Ruth Benjamin-Thomas

Ruth Benjamin-Thomas is the CEO and a prominent jewellery designer at Black Opal Direct, an online portal specializing in the sale of Australian opal, both rough and polished. Under her leadership, the company has established itself as a significant player in the gem industry, leveraging innovative marketing strategies including a successful YouTube channel with over 200,000 subscribers and more than 1 million views per month.12

Educational Background and Career Path:
Ruth holds a Bachelor's degree in African and Australian history and a postgraduate qualification in Communications. She initially trained as a conservation historian before transitioning into various roles in the banking and property sectors. Her experience also includes significant contributions to the Not-for-Profit sector, particularly with organizations such as the Red Cross. Recently, she has been involved with the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA), where she has played a key role in developing new opal nomenclature.12

Advocacy and Initiatives:
Ruth is an advocate for diversity and inclusion within the gem industry. She launched the ICA initiative "GemWomen," which aims to create networking opportunities for women in the field.12 Additionally, she has been active in rewriting opal classification terms and presented her committee's work to CIBJO (the World Jewellery Confederation) in 2018.2

Design Philosophy:
As a designer, Ruth emphasizes that opal's unique characteristics often dictate the design process. Her recent work includes the "Kindred Collection," inspired by personal themes of family and connection to the Australian landscape.3 Ruth integrates her deep understanding of opals into her designs, ensuring that each piece reflects both beauty and meaning.

Overall, Ruth Benjamin-Thomas combines her expertise in history, communication, and gemology to foster innovation within the jewellery industry while promoting inclusivity and education.