Emily Chelsea Jewelry Celebrates GEM Award Nomination by Creating Collection That Credits Miners by Name
When Emily Chelsea Jewelry received a 2026 GEM Award nomination in the Retail Innovation category, founder Emily Phillippy knew she wanted to commemorate the moment with work that reflected the values behind the recognition. The result: the Literal Series, a fine jewelry collection that will premiere at the GEM Awards on March 13th in New York City, where each piece permanently engraves the names of individual gemstone miners into its design.
“Being nominated felt like such an honor, like the industry was seeing and validating what we’ve been building here,” says Phillippy. “I didn’t just want to show up at the awards. I wanted to create something that said, ‘This is why we’re here. This is what we believe jewelry can be.'”
The Literal Series shifts credit from designers and retail houses to the people who extract the stones, miners whose names rarely, if ever, appear in luxury jewelry. For Phillippy, whose Fishtown-based business has built its reputation on ethical sourcing and transparency, the collection represents the logical extension of values she’s held since founding the company 10 years ago.
Purpose-Driven Design
The centerpiece is a seven-stone necklace featuring the engraved names of each miner, each credited beneath their corresponding gem. Additional pieces include sculptural brooches in which a miner’s name is integrated into the metalwork, not as an afterthought, but as a foundational design element.
“I kept thinking about what it means to be nominated for innovation,” Phillippy explains. “Innovation isn’t just about technology or being different, it’s about asking better questions. Like: whose names should be on jewelry? Who deserves to be visible? Who gets credit for beauty and value?”
The questions aren’t new for Phillippy. She first explored the concept at The Reciprocity Show during New York City Jewelry Week in 2024, creating three pieces that highlighted the miners’ names. But the GEM Award’s nomination gave her the push and the platform to develop it into a full collection. Emily Chelsea Jewelry is a 2026 GEM Awards finalist in the Retail Innovation category. Learn more at www.emilychelsea.com.
About Emily Chelsea Jewelry
Emily Chelsea Jewelry is a Philadelphia-based jewelry design house specializing in custom commitment rings and bands, and unique fine jewelry. Founded by designer Emily Phillippy in 2010 and operating full-time since 2015, the company combines meticulous craftsmanship with a commitment to social responsibility, environmental conservation, and equality. Located in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood, Emily Chelsea’s converted warehouse space functions as both a showroom and a working studio, where clients can watch their pieces being created. The company uses exclusively Fairmined Gold or recycled precious metals and sources all gemstones from verified ethical origins. Emily Chelsea Jewelry is a 2026 GEM Awards finalist in the Retail Innovation category. Learn more at www.emilychelsea.com.
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