Meet the Winners of COUTURE 2023
The shining stars of Couture
Las Vegas was full of extra sparkle and bling the first week of June with the 2023 COUTURE show in town and designers and show attendees brought their finest to the COUTURE Design Awards. Some might say it’s the mini Oscars for the jewelry industry with everyone getting emotional with each winner announced. It was a celebration of talent with both repeat winners and first-time exhibitors taking the win. Now you can meet this year’s winners.
Best in Bridal: Retrouvaí
Designer Kirsty Stone was last year’s recipient of Best in Platinum and she’s showcasing her talent for versatility with this year’s Best in Bridal win. Her “heirloom quality” pieces have a nod to the past and are “carefully constructed, imbued with the care of time-honored techniques.” It’s a win she’ll always remember, even though she wasn’t at the show, since she just gave birth to her third child.
Best in Bridal Winner: Retrouvaí
Best in Gold: Viltier
Parisian childhood friends Iris and Thomas are the creators of Viltier. They both worked in the jewelry industry before deciding to launch their own company that focuses on the traditional savoir-faire. They are known for their “Magnetic” collection: “Two creative minds unifying their passion in the same artistic momentum” that often shows their skill in creating colorful designs, while the “Edge” collection showcases their craftsmanship for gold.
Best in Gold Winner: Viltier
Best in Pearls: Persée Paris
Nawal Laoui launched Persée Paris in 2017 and is inspired by her travels, love of art and mythology (the brand is named after the god born under gold rain). While the brand has only been around for a few years, it quickly caught the eye of the jewelry industry and customers alike with her delicate diamond pierced pieces and of course splendid pearl selections.
Best in Pearls Winner: Persée Paris
Best in Below $10K: NeverNot
NeverNot is a brand that never shies away from color or whimsy. London based, by way of Georgia founders Nina Dzhokhadze and Natia Chkhartishvili wanted to create pieces that can and should always be worn. “Their jewels are a joyful symbol of escape” and their latest travel collection that consists of enamel, diamond and gem suitcase and sunglass pendants is a shining example of that statement.
Best in Below $10K Winner: NeverNot
Best in Innovative: Marie Lichtenberg
Designer Marie Lichtenberg is another repeat winner from last year (Best in Debuting) and at this point could be crowned the Couture Darling. Known for her modern heirloom lockets with cheerful depictions and phrases that captor the heart, it’s her whimsical showstoppers that are currently garnering love. Like her “Magic 8 Ball” pendant that she created in collaboration with the original creator of the toy, Mattel. It’s jewelry innovation at its finest!
Best in Innovative Winner: Marie Lichtenberg
Best in Haute Couture: Mason Alix Dumas
The French brand Mason Alix Dumas was launched in 2020 with the goal “to associate the famed French High-jewelry know-how to an artistic, sculptor’s like approach, in order to create exceptional contemporary pieces.” Dumas only creates a few ethically and responsibly made pieces per year with color and volume taking center stage.
Best in Haute Couture Winner: Mason Alix Dumas
Best in Colored Gems Above $40K: Aletto Brothers
The Aletto family has been creating handcrafted jewels since the turn of the 19th Century when the founder Bartolomeo Aletto was commissioned to craft a piece of jewelry in order to commemorate the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 at the Universal Exposition. Fast forward to 2023 and the South Florida based fifth generation is creating stellar modern classic jewels that of course include spectacular gemstones.
Best in Colored Gems Above $40K: Aletto Brothers
Best in Colored Gems Under $40K: Kamyen
Kamyen is a private jeweler with three generations of experience that feels “as jewellers, we have a responsibility to capture a stone’s raw emotion and transform it into something meaningful.” That care for the stones mixed with creating uniquely tailored experiences for their customers is what makes their designs unforgettable.
Best in Colored Gems Under $40K Winner: Kamyen
Best in Platinum: Sorellina
Nicole and Kim Carosella are the founders of the New York based brand, Sorellina (Italian for younger sister). The brand has a distinct aesthetic of eye-catching statement pieces that embody a feminine flair, from lockets to Tarot card pendants and of course this award winning necklace.
Best in Platinum Winner: Sorellina
Best in Diamonds Above $40K: Etho Maria
Etho Maria has many signature details “such as bold colored diamonds, intricate ring bindings and unexpected combinations” that many would recognize. Their multiple collections a year are what most gravitate to, but their High Jewelry creations are not to be missed. Many are one-offs and can take as much as 2000 hours to create and while unique, they do possess the signature Etho Maria craftsmanship.
Best in Diamonds Above $40K Winner: Etho Maria
Best in Diamonds Under $40K: ONDYN
ONDYN designer Tara Maria Famiglietti is “inspired by the power of movement” and how it catches light and harnesses energy. This concept is at the base of each of her creations that feature an articulated diamond bezel setting that’s a signature of the brand. Each piece, whether large or small, moves with the body to create a fluid look.
Best in Diamonds Under $40K Winner: ONDYN
Best in Debuting and The People’s Choice: Peruffo
Peruffo is a Vincenza based brand that is using innovative techniques to research and experiment in order to create unconventional wearable objects, AKA jewelry. Art is a big source of inspiration as well as everyday objects and experiences, from fingers sliding on a guitar to rhythms pulsating in a nightclub. No doubt jewelry fans will be watching closely to see what this two-time award winner will be coming up with next.
Best in Debuting and The People’s ChoiceWinner: Peruffo
The Editors’ Choice: Ten Thousand Things
Ten Thousand Things designers David Ress and Ron Anderson have been favorites among the jewelry industry since their inception. So, it should come as no surprise that they are this year’s winner for Editor’s Choice. They have been creating covetable organic inspired jewels with extraordinary stones for three decades, so their time has definitely come (around again) and is well deserved.
The Editor’s Choice Winner: Ten Thousand Things
Editor/Wordsmith: Johannah Masters & Jason Reuben
Every item featured is personally selected by our writers and editors (read: we're totally into it). Please know that when you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission (read: we get to keep doing what we love).
