Joan Hornig

Joan Hornig is an American jewelry designer.

Education
Joan Hornig graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College in 1977 with a degree in fine arts before going on to get her MBA at Columbia Business School.

Career
Hornig began her career in educational administration after briefly teaching art to elementary school children. In the late 1970s she worked as a capital campaign fund raiser, resident freshmen proctor and academic adviser at Harvard. Her career in the non-profit/higher education sector continued through the mid-1980s.

Hornig served as the Director of Corporate Relations and External Affairs at Columbia Business School prior to going to Wall Street in 1985. Her 20+ years of experience in the finance sector encompasses management, operations, administration, private equity, hedge funds, marketing and consulting. All the while she was creating jewelry inspired by her knowledge of art history and the decorative arts.

Joan Hornig Jewelry


Hornig designs jewelry around the idea "Philanthropy is Beautiful." The jewelry is constructed with 18k gold, diamonds, south sea pearls, precious, semi-precious stones and other materials such as lucite, silver and leather.

My knowledge of art history has a very strong influence on my designs. Because I have such a broad knowledge of different aesthetics from different times and cultures, I have developed my own definition of proportion, color and materials that enhance, not overwhelm, wearers. My love and passion for traveling has contributed at least as much to my inspiration. The desire to beautify is everywhere, but local traditions, landscapes and natural resources strongly affect the styles of fashions and help define what is beautiful in different parts of the world. Only through experiencing them first hand through travel can I most effectively incorporate what I learn. - Joan Hornig

The Joan B. Hornig Foundation
In 2003, Hornig developed a way to combine her passion for jewelry, education and philanthropy through the creation of the Joan B. Hornig Foundation.

The foundation's mission is to provide support for registered charitable organizations throughout the world.

Those choosing to purchase Joan Hornig designs are meant to derive pleasure not only from the jewelry, but also from the meaning of giving back. All profits from each item are donated to charity. Purchasers are able to direct the donation to a charity of their choice, in their honor.

Each time a new charity is chosen by a Joan Hornig Jewelry wearer, that organization is added to Hornig's list of non-profits that benefit from the sale of her jewelry. Up-to-date list of benfiting non-profits

Sales to date have generated substantial contributions to over 700 different organizations across the globe.

Retail locations
In 2003, Hornig began her retail business at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. Joan Hornig Jewelry is sold in Bergdorf Goodman as well as department stores and fine jewelry retailers including Neiman Marcus, Sabbia, Tootsies and Halls of Kansas City. A selection of her pieces is also featured at The Shop at Cooper-Hewitt, the National Museum of Design. Hornig has also designed special pieces for non-profit organizations including The Girl Scouts, The ASPCA, The Gordon A. Rich Memorial Foundation, Just World Inc. and Circle of Women, among others.

Hornig also designed a limited edition collection of "Bridgal Jewelry that gives back" available at theknot.com.

Awards and recognition
In 2008, Hornig was selected by the National Jewelry Institute to be part of the first contemporary jewelry Designer Showcase on display at The Forbes Galleries in New York City. In the Fall of 2008, HELP USA, one of the nation’s largest providers of housing and services for the homeless and domestic violence victims in the country, honored Joan for her various efforts to combat violence against women.

Hornig was also asked to design a necklace specifically for the 2007 Riverkeeper Annual Benefit, which was presented by Bobby Kennedy to Ms. Ann Hearst.

She has been asked to be a speaker at non-profit organizations such as The Women's Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, honored as Citizen of the World at the Jennifer Mueller - The Works Spring 2008 Gala, and recognized as "New Yorker of the Week" on NY1 February 2008.

In September 2011, Lasell College hosted an exhibition of Hornig's designs at the Yamawaki Art and Cultural Center.