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GIA Names 2026 Jewelry Design Contest Winner, Retires Annual Award
Catherine Aulick, a GIA graduate, received the ninth and final Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design.
Catherine (Cathy) Aulick’s award-winning hand-rendered necklace design featuring gold, Ethiopian opal, and peridot.
Carlsbad, Calif.—The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation have announced the winner of the ninth annual Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design.
The award was given to Catherine (Cathy) Aulick, a graduate of GIA’s Jewelry Design course in Carlsbad, California, for her hand-rendered necklace design featuring gold, Ethiopian opal, and peridot.
The honor recognizes the outstanding talent of GIA jewelry design students worldwide. It was collaboratively established by GIA and the foundation in 2018.
GIA presented Aulick with the award at its annual GIA Alumni Collective “Night at the Museum” event, which took place at the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum in Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 6, closing day of the AGTA 2026 GemFair.
“I want to thank the Buccellati Foundation and GIA for the honor of this award. Hand rendering has given me a new and beautiful language for communicating my designs,” said Aulick.
She will be traveling to Italy to meet with a representative from the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation.
Aulick was selected from 12 finalists from the GIA Schools of Gemology and Jewelry Arts in Carlsbad, London, Mumbai, New York, and Taiwan.
She was chosen by a panel of judges, which included Alishan Halebian, award-winning designer, goldsmith, and owner of Alishan Jewelry Studio; Andrew Connors, director of Alburquerque Museum; Charles Lewton-Brain, master goldsmith, educator, and author; Nanz Aalund, award-winning jewelry designer, educator, and author; and Remy Rotenier, renowned jewelry artist and designer.
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The award was given to Catherine (Cathy) Aulick, a graduate of GIA’s Jewelry Design course in Carlsbad, California, for her hand-rendered necklace design featuring gold, Ethiopian opal, and peridot.
The honor recognizes the outstanding talent of GIA jewelry design students worldwide. It was collaboratively established by GIA and the foundation in 2018.
GIA presented Aulick with the award at its annual GIA Alumni Collective “Night at the Museum” event, which took place at the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum in Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 6, closing day of the AGTA 2026 GemFair.
“I want to thank the Buccellati Foundation and GIA for the honor of this award. Hand rendering has given me a new and beautiful language for communicating my designs,” said Aulick.
She will be traveling to Italy to meet with a representative from the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation.
Aulick was selected from 12 finalists from the GIA Schools of Gemology and Jewelry Arts in Carlsbad, London, Mumbai, New York, and Taiwan.
She was chosen by a panel of judges, which included Alishan Halebian, award-winning designer, goldsmith, and owner of Alishan Jewelry Studio; Andrew Connors, director of Alburquerque Museum; Charles Lewton-Brain, master goldsmith, educator, and author; Nanz Aalund, award-winning jewelry designer, educator, and author; and Remy Rotenier, renowned jewelry artist and designer.
Aulick is the final winner of the Gianmaria Buccellati Award for Excellence in Design, as GIA has decided to retire the contest.
“It’s been a pleasure collaborating with the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation and presenting this award each year—recognizing all the wonderful talent in design among GIA students globally,” said Cathryn Ramirez, chief learning officer at GIA.
“GIA is currently planning its new design competition and details will be shared in the near future.”
GIA’s Jewelry Design courses teach drafting, shading, design theory, and illustration using several mediums. At the end of each course, students have a hand-developed portfolio of their work and a digital copy.
GIA also offers programs in jewelry design & technology, comprehensive CAD/CAM for jewelry, and its Graduate Jeweler program.
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