Western wear continues to trend in the Year of the Fire Horse and along with it, horse and horseshoe motifs in jewelry.
WJA Announces Diva Design Winners
See the seven pieces of jewelry that were chosen as the first-place designs in the 2016 Diva Design competition.
New York--Erica Courtney, Malak Atut and Laurence Bruyninckx are among the winners of the Women’s Jewelry Association’s 2016 Diva Design competition.
Gem Diva is the other category, which also is a division of the American Gem Trade Association’s Annual Spectrum Awards, and honors female designers and their accomplishments with finished jewelry that showcases the best in colored gemstones.
The winners and honorable mentions in each category are as follows.
Gem Diva Awards
Bridal Wear category
Erica Courtney of Erica Courtney (winner)
Hisano Shepherd of Little H
Caroline Chartouni of Caroline C
Classic Wear category
Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs (winner)
Heena Chheda-Shah of Valani
Pamela Huizenga of Pamela Huizenga Jewelry
Evening Wear category
Lisa Linhardt of Linhardt Design (winner)
Erica Courtney of Erica Courtney
Claudia Kretchmer of Steven Kretchmer Design Inc.
Business/Day Wear category
Gurmit Kaur Campbell of SRW (winner)
Elizabeth Garvin of Elizabeth Garvin Fine
Jennifer Morin of Gregore Joailliers
Dazzle Diva Awards
Bridal Wear category
Laurence Bruyninckx of LX Collection (winner)
Lisa Linhardt of Linhardt Design
Halle (Richardson) Millien of Halle Richardson
Evening Wear category
Laurence Bruyninckx of LX Collection (winner)
Alison Nagasue of AKN Designs Ltd.
Jessica Neiwert of Jessica Nei
Business/Day Wear category
Malak Atut of Zaiken Jewelry (winner)
Jocelyn Prestia of Unhada
Halle (Richardson) Millien of Halle Richardson
The above winners will be honored at WJA’s In the Spotlight event on Thurs., March 10.
The Latest
![A peridot [left] and sapphires from Tanzania from Anza Gems, a wholesaler that partners with artisanal mining communities in East Africa Anza gems](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/cdd3962e9427ff45f69b31e06baf830d.jpg)
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