MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
IndependentsJan 05, 2026
Jeweler Ben Nighthorse Campbell Dies at 92
The master jeweler, Olympian, former senator, and Korean War veteran founded the brand Nighthorse Jewelry.
Ben Nighthorse Campbell, former Colorado senator and the founder of Nighthorse Jewelry, died Dec. 30, 2025, at the age of 92.
Colorado—Ben Nighthorse Campbell, former Colorado senator and the founder of Nighthorse Jewelry, died Dec. 30, 2025, in his southwestern Colorado ranch surrounded by family and Northern Cheyenne tribal elders.
He was 92.
Born Benny Marshall Campbell on April 13, 1933, in Auburn, California, he was the son of Portuguese immigrant Mary Vierra and Albert Campbell.
His mother battled tuberculosis for 26 years, and his father struggled with alcoholism and was often absent, according to an obituary shared by his daughter Shanan Campbell, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery.
This led to Ben spending a portion of his childhood at St. Patrick’s Catholic Orphanage in Sacramento, California.
As a child, his father taught him to solder metal and fashion jewelry, said his NY Times obituary.
While at the orphanage, he would flatten silver coins on railroad tracks and work them into jewelry, which could also be traded for food.
“Making jewelry was a matter of necessity,” said Ben, remembering the time he spent making jewelry with his father for a 2014 story by Art of the West.
“We made things out of coins. We pounded them out, working mostly with Navajo designs. Letting the trains flatten pennies and silver dollars made the work easier for us.”
Art was his constant, said Shanan, and would lead to Ben earning more than 200 national and international awards with his brand Nighthorse Jewelry.
After his turbulent teenage years, he enlisted in the Air Force and volunteered for the Korean War.
Prior to enlisting, he worked as a fruit picker in California’s Sacramento Valley where he met Japanese immigrants who introduced him to judo.
According to his obituary, Ben said that judo kept him off the streets and taught him a philosophy he lived by forever—persevere and never give up.
During his service, he earned his GED and later, under the GI Bill, graduated from San Jose State University in 1957 with degrees in physical education and fine arts.
Ben moved to Tokyo for four years where he trained at Meiji University.
He became a three-time United States National Judo Campion, won gold at the 1963 Pan American Games, campaigned with the United States Olympic judo team, and became the first Native American on the U.S. Olympic judo team.
After the Olympics, he worked as a deputy sheriff, coached the United States national judo team, and taught high school.
This is when he met his wife Linda Price, a Colorado public school teacher, who he married in 1966 and had two children—Shanan and Colin Campbell—with during their nearly 60 years together.
In 1968, Ben investigated his roots by traveling to the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana, said the NY Times.
While in Montana, he found previously unknown relatives, enrolled as a member of the Black Horse family, and, in 1980, he was given the middle name Nighthorse.
He went on to serve on the council of chiefs for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.
Ben founded his brand Nighthorse Jewelry in 1954, according to the brand’s website, drawing on techniques he learned from Japanese sword makers.
He was 92.
Born Benny Marshall Campbell on April 13, 1933, in Auburn, California, he was the son of Portuguese immigrant Mary Vierra and Albert Campbell.
His mother battled tuberculosis for 26 years, and his father struggled with alcoholism and was often absent, according to an obituary shared by his daughter Shanan Campbell, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery.
This led to Ben spending a portion of his childhood at St. Patrick’s Catholic Orphanage in Sacramento, California.
As a child, his father taught him to solder metal and fashion jewelry, said his NY Times obituary.
While at the orphanage, he would flatten silver coins on railroad tracks and work them into jewelry, which could also be traded for food.
“Making jewelry was a matter of necessity,” said Ben, remembering the time he spent making jewelry with his father for a 2014 story by Art of the West.
“We made things out of coins. We pounded them out, working mostly with Navajo designs. Letting the trains flatten pennies and silver dollars made the work easier for us.”
Art was his constant, said Shanan, and would lead to Ben earning more than 200 national and international awards with his brand Nighthorse Jewelry.
After his turbulent teenage years, he enlisted in the Air Force and volunteered for the Korean War.
