You can masks out of pretty fabric if you’re talented in that way (like my sister!), but beyond that, masks hard to adorn. Anything you attach to the front makes the mask heavier, hotter, and potentially less effective. PSA: please don’t poke holes in your mask by pinning things to the part of it that’s supposed to protect you.

Lady Grey’s solution to this conundrum? A mask chain!

The Lady Grey mask chain is specifically designed to attach to any face mask.

The Lady Grey mask chain attaches to the straps of your mask to help keep it on, both when it’s covering your face and when you need to take it off but want it nearby. No more crumpling your mask into a ball to stuff it into your pocket or your purse (I’ve definitely done this) or putting it down on unsanitary surfaces while you eat or hydrate.

The Lady Grey mask chain is made to be ideally suited for masks with ear loops, like in the pictures above, but you could just as easily attach it to a mask with ties. Or other things, if you want to play with it when it’s not in use. There are so many things you can do with a good chain that has clasps on both ends.

The Lady Grey mask chain in acion! This chic chain is designed to keep your mask safely in place when you're not wearing it.

I can’t tell you how much this fills me with glee. It’s just so fun and so clever – and so actually useful. We’re all going to be wearing masks for a while, so I’m hugely in favor of anything that makes it easier and/or more pleasurable. You can also see the Lady Grey mask chain in action in a video demonstration here.

By the way – Lady Grey makes super cool, edgy, wearable jewels at a very appealing mid-range price point (plenty to love that fits in the under $200 category). Their whole website is worth a look, especially if you’re not familiar with the brand.

What do you think, my darlings? Isn’t it wonderfully innovative? Do you want a mask chain now?

Find the Lady Grey mask chain here.

All images c/o Lady Grey.

The Lady Grey mask chain keeps your face mask safely around your neck when you're not wearing it. So smart and so cute! Jewelry for your mask. The Lady Grey mask chain is specifically designed to attach to any face mask. This one is in silver, but it also comes in a gold color. The Lady Grey mask chain is specifically designed to attach to any face mask. Chic and useful! The Lady Grey mask chain in acion! This super cool and very useful chain keeps your face mask safe. The Lady Grey mask chain in acion! This chic chain will keep your mask safely in place when you're not wearing it. The Lady Grey mask chain in acion! A perfect and chic way to hang onto your face mask.

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