The annual star-studded campaign for International Women’s Day encourages collective action against domestic violence.
Rio Grande Has Crowned its 2019 ‘Saul Bell’ Winners
The awards support emerging jewelry designers.

Albuquerque, N.M.—Jewelry supply company Rio Grande has crowned the winners of its 19th annual Saul Bell Design Award Competition.
Named for company founder Saul Bell, the awards recognize up-and-coming jewelry design talent, lending them a platform to display their work and monetary prizes to assist in establishing their brands.
This year, two separate panels of judges made up of various jewelers and designers judged entries in two rounds, selecting first and second place winners across nine categories, plus a best-of-show winner.
Awards and prizes were presented at a special gala concurrent with the Santa Fe Symposium, which took place May 19 to 22.
Debbie Sheezel of Melbourne, Australia, earned best-of-show honors for her “Lineal Alchemy” necklace, pictured at the top of the article.
The winners in the nine categories were as follows.
Enamel
First Place: “Spirit & Flame" by Sandra McEwen (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Second Place: “The Endless Love” by Garen Garibian (Los Angeles)
Gold/Platinum
First Place: “Moebius No.1” by Pierre-Yves Paquette (Saint-Jerome, Quebec, Canada)
Second Place: “Star Hen Galaxy Pendant” by Adam Neeley (Laguna Beach, California)
Silver/Argentium Silver
First Place: “Prospect Palace” by Mehrnoosh Ganji (Melbourne, Australia)
Second Place: “Suftal Fidda” by Maja Houtman (Utrecht, Netherlands)
Alternative Metals/Materials
First Place: “Eclipsim” by Kirk Lang (Seattle)
Second Place: “Torus Bracelet for an Astronaut” by Ezra Satok-Wolman (Caledon, Ontario, Canada)
Hollowware/Art Objects
First Place: “Luminous Relic #1628” by David Huang (Sand Lake, Michigan)
Second Place: “The Echinacea Teapot” by Valerie Jo Coulson (Pequea, Pennsylvania)
Jewelry Collection Fashion/Bridge
First Place: “Kirigami Pearl Collection” by Karin Jacobson (Minneapolis)
Second Place: “Jupiter” by Liz Sabol (Pittsburgh)
Jewelry Collection Couture/Fine
First Place: “HELICES” by Sophia Hu (Las Vegas)
Second Place: “Sunshine and Shadow” by Valerie Jo Coulson (Pequea, Pennsylvania)
Emerging Jewelry Artist 18 Years of Age and Younger
First Place: “Midnight” by Christopher Liu (Allen, Texas)
Second Place: “Mokume Chainmail Choker” by Ethan Hansen (Salida, Colorado)
Emerging Jewelry Artist 22 Years of Age and Younger
First Place: “Open Spiculum Cuff with Black Diamond” by Timo Krapf (Pittsford, New York)
Second Place: “Flower of Life Amulet” by Tristan Dunn (Asheville, North Carolina)
“I really appreciated the two rounds of judges in the competition,” Winner Sophia Hu said in a press release. “They have the eyes and taste to see deeper, to identify and appreciate all the design efforts I put into each design in this collection.”
For information about the 2020 competition, including requirements for applying, visit SaulBellAward.com or email events@riogrande.com.
The Latest

The statement piece is seen in Yeprem’s new “You Play the Game” campaign, created for International Women’s Day.

Longtime employee Kyle Slosson has been promoted to the role.

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere , and Jewelers of America has what you need to be prepared for it all.

First-generation jewelers Dan and Hope Wixon are retiring and will close their Minneapolis-area jewelry store in May.


The limited-edition collection, a nod to the Year of the Snake, is Ukrainian brand Guzema’s first partnership with a U.S. brand.

After more than 50 years, Jeff Roberts is handing over ownership of the organization to IJO President Stephen Barnes.

The jewelry industry faces challenges from lab-grown diamonds. A diamond ETF can restore natural diamonds' value and drive investor demand.

The 111-year-old store will close following a dispute among Saks Global, a landlord, and the City of Dallas over a small piece of land.

The upcoming “Area_51” watch sale is a collaboration with heist-out, featuring vintage and modern timepieces with futuristic designs.

The trade organization, which will mark 120 years of service next year, has a refined focus and a new mission statement.

Uc Thí Vo, who co-owned Kim Tin Jewelry in Sacramento with her husband of 40 years, was killed during the November 2024 robbery.

Manashe Sezanayev pleaded guilty to grand larceny and is expected to receive five years’ probation when he’s sentenced in May.

The March birthstone pairs perfectly with hues of Mocha Mousse, Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2025.

Emmanuel Raheb shares strategies to prepare for, publicize, and engage the audience during events on platforms like TikTok and Zoom.

From Doja Cat to Mikey Madison and Selena Gomez, many of this year’s Academy Awards attendees donned drop necklaces.

Originally slated to take effect in April, official U.S. Customs and Border Protection documents now show the implementation date as “TBD.”

The recent jump in the prices of household staples, like eggs, and the potential impact of tariffs worried consumers.

The application period for the program is now open for aspiring gemologists around the world.

The work of Indigenous designer Joe Big Mountain, these earrings are similar to the pair Lily Gladstone just wore to the SAG Awards.

A metal detectorist uncovered the ring created in memory of Sir Richard Rainsford, who presided over some of England’s last witch trials.

Fine jewelry consultant and publicist Francesca Simons joins Amanda Gizzi and Natalie Francisco to discuss the trends set to rise this year.

Harlow’s partner, NBA player Kyle Kuzma, worked with Vobara to design the ring, which features oval and pear-shaped diamonds.

The Danish jeweler released the next chapter of its “Be Love” campaign, which celebrates love in all its forms.

The 13 lots on offer were comprised of material that previously went unsold at the miner’s November auction.

The learning workshop and the convention are both scheduled to take place April 26 and 27 in Montgomery, Alabama.

The EU, like the U.S., also now will require diamond importers to provide information about where exactly the diamonds were mined.