Prior to enlisting, he worked as a fruit picker in California’s Sacramento Valley where he met Japanese immigrants who introduced him to judo.
According to his obituary, Ben said that judo kept him off the streets and taught him a philosophy he lived by forever—persevere and never give up.
During his service, he earned his GED and later, under the GI Bill, graduated from San Jose State University in 1957 with degrees in physical education and fine arts.
Ben moved to Tokyo for four years where he trained at Meiji University.
He became a three-time United States National Judo Campion, won gold at the 1963 Pan American Games, campaigned with the United States Olympic judo team, and became the first Native American on the U.S. Olympic judo team.
After the Olympics, he worked as a deputy sheriff, coached the United States national judo team, and taught high school.
This is when he met his wife Linda Price, a Colorado public school teacher, who he married in 1966 and had two children—Shanan and Colin Campbell—with during their nearly 60 years together.
In 1968, Ben investigated his roots by traveling to the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana, said the NY Times.
While in Montana, he found previously unknown relatives, enrolled as a member of the Black Horse family, and, in 1980, he was given the middle name Nighthorse.
He went on to serve on the council of chiefs for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.
Ben founded his brand Nighthorse Jewelry in 1954, according to the brand’s website, drawing on techniques he learned from Japanese sword makers.
Ben Nighthorse Campbell started his jewelry brand, Nighthorse Jewelry, in 1954.
The “Horse and Warrior” bracelet from Nighthorse Jewelry
As a master jeweler his pieces have been collected by celebrities including Mick Jagger, Robert Redford, and several U.S. presidents.
Nighthorse Jewelry was more than his art, “it was his story, his spirit, and his values made tangible,” his obituary said.
In his later years, his family carried on his legacy, which his daughter Shanan said was one of his greatest joys as he saw a new chapter of his life’s work come alive.
Ben saw his grandson Luke Longfellow, a GIA graduate gemologist, become creative director of Nighthorse Jewelry, bringing renewed energy and excitement to the work, which brought Ben immense pride.
Shanan recounted her father saying, “this was one of the most fulfilling times of his life.”
Ben also served in public office for 22 years.
Ben Nighthorse Campbell became state representative for Colorado in 1982 and was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1986 before becoming a senator in 1992.
In 1982, he ran for state representative in Colorado and won. In 1986, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1992, he served in the U.S. Senate.
He was the first Native American elected to the Senate in more than 60 years, according to Alamosa Citizen.
During his time in office, he fought to include provisions requiring the return of Native American remains to their tribes.
Shanan said her father taught her that “perseverance beats luck, that fierce and tender are not contradictions, and that honoring your ancestors means fighting for the future.”
Ben sponsored two national museums in Washington, D.C., helped create two national parks, and has a lake—Lake Nighthorse—named after him.
During his time in office, he remained unapologetically himself, riding his Harley to the Capitol and leading the Colorado POW and MIA Recognition Ride for a decade.
He left the Senate in 2005 and became a lobbyist, later founding his own lobbying firm Ben Nighthorse Consultants, according to the NY Times.
Ben’s honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Freedom, the Order of the Rising Sun from Emperor Akihito in 2011, his induction into the National Native Americal Hall of Fame in 2021, and the Sovereign Warrior award in 2023.
Shanan said her father showed her that where you start does not determine where you finish.
“He transformed hardship into strength and obstacles into opportunity. He taught me that perseverance beats luck, that reinvention is courage, and that you never give up. He was fierce and tender, an artist and a champion. That is exactly who my father was,” said Shanan.
He is survived by his wife Linda Campell; daughter Shanan Campbell; son Colin Campbell; daughter-in-law Karen Campbell; granddaughters Lauren and Caroline Campbell; and grandsons Luke and Saylor Longfellow.
A private family service will be held at Nighthorse Ranch.
A memorial service will be held on April 13, what would have been Ben’s 93rd birthday, according to CBS News. It is slated for 1 p.m. at the Sky Ute Event Center in Ignacio, Colorado.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Northern Cheyenne Boys and Girls Club in Lame Deer, Montana.
More on Independents
The Latest
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Introduce New ScholarshipIt’s the third scholarship to be launched as part of the partnership to help appraisers advance their professional credentials.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
