Last Updated: June 8, 2026

The Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) is celebrating women in the jewelry industry this month with its “March is Me” campaign. Garfield is a proud WJA member, and we’re participating in the campaign by highlighting the many contributions of women in the jewelry industry.

In this segment of Women who Rock, we’re focusing on Frida Kahlo, the hugely influential Mexican painter and fashionista. Frida was a 20th-century painter, activist, and feminist known chiefly for her many self-portrait paintings inspired by her native Mexican culture. Though she died at just 47 years old in 1954, her popularity has soared since the 1970s, as many women, activists, and artists rediscovered her as an inspirational figure.

A distinct fashion style

A portrait of Frida Kahlo from 1932 — *_{A portrait of Frida from 1932. Source: Frida Kahlo Museum.}*

Frida is known for many things, such as her art and political leanings, but she’s also known for her distinct fashion and jewelry style. In many photographs and self-portraits, Frida is seen wearing colorful and sometimes outlandish jewelry that historians say was a window into her identity.

Frida often wore pre-Columbian beads and carved jewelry pieces that were indigenous to Mexico. But she also wore delicate Spanish-Portuguese types of jewelry, like long, dangling earrings. In one famous picture, Frida wears earrings that look like little hands hanging down – a gift from Picasso.

Frida’s style still inspires

Jewelry and fashion were part of who Frida was, and it’s also part of the legacy she’s left. According to one Frida biography, the artist used to scour thrift shops looking for costume jewelry – and then make it look fabulous.

Frida has inspired many jewelry designers. A recent New York Times article said there has been a proliferation of jewelry on Etsy and other marketplaces with the artist’s style or even with her likeness on it.

Support women in jewelry

Help support amazing women in jewelry by sharing this article and checking out WJA’s March is Me campaign.

And if you’re looking to sell unwanted jewelry, look no further than Garfield Refining, a 130-year-old precious metal refinery with some of the industry’s highest payouts and quickest turnaround times. Call us today at (888) 677-3781 to get the process started and get more for your precious metal scrap!

Written by

Allie Bowman

Allie Bowman is the Content Lead at Garfield Refining, where she translates more than 130 years of precious metals expertise into clear, accurate, and practical content for individual sellers, dental professionals, jewelers, and collectors. A Dean's List graduate of the University of Delaware's Media Communication program, Allie has built her career around making complex subjects accessible to a broad audience. Her experience spans nutrition science, lifestyle magazine publishing, and precious metals refining, giving her a unique ability to transform technical information into engaging, trustworthy content. At Garfield, Allie brings editorial rigor and subject-matter expertise to every piece she produces. She works closely with Garfield's refining specialists and senior leadership to ensure that technical topics - from karat markings and assay methods to precious metals markets and spot price mechanics - are explained with both accuracy and clarity. Since joining Garfield's marketing team, Allie has written extensively on precious metals refining, dental scrap recovery, gold and silver bullion, estate and inherited jewelry, and industry-specific topics for dental and jewelry professionals. All content is reviewed by Garfield's leadership team prior to publication, ensuring it reflects the company's standards for accuracy, transparency, and industry expertise.

Reviewed by

Morgan Kerrissey

Morgan Kerrissey is the President of Garfield Refining, one of North America's most longstanding and trusted precious metals refineries. For over two decades, Morgan has built his career at the intersection of commodities markets, metallurgy, and precious metals — earning a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable voices in the refining industry. Morgan joined Garfield in 2008, bringing rigorous operational discipline to a company built on exacting standards since 1892. Named President in 2014, he has guided Garfield through volatile gold, silver, and palladium markets, while modernizing its workforce and technologies and diversifying its metal supply chains. Under his leadership, Garfield has expanded its refining capabilities across the full lifecycle of precious metals recovery, entered new markets, and expanded services while maintaining the same customer forward approach that has made Garfield a mainstay for more than a century. From hedging strategy to daily refinery operations, Morgan commands high levels of technical depth and market fluency. Morgan grew up outside Boston, graduated from Harvard University, and has lived with his family in Philadelphia, PA for almost 20 years.