The GemGenève exhibition, which closed its doors on May 11, welcomed the JGAA (Jewellery & Gemstone Association of Africa) to its Carré des Métiers d’Art, showcasing a selection of African jewelry designers unknown to the general public. LUXUS PLUS met with the association’s founder, Longo Mulaisho-Zinsner.
Longo Mulaisho-Zinsner is originally from Zambia, but her destiny took shape in England, where she spent several years. This period of her life was an opportunity for her, already passionate about jewelry, to observe the entire ecosystem that supports, protects, and promotes jewelry design. She found the structure of the profession so effective that she decided to create her own association, which became the JGAA (Jewellery & Gemstone Association of Africa) in 2022. A pioneer in her field, Longo Mulaisho-Zinsner made it her mission to support the African jewelry industry, train creative artisans, integrate them into a sustainable economic model, and give them an international outlook.
The years passed quickly, and the founder provided young talents with a whole network of skills. What she has managed to achieve is truly admirable. Free educational resources are available: 30 modules have been created in a collection called “Rainbow beneath our feet.” A partner school, Nshanshi Art, run by South African Michele Scholtz, trains women in difficulty and helps them reveal their talent while empowering them.
Finally, partnerships have been established with powerful and recognized institutions such as CIBJO, Gemfields, Platinum Guild International, and the JVC (Jewelers Vigilance Committee).
A network of skills
Helping is not enough. The goal is long-term effectiveness. “We need to have a strategy. It’s essential for our designers to integrate into the global market, and to do that, we need to rely on experts,” says Longo Mulaisho-Zisner. “We need to learn how to use the funding we receive wisely, master sourcing, marketing, branding, financial, legal and customs issues, and be ethically and socially responsible… That’s why I need the support of our partners, because they are also experts.”
Invited to the CIBJO congress in 2023 in Jaipur and then to Milano Fashion & Jewels, the association is beginning to make a name for itself and is continuing along this path at GemGenève in May 2025, where it will present the award-winning jewelry from a competition it organized a few months earlier. The JGAA is undoubtedly establishing itself as the leading African organization bringing together jewelers, designers, professionals, and gemologists.
At the forefront of a renaissance
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Read also > Haute Joaillerie 2025: Part 1 – a mezzo voce of the highest order
Featured photo: Ring (on stand) in ebony and precious stones © Stefania Indelicato
