In a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CPAA Accepting Submissions for Jewelry Design Contest
The Cultured Pearl Association of America has launched its annual International Pearl Design Competition and is accepting entries through Sept. 22.

Providence, R.I.--The Cultured Pearl Association of America has launched its annual International Pearl Design Competition and will accept entries through Sept. 22.
The competition, created to celebrate and recognize design excellence using cultured pearls, will be judged by a panel of jewelry industry leaders including editors, writers, buyers, craftsmen and sellers of cultured pearls.
Nine different awards will be given. They are as follows.
--President’s Trophy, the highest honor given to a design that “unanimously captivated all judges as the best of the best”
--Luster Award, given to the entry that is thought to be the “most marketable” of all entries in the competition and that has the most appeal for the retail marketplace
--Designer’s Award, given to the entry that takes pearls to the “far corners of the imagination and beyond,” meaning it displays originality
--Brilliance Award, for the entry that best shows the spectrum of pearl colors
--Orient Award, for the design that would inspire a newfound affinity for cultured pearls
--The Visionary Award, to the entry that redefines the iconic pearl strand
--Wedding Day Pearls, for creating a “fantasy wedding” with cultured pearls
--Fashion Award, for the design that is the most fun, fresh and modern
--Fantasy Award, for the best conceptual, aspirational design
Each entry can be submitted with up to five different images and/or drawings. The first costs $150, and each additional entry is $100.
Those who enter the contest will receive a one-year membership to the CPAA. Designers who make their submissions before Aug. 31 also will receive a raffle ticket that gives them a chance to win "A South Sea Adventure" trip to Bali. They will get one ticket per entry.
Winners will be announced on Nov. 1, and the winning entries will be on display at the AGTA GemFair and JCK Las Vegas shows next year.
For more information or to submit a design, visit CPAA.org.
The Latest

The “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.

The jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.

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

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.

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

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.

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 partners have announced the second cycle of the program, which has expanded to include a $25,000 student scholarship.

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.

























