This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
Live from Couture: Meet the Design Atelier
This year’s crop of up-and-coming designers is preternaturally polished.

Any given year, the jewelry trade show’s opening day sees retailers scouting “Design Atelier” talent between years-established appointments for a glimpse of what’s next, not only for their stores and customers but also for jewelry design’s overall direction.
This year’s group of emerging designers is an especially good arbiter of what’s resonating in the saturated marketplace of new brands, having set themselves apart simply by being selected for the show.
The 2021 class is particularly polished at that, with a host of good retailers already under their belts, good industry connections, and lots of branding know-how.
That they seek out the Couture show in an increasingly digital era speaks to the prestige of the jewelry trade show. The selectivity of its vetting process acts as an endorsement, and ambitious designers see it as an opportunity to level up and connect with the accounts that really matter to them.
Click through the below gallery for a sampling of what these directional voices have to offer, from the everyday staples (Lizzie Mandler, Walters Faith) to the avant-garde (Vram), diamond-centric (Ondyn), and the colored gem-obsessed (M. Spalten, Dale Hernsdorf). Visit their websites for a more in-depth look.
We’ll have more on these and other designers exhibiting at the Las Vegas jewelry trade shows in the coming days and weeks.
The Latest

As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.

Discover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

The “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.


The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

Two existing executives have been given new roles.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

Meredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Sponsored by Stuller