(PRESS RELEASE) PHILADELPHIA, PA — 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.
Emily Phillippy
“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 Fishtownbased 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?”
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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.
Collaboration and Historic Materials
Alongside the four-piece Literal Series, Phillippy will present twenty pieces from her Aura Collection, minimalist diamond designs created in partnership with Perpetuum Jewels using certified post-consumer recycled Old Mine Cut diamonds.
“Emily doesn’t separate business success from ethical practice; they’re the same thing for her,” says Jay Moncada, Owner at Perpetuum Jewels. “When she got this nomination, of course, she responded by going deeper into what she believes, not by playing it safe.”
The Aura Collection, which Phillippy has been developing since her early days in business, translates personal energy into sculptural gold and diamond forms. Together with the Literal Series, the premiere represents a complete creative statement: jewelry that honors both the people and the presence that shape precious materials.
The Team Takes the Stage
In a move consistent with the collection’s emphasis on real relationships, Emily Chelsea team members will model both collections at the GEM Awards rather than professional models. Jay Moncada of Perpetuum Jewels will also wear pieces from the collaboration.
“Our whole business model is built on openness,” says Phillippy. “Our converted warehouse in Fishtown is both a showroom and workshop. Clients literally watch us make their rings while they’re here, having a drink with us. We’re not interested in traditional luxury at a distance. So, of course, our team is wearing this work. They helped make it happen.”
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The GEM Award nomination recognizes Emily Chelsea Jewelry’s pioneering approach to responsible sourcing, inclusive design, and transparent business practices. The Philadelphiabased jewelry house uses Fairmined Gold and sources all diamonds and gemstones from verified ethical origins or reclaimed sources.
For Phillippy, the Literal Series represents not just a premiere but a promise: to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible when success is measured not just by sales but by the stories jewelry tells about who we value.
“Getting nominated reminded me why I started this business,” Phillippy says. “Not to sell rings, to change what rings can mean.”
