PDPaola Creative Director Wins FGI’s ‘Rising Star’ Award
Paola Sasplugas, co-founder of the Barcelona-based jewelry brand, received the Fine Jewelry Award.

Sasplugas is the co-founder and creative director of PDPaola, a jewelry brand based in Barcelona.
Finalists in the fine jewelry category were Julie Kim of Bijules, Hiba Husayni of Zahn-Z Jewelry, and Isabel Calvert of Sette Jewelry.
While Sasplugas was not able to attend the ceremony, the brand’s CEO of North America Jason McNary was there to accept the award on her behalf.
“To be recognized among such visionary talented designers like Tory Burch, Phillip Lim, and Jason Wu is both humbling and inspiring. This moment reflects the creative vision and relentless passion that Paola pours into the brand, and the bold spirit we bring to the U.S. market every day. We’re just getting started!,” said McNary.
In a statement, Sasplugas said, “It’s rare to stop and take it all in—but this recognition gave me that moment. I’m grateful for the journey, the people building it with me, and the change to keep pushing boundaries. This is only the beginning.”
The event, which occurred in New York City last week, was hosted by actress Tiffany Haddish. It is not only a gathering of leading designers, executives, and tastemakers, but an awards ceremony that recognizes emerging talent in fashion, beauty, and other related sectors.
PDPaola is known for its “jewelry for urbanites who embrace sophistication, quality, and design,” the brand said.
Sasplugas founded PDPaola alongside her brother Humbert Sasplugas in 2015. Since then, the brand has been stocked in more than 60 stores, from flagship locations to retail partners in cities across Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, and more.
The brand has been expanding in the United States as well, with a flagship that opened in New York City last year. PDPaola also said it has plans to open new points of sale this year.
Earlier this month, PDPaola debuted a new fine jewelry collection with a campaign featuring actress Kelly Rutherford.
The campaign showcases Rutherford in its fine jewelry collection, available in 18-karat yellow and white gold set with lab-grown diamond pieces, alongside swan imagery.
Swans were chosen as inspiration for the collection as their natural elegance gave the pieces grace, beauty, and authenticity, said the brand.
A demi-fine jewelry collection also released Tuesday, titled “La Perla.” It uses 18-karat yellow gold-plated silver with cultured pearls.
The fine jewelry collection is available on this page of the PDPaola website, and the La Perla collection is available on this page.
The Latest

The Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.

The jewelry industry is reassessing its positioning as Gen Z reshapes the retail landscape and lab grown continues to gain market share.

A matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

Sponsored by A Diamond Is Forever


The next generation of lapidarists are entrepreneurial, engaged online, and see the craft as a means for artistic expression.

It was the second auction appearance for the fancy vivid blue-green diamond, which sold for $7.8 million at Christie’s Geneva 12 years ago.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force took a 22-year-old man into custody. He was charged with tampering with evidence.

While the overall number of crimes was down, there were more incidences in which robbers pulled out guns, mace, or rammed cars into stores.

Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry is closing its store inside the downtown shopping center after 40 years in business.

Reena Ahluwalia’s painting of the rare red diamond is the first contemporary painting to join the National Gem Collection.

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.

Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.

The 11-piece “Medallions” capsule collection features five motifs: a crying eye, a heart on fire, a spiral, a flower, and a swallow.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.

Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.

NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

Two pieces were named “Best in Show,” one from the retail category and one from the supplier category.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.

























