Top Class: The Winners of the Couture Design Awards 2023

June 16, 2023

10 min read

Every year I visit Couture in Las Vegas with a sense of excited anticipation. What new treasures will I discover around every corner? This year, I had the pleasure of attending the Couture Design Awards to discover who had secured the coveted accolades across 14 categories, including ‘Best in Coloured Gemstones’ and ‘Best in Haute Couture’. Here is my rundown of the first, second and third-place winners in each category, plus a closer look at some of my favourite award-winning creations…

The Couture Design Awards were already off to a flying start when the judges of this year’s contest were unveiled. Jewellery designer Ara Vartanian; founder and editorial director of The Adventurine, Marion Fasel; director of sales at Borsheims Fine Jewelry & Gifts, Sean Moore; Lucy Reese, the deputy editor of New York-based magazine, Galerie, and jewellery expert, stylist and CEO of the Il Cammeo jewellery store network, Iryna Omelchenko… what a lineup! Of course, each person brought their own perspectives and taste to the competition, which led to a diverse array of winners, including first-time exhibitors. The lucky entrants were invited to collect their awards on the evening of June 3, 2023, but there were some surprises on the night too. For example, the ‘Editor’s Choice Award’ is voted for by attending media representatives, while Couture’s entire retailer community chose the winner of the ‘People’s Choice Award’ via an on-the-night texting system.

Kim Cosella of Sorellina collecting her Couture Design Award

I just love that I get to be a part of celebrating you, your creativity, your talent, your passion and enthusiasm, and all of the hard work you put into getting to COUTURE each year. This is your night; we are here to celebrate you! Gannon Brousseau, Couture Director.

So, who lit up the Encore Theatre? Well, it is worth noting the fantastic performance of French brands this year, including Maison Alix Dumas, who we featured in 2021, Alexandra Rosier Abramczyk, Messika, and Persée Paris. The ‘Best in Gold’ category is a case in point, with Parisian fine jewellery brand Viltier winning the top spot for a sensational gold and diamond bracelet. Cadar designer Michal Kadar wowed in second place with the Flora choker – an ethereal and voluminous 18k gold mesh blossom adorned with diamond dew drops and diamond-tipped stamens. Finally, German brand IsabelleFa scooped the third sport with a meticulously engineered ring.

Jewellery designers Thomas Montier Leboucher and Iris de la Villardière from Maison Viltier

Viltier 18k gold and diamond bracelet - 'Best in Gold' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Eponymous founder and designer Michal Kadar

Michal Kadar Flora choker in 18k gold and diamonds - 'Best in Gold' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Isabelle Mössner of IsabelleFa

Isabelle Fa 18k gold ring - 'Best in Gold' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

In the ‘Best in Bridal’ category, the top three spots were taken by Los Angeles-based Retrouvaí, Italian designer Bea Bongiasca, and Miami-based Phillips House. Interestingly all three pieces are crafted in yellow gold with fancy-cut diamonds and unusual asymmetric settings. Pearls were exemplified by Persée Paris in first place, followed by Nomis and Amrapali London. The latter’s layered necklace is exactly what one would expect from this brand, which has roots in Jaipur. For the ‘Best in Platinum’ category, New York brand Sorellina took the top spot with a cool pearl, pink gemstone and diamond necklace, followed by Henrich & Denzel GmbH and TenThousandThings.

Kirsty Stone, the designer and creator behind Retrouvaí

Retrouvai 18k gold and diamond ring - 'Best in Bridal' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Italian jewellery designer Bea Bongiasca

Bea Bongiasca 18k gold and diamond ring - 'Best in Bