A platinum and diamond necklace by Brent Neale. The designer created it as part of a Platinum Guild International USA collaboration with the Couture jewelry trade show.
Las Vegas—Eight jewelry designers who primarily work in gold have set their sights on platinum.
Platinum Guild International USA has tapped a select group of fine jewelry brands most notable for their yellow and rose gold creations to exhibit new platinum jewels at the 2022 Couture show in Las Vegas.
The designers are Brent Neale, Harwell Godfrey, Retrouvaí, Spinelli Kilcollin, Stephen Webster, Suzanne Kalan, Walters Faith, and Zoe Chicco.
“Each year, we try to find a unique way to showcase platinum at Couture,” said PGI USA Senior Vice President Kevin Reilly.
“We felt this was an excellent opportunity to highlight these incredible designs in a naturally white metal that will allow these pieces to stand the test of time.”
He continued, “It has been a wonderful journey to work with these talented designers, and we are excited to see attendees’ reactions, both retailers and press, to the finished designs.”
The designers will feature their platinum creations at their respective booths at the jewelry trade show.
Among their creations are bangles, pendants, statement rings, and necklaces.
Some chose to recreate their signature styles in platinum, while others dreamed up entirely new designs.
Zoe Chicco, who produces her line entirely at her in-house workshop in Los Angeles, had never worked in platinum prior to this year’s PGI initiative.
“I love how the finished pieces came out!” she said.
Zoe Chicco platinum and diamond earrings
“There is a really nice weight to the platinum that just feels luxurious, and it really complements the diamonds so well and makes them the stars of the show.”
Chicco said she has been creating more bridal jewelry recently, in addition to her typical assortment of fashion-forward basics designed to be worn daily. The bridal category lends itself well to platinum, she noted, but she has shied away from it in the past as she had never used it in her workshop.
“Now that we’ve had this experience, I am comfortable and confident designing and creating pieces for clients in platinum moving forward,” she said.
Couture Director and Executive Vice President Gannon Brousseau noted there’s no better group of designers than Couture brands when it comes to venturing into new territory.
“We are always so amazed by the creativity and design acumen of the artists who make up our community. Whether it’s working in a new medium or establishing an innovative design concept, Couture designers and brands are not afraid to take risks and continually build upon their prolific collections.”
PGI USA President Jenny Luker said the aim of its partnership with Couture is to demonstrate platinum’s possibilities.
“When consumers are looking for a piece in white metal, our job is to educate them on the benefits of choosing platinum,” she said, “including the low maintenance, gemstone security, and its hypoallergenic nature. With more designers choosing to work in platinum, there is more availability for consumers to make an informed decision.”
The Couture show will run June 9-12 at the Wynn Las Vegas.
