National Jeweler Interviews Minimalist Designer Johnny Nelson on My Next Question Podcast
Johnny Nelson, who received a $50,000 grant and mentorship from David Yurman after beating out 90 applicants, opens up about the ring his mother made that started it all.
Peace and blessings," Johnny Nelson told hosts Amanda Gizzi and Michelle Graff when they welcomed him to the third episode of "My Next Question," the podcast co-produced by National Jeweler and Jewelers of America, sponsored by Dharm International. It's a greeting that says something about the Brooklyn-raised designer: unhurried, rooted, specific about where he's coming from.
Nelson, founder of his eponymous New York City-based jewelry brand, is the inaugural recipient of the David Yurman Gem Awards Grant, presented by Jewelers of America. The award carries a $50,000 prize along with mentoring meetings with David Yurman executives and consultative meetings with other industry leaders. Nelson was chosen from 90 submissions received during the nomination period, with four other finalists also recognized at the Gem Awards ceremony on March 13.
The episode, posted March 18, covers the origins of a career that began not in a design school studio but with a single piece of jewelry. What began as a single ring made by his mother has evolved into a body of work that honors the beauty, resilience, and brilliance of his heritage. Nelson discusses that ring on air, tracing how one hand-made object set him on a path into fine jewelry. He also talks through his family's influence on his work, how he approaches the design process, and what he intends to do with the grant now that he has it.
His work is inspired by the art and culture surrounding punk, hip-hop, and spirituality, with each piece hand-sculpted from sterling silver, 14- or 18-karat gold, and materials like wax, resin, sandstone, and precious gems including diamonds, emeralds, and garnets. His work was also featured in the "Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry" exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. That background, where museum credibility meets street culture, is precisely what distinguished him for the grant committee. Gem Awards chair Marion Fasel noted that Nelson "has been charting his own course in the jewelry world from the moment he became a designer," and that his presentation combined past achievements with a specificity of areas for potential growth he could achieve with additional funding, mentoring, and recognition.
The episode also includes a segment the hosts call the Jewelry Box of Questions. Host Michelle Graff, in a LinkedIn post promoting the episode, wrote that she floated an off-the-wall suggestion for Nelson's next Mount Rushmore-style ring during the interview, while co-host Amanda Gizzi fielded the first question from the Jewelry Box herself. "Intimidating!" Graff added.
The "My Next Question" podcast evolved from a webinar series that Jewelers of America and National Jeweler launched in 2020, and is hosted by Jewelers of America's Amanda Gizzi and National Jeweler's Michelle Graff. The podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The episode also works through current industry headlines, including a devastating double murder that has reignited conversations about store safety, jewelry retailers celebrating 100 years in business, the latest developments in the De Beers sale, and engagement ring trends that are prompting a closer look at what "vintage" actually means. David Yurman, in a statement about the grant, said: "With the David Yurman Gem Awards Grant, we're proud to support emerging designers at a pivotal moment when resources and mentorship can help transform momentum into lasting impact." For Nelson, that moment is now.
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