Niki Grandics, GIA GJ – a native of Carlsbad, CA and Budapest, Hungary – veered from the family trajectory of science and medicine to pursue jewelry making and design. She took her first metalsmithing course in college; it was love at first solder and she never looked back. After graduating, she was awarded several design fellowships, scholarships and grants, including one that allowed her to obtain her Graduate Jeweler diploma from GIA.
Attending the Graduate Jeweler program helped Niki hone her skills, especially gemstone setting, and establish key industry connections. She now runs her own award-winning jewelry line, Enji Studio Jewelry, which focuses on edgy, minimalistic pieces handcrafted using responsibly-sourced materials. Her designs showcase the character and distinctive beauty of gemstones such as rutilated quartz, rutilated hematite, rock crystal quartz and black tourmaline.
When she’s not creating jewelry, Niki is involved in leadership roles in Ethical Metalsmiths and previously WJA San Diego. She also writes for The Source, covering how precious materials are mined.