MajorsNov 10, 2025
Jewelers Focus on Love, Joy In 2025 Holiday Campaigns Tiffany & Co., David Yurman, and Pandora have launched holiday campaigns depicting their jewelry as symbols of affection and happiness.
Events & AwardsMay 23, 2019
Rio Grande Has Crowned its 2019 ‘Saul Bell’ Winners
The awards support emerging jewelry designers.
Debbie Sheezel of Melbourne, Australia’s “Lineal Alchemy” necklace earned best-of-show honors in this year’s Saul Bell Design Award Competition.
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.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
SurveysNov 10, 2025
5 Things Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This YearThe National Retail Federation is bullish on the holidays, forecasting retail sales to exceed $1 trillion this year.
AuctionsNov 10, 2025
300+ Colored Diamonds Up for Auction at Christie’sLate collector Eddy Elzas assembled “The Rainbow Collection,” which is offered as a single lot and estimated to fetch up to $3 million.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
Weekly QuizNov 06, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
De Beers’ Production, Sales Increase in Q3 De Beers also announced more changes in its upper ranks ahead of parent company Anglo American’s pending sale of the company.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
AuctionsNov 05, 2025
Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer Makes Her Auction DebutKindred Lubeck of Artifex has three rings she designed with Anup Jogani in Sotheby’s upcoming Gem Drop sale.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
Policies & IssuesNov 04, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case WednesdayAhead of the hearing, two industry organizations co-signed an amicus brief urging the court to declare Trump’s tariffs unlawful.
MajorsNov 04, 2025
Danny Clark to Become Stuller CEO, Succeeding Matt StullerStuller COO Belit Myers will take on the additional role of president, with all changes effective at the start of 2026.
ColumnistsNov 04, 2025
Peter Smith: What Do Birds Have to Do With the Price of Gold? Smith cautions retailers against expending too much energy on things they can’t control, like the rising price of gold.
TrendsNov 04, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Fall Colors for November BirthdaysCitrine and topaz are birthstones fit for fall as the leaves change color and the holiday season approaches.
IndependentsNov 04, 2025
Weston Jewelers Heads to Fort LauderdaleThe family-owned jeweler will open its fourth store in Florida in late 2027.
CrimeNov 03, 2025
Men Dressed as Construction Workers Burglarize Jeweler’s Home The NYPD is looking for three men who stole a safe and jewelry valued at $3.2 million from the home of a jeweler in Jamaica Hills, Queens.
MajorsNov 03, 2025
Matthew Rosenheim Takes Over as JA Board ChairThe trade organization also announced its executive committee and five new directors.
CollectionsNov 03, 2025
Muse’s ‘Have a Heart’ Collab Returns, Now With DDGThe “Have a Heart x Diamonds Do Good” collection is championed by model and humanitarian Flaviana Matata and will benefit her foundation.
AuctionsNov 03, 2025
Kashmir Sapphire Ring Tops Christie's Online AuctionThe ring, set with a nearly 17-carat Kashmir cabochon sapphire, sold for $1 million.
TrendsOct 31, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Spinner Fit for ‘Frankenstein’This “Mother Father” spinner necklace from Heavenly Vices Fine Jewelry draws inspiration from Victorian Era jewelry.
CrimeOct 31, 2025
5 More Arrested in Louvre Heist, Jewelry Still Missing The suspects were rounded up in Paris and its suburbs on Wednesday night, but none of the stolen jewels were recovered with them.
