Jamie Dunton and Gabriella Botelho are the first graduates of the program, created by the WJA Foundation and Julius Klein Diamonds.
These 10 Designers Are About To Be the Talk of Couture
Get to know the jewelry trade show’s new Design Atelier class.
It’s all happening.
As Las Vegas jewelry week kicks off, retailers are on the lookout for the new and noteworthy, and there’s no better place to start than the Couture show’s Design Atelier.
An incubator for fresh jewelry talent, the DA can act as a launching pad for emerging brands to get in front of some of the world’s most influential retail tastemakers.
This year, 10 brands are joining the Couture fray as they make their DA debuts at the jewelry trade show. Here’s an introduction, and yes, no matter how busy the week, you should make time for each of them.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aisha Baker (@aishabakerjewelry) on May 6, 2019 at 9:18am PDT
Jewelers in need of a fresh design perspective need look no further than Aisha Baker. Designed by duo Aisha Baker and Hoonik Chang out of Dubai and crafted by artisans in London, the brand hits several current jewelry trend boxes (Enamel? Check. Color? Whimsy? Check and check.) but is still original.
Check out their graphic, puzzle-like rings that bring to mind chaotic cityscapes, and their overtly feminine ribbon-inspired collection, as seen above.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by ANDY LIF JEWELRY (@houseoflif) on Mar 20, 2019 at 7:03pm PDT
At the moment, designers are infatuated with enamel and the robust variety of color options the medium provides. Andy Lif is having a romance with plique-a-jour enamel, to be specific, and its somewhat translucent quality.
The way in which the designer frames his enamel with gold is reminiscent of stained glass. He also shares his penchant for color through a variety of mouthwatering gemstones he sets as solitaires.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Anna Maccieri Rossi Official (@annamaccierirossi) on Feb 3, 2019 at 3:52am PST
It’s difficult to do Italian designer Anna Maccieri Rossi justice with words. To say that a pendant features meticulously hand-engraved mother-of-pearl doesn’t quite suffice in communicating the designer’s originality.
Nonetheless, I’ll give it a shot. She’s taking Swiss watchmaking techniques to jewelry, incorporating moving parts into a cuff, for example. Applying painstakingly esoteric levels of craftsmanship to her depictions of natural motifs like the night sky, a wolf, or a bear lends these subjects a surreal, almost mythical quality. The bottom line: Check it out in person to experience the full effect.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Bia Tambelli Creations (@biatambellicreations) on May 8, 2019 at 3:50am PDT
Like Anna Maccieri Rossi, Bia Tambelli has shown at jewelry trade show Vicenzaoro’s DA counterpart, “The Design Room.”
The Brazilian designer’s latest collection finds her ruminating on the universal perfection of geometry and the significance of particular numbers and shapes across various religions and philosophies. Tambelli expresses these ideas in elaborate pyramid-shaped rings and cuffs that feel like mini sculptures.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Liza Borzaya High Jewellery (@lizaborzaya) on May 29, 2019 at 10:16am PDT
Liza Borzaya High Jewellery
View this post on InstagramA post shared by PROUNIS (@prounisjewelry) on Apr 20, 2019 at 9:13am PDT
In the small amount of time since she’s launched her eponymous line, Jean Prounis has garnered a buzz among press, earning a much coveted spot in Town & Country editor Will Khan’s “Will’s Notebook” Instagram account, which subsequently ended up in The New York Times (a press coup if there ever was one).
The adoration is based on talent. The young designer is informed by her Greek heritage and seeks ancient inspiration to create utterly timeless pieces in 22-karat gold, in a specific alloy she customized. She also shows a surprising amount of restraint and design maturity for a jeweler in her 20s, which is sure to resonate with stores.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by RALPH MASRI (@ralphmasri) on Apr 8, 2019 at 5:35am PDT
Graphic, geometric silhouettes and plenty of diamond and gemstone bling create the fierce elegance that is Ralph Masri.
The Lebanese designer might be new to Couture, but he’s not quite under the radar. Among his many admirers is Queen Rania, who is often photographed in Masri’s jewels.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by SANDRINE DE LAAGE (@sandrinedelaage) on May 25, 2019 at 1:36pm PDT
French-American Sandrine de Laage is a jewelry world veteran, having worked for the likes of Cartier, Harry Winston and De Beers. Perhaps honing her talents at brands with mass appeal explain why her jewelry possesses such a wearable ease.
Interlocking rings and sleek ID bracelets are no-brainers for the self-purchaser—they’re classic but with a contemporary, cool feel, the perfect base of an excellent jewelry wardrobe.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Satta Matturi Fine Jewellery (@sattamatturijewellery) on May 9, 2019 at 4:45am PDT
Look at Satta Matturi’s Instagram, and you can see the namesake designer’s favorite piece of jewelry to create is an earring.
Intricate metalwork accented with an array of diamonds, and always a splash of colored gemstone, fan out from earlobes, each style slightly more elaborate than the next.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by State Property Fine Jewellery (@thisisstateproperty) on May 29, 2019 at 2:50am PDT
If State Property had to be expressed in one piece of jewelry, I’d put my money on a cocktail ring.
Large-scale and symmetrical with enamel, diamonds and gemstones are all elements that add up to produce some seriously covetable and hard-to-miss ring styles.
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In the spirit of giving, Retrouvaí will donate $4,000 from the sale of this ring to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
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The man and woman are accused of stealing jewelry from a shipping container then trying to flee by paddling a small boat out into a bay.
The 2,488-carat diamond recovered from a mine in Botswana has been dubbed “Motswedi” while its 1,094-carat sibling is “Seriti.”
For over a century, Jewelers of America has been the voice of the industry and valuable resource to jewelers across the country.
The average price per carat hit a record high for the miner, which said it remains unaffected by the conflict in Mozambique.
The nearly 17-carat stone made history for the color-change gem that, according to the auction house, is experiencing a “notable surge” in the market.
More than a century after survivors gifted a Tiffany timepiece to the captain of the ship that rescued them, the jeweler has reclaimed it.
The videos highlight how pieces from the “Xpandable” and “Reversible Xpandable” collections put the wearer in the spotlight.
Feldman reflected on 45 years in the jewelry industry and clarified that it’s not a total retirement.
The luxury brand is being honored for excellence in high jewelry design in its “Haute Joaillerie Sport” collection.
Circelli was a pioneer in the world of TV shopping who is remembered for his passion for gemstones and his big personality.
The nearly 6-carat stone headlined the recent jewelry auction, which also featured Mica Ertegun’s jewelry.
The three men, who got their nickname because they’d toss the jewelry they stole into black plastic bins, were arrested back in August.
“The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance” is a 128-page small-format book containing more than 165 images.
Gearys opened a 6,200-square-foot Rolex store with a design that pays homage to the brand’s connection to the ocean.
The diamond cut grade is now available for marquise- and pear-shaped diamonds.
DDG said the honorees’ business practices embody a commitment to positive social impact, industry innovation, and community empowerment.
Estimates on the size and value of the solitaire diamond, which is mounted on a diamond pavé-set yellow gold band, vary.
These half-moon tanzanite earrings totaling 25 carats are part of a special trunk show taking place this weekend in Dallas.
The National Jeweler editors recap the top news, the best jewels, and their favorite stories of the year.
The highest-grossing lot of the sale was the retired QB’s Rolex Paul Newman Daytona “John Player Special.”
Recent expansion initiatives at the Zambian emerald mine have shown strong production numbers, said Grizzly founder Abdoulaye Ndiaye.
Carrie Forman joins the brand to guide it into the next phase of growth with major and independent retailers in the U.S. and abroad.