Meet the Winners of COUTURE 2022
The luckiest jewelry designers in Vegas
If there’s a place to feel lucky, it’s Vegas. Saturday night, the winners of the COUTURE Design Awards were revealed, chosen around the design, craftsmanship, and salability of pieces entered in various categories. This year’s judges were designer Nilos Koulis, jewelry writer Juliet de Rochefoucauld, jewelry buyers Tanika Wisdom and Diana Schade, and jewelry historian and Town & Country editor in chief, Stellene Volandes. The entire attending jewelry community voted for the winner of the People’s Choice Award. Did you get your sneak peek of the trends at COUTURE? Now you can meet the winners.
Best in Bridal: Kavant & Sharart
The husband-and-wife team behind Kavant & Sharart create geometrically brilliant designs inspired by avant-garde style, Art Deco, and the Oriental arts. Their design ethos states that “jewelry should be transitional and timeless,” ultimately passed down as future heirlooms. Note: they won the Best in Debuting COUTURE award in 2016.
Best in Bridal Winner
Best in Gold: Illeana Makri
Greek jewelry designer, Ileana Makri, draws inspiration from her worldly travels and multicultural symbols and their meaning. Her collections are diverse, but her pieces always “capture a unique aesthetic, balancing elements that are feminine and edgy, fluid yet sharp, and offering compositions that are both thoughtful and beautifully captivating.”
Best in Gold Winner: Cascade Bracelet
Best in Pearls: Mateo
Jamaican-born, Texas-raised, New York-based Matthew Harris of Mateo is known for his cool-girl pearls and diamond initial rings under crystal quartz stones. A brand that started with men’s jewelry is now leading the charge for feminine pearls. Mateo attributes its success to “a continuous effort in making modern, relatable fine jewelry at an approachable price point.”
Best in Pearls Winner
Best in Silver: Vincent Peach
Nashville-based designer, Vincent Peach, comes from a lineage of American jewelers and “Pearl” men. A jewelry designer and artisan, Vincent finds inspiration “from life's leisures and the romance of luxury travel.” Vincent’s jewelry has a casual elegance, combining leather, diamonds, pearls, and silver within his handcrafted collections.
Best in Silver Winner
Best in Innovative + People’s Choice Award: Silvia Furmanovich
Sao-Paulo-based designer Silvia Furmanovich comes from a family of Italian goldsmiths—her great-grandfather made pieces for the Vatican. She hooked us with her yellow gold, ruby, and bamboo mushroom earrings, and she’s had a win-win this year. Objects stemming from nature inspire her magnificent pieces.
Best in Innovative + People’s Choice Winner: Earrings in silk weaving set in 18k gold with diamond, tanzanite and rubellite
Best in Haute Couture: Elsa Jin
From the Cannes red carpet to COUTURE, art jewelry designer Elsa Jin’s “Life 2022” feather-inspired brooch stole the show. The high jewelry artist from China creates one-of-a-kind sculptural pieces, aka next-level jewelry.
Best in Haute Couture Winner: Feather inspired brooch
Best in Colored Gems Above $20K: Emily P. Wheeler
From her Chubby rings to her extraordinary strands of pearls, we’re fans already. Emily draws inspiration “from memories of family vacations and road trips with her father to daydreams of lush, tropical escapes.” She previewed her newest collection at COUTURE, inspired by her newborn daughter, Bernadette. Feminism, candy colors, and sweet heart motifs. Swoon.
Best in Colored Gems Above $20K
Best in Colored Gems Under $20K: Sutra Jewels
A glance at Sutra Jewels’ Instagram, and it’s no surprise their colored stones are tops. Established in Houston, TX, in 2008, their fine jewelry is “created for the effortlessly chic modern woman.” Inspired, indulgent, and individualistic, their winning pink and white diamond earrings are glittering pieces fit for a queen.
Best in Colored Gems Under $20K Winner
Best in Platinum: Retrouvai
Designer Kirsty Stone likes to say her line “embodies a whimsical eccentricity.” Handmade in Los Angeles, CA, Kirsty uses time-honored techniques and looks to vintage treasures for inspiration. Kirsty is a master of the old/new mix, evident in her turquoise and gold Yin Yang ring and Impetus puzzle piece pendants.
Best in Platinum Winner
Best in Men’s: Barbara Heinrich Studio
Based out of her studio in Rochester, NY, Barbara Heinrich has a fine arts training that lends itself to beautiful contemporary jewelry with an organic vibe. Often inspired by nature, Barbara has an “intuitive, meditative approach to design.”
Best in Men’s Winner
Best in Diamonds Above $20K: Gismondi 1754
A seven-generation Italian jewelry house, Massimo Gismondi is the current lead at Gismondi 1754. Celebrating and preserving jewelry-making traditions, Massimo refers to the ancient wisdom and skills of the master goldsmiths of Valenza Po, a jewelry manufacturing district. His childhood among the colors of the Ligurian Riviera, family stories of Far East journeys, memories, and gestures of love all serve as inspiration.
Best in Diamonds Above $20K: 18kt white gold Raggio di Sole necklace
Best in Diamonds Under $20K: Mariani
The Italian house of Mariana has been known for impeccable jewels since 1878. The original maker was Camillo Mariani, a silversmith and jeweler who learned his art from masters in Milan. Mariana earned its reputation making holy jewelry for the Vatican, and generations later, the house remains a leader in elegance.
Best in Diamonds Under $20K Winner
Best in Debuting: Marie Lichtenberg
MTJ Market Editor Johannah Masters has Marie Lichtenberg’s Candy Heart Punk Locket on her wishlist, and the designer is getting her recognition this year. What started with a gift from her mother—a locket with hollow gold chains and bold clasps that celebrate emancipation in Creole culture—has become an extraordinary line of jewelry reimagining the locket. Marie’s first love locket was designed in India, where she loves “the country’s rich colors, spiritual heritage, and ancestral jewelry-making traditions.” Designed in Paris and crafted by the finest ateliers in the world, Marie’s lockets are modern heirlooms defined.
Best in Debuting Winner
Editors’ Choice: Fernando Jorge
Brazilian-born designer Fernando Jorge's pieces evoke “the laidback attitude and effortless sensuality of his home country.” Using locally sourced, hand-carved gemstones, Fernando works with specialized artisans in Brazil and Italy. His sculptural designs have energy, whether fluid or electric, and pieces come alive for Fernando when he sees their movement.
Editor’s Choice Winner
Editor/Wordsmith: Samantha Durbin
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