About Bright New Gems

The Bright New Gems initiative was founded in 2005 for International Jewellery London (IJL) and quickly became he ‘must visit’ exhibit for visitors and exhibitors alike. It has gone on to become the foremost industry mentoring programme and showcase in the UK and Scotland, for new, emerging talent.

Today the BNGs are selected from final year BA and MA students from UK colleges and universities by a stellar panel of judges from media and industry, and leading retailer John Lewis & Partners.

To date the BNGs programme has enabled eighty-five BNG designers to showcase their work to the industry, to retailers and opinion formers.  Designers such as Pippa Small, Fernando Jorge, Ruth Tomlinson, Tomasz Donocik, and, most recently, Zeemou Zeng, all started their journey as a Bright New Gem and have gone on to carve out very successful award-winning careers.

The team leads this ‘not for profit’ mentoring programme – liaising with universities, colleges, and judges, as well as industry supporters such as The National Association of Jewellers, The Benevolent Society, Retail Jeweller and sponsors including The Rock Hound, Fuli Gemstones and Jewel Ads.

In 2022, we organised for John  Lewis to join the initiative as a Retail Associate – adding an exciting opportunity for the winning designers to create an exclusive, debut, demi-fine collection for sale in-store and online.

BNG news is covered extensively in UK industry titles as well as in the Financial Times, Town & Country, The Regional Press and even international trade titles such as JZA South Africa.

Are you a future Bright New Gem?

Bright New Gems, the renowned industry mentoring platform that promotes the best in new talent. Could you be one of our next winners?

Founded by Jenny Hall-Thompson

Jewellery, Lifestyle and Retail Associate

“My background was originally in retail, initially at Harvey Nichols, ultimately heading up their press and marketing department. I then moved on to head up PR at Liberty, then to Aveda as UK Marketing Director, before making the move into lifestyle and luxury PR consultancy. Retail is my forte and I am fortunate to have forged good shopping and lifestyle contacts, for not only the jewellery but also beauty, fragrance and homewares sectors. I enjoy the creative process and adding marketing value to our PR programmes – as well as masterminding our consumer campaigns, both nationally and regionally.I also enjoy working with brands that have green and eco interests.”

Founded by Suzanna Hammond

“For most of my career I’ve worked with luxury and lifestyle companies, including tourist boards and international hotel groups. It’s a sector I love and know well and I feel very privileged to have worked with so many talented people. I also get a real buzz from helping to launch amazing new start-ups and then seeing them flourish. What we offer as Hammond Bespoke is a ‘360 degree’ approach based on a blend of consultancy, marketing and PR support, backed up by relevant experience and impressive contacts. And we deliver the results you need! Jenny and I are involved with every client in our luxury lifestyle portfolio, which has included on the jewellery side, de Grisogono, Richard Ogden and Leo de Vroomen and the iconic designers, Fei Liu, Beau Han Xu and Isabella Liu. We’ve also been lucky to work for Baselworld for twelve years and fourteen for International Jewellery London (IJL).”

We continue our work in her loving memory.

Hilary Alexander said:

“Think of emerging jewellery talent and it is almost impossible not to immediately think of Bright New Gems. For nearly two decades, this pioneering platform has championed a new way to identify, mentor and promote the next generation of young stars, poised to dazzle the international jewellery market with their innovative creativity and 21st-century mindsets.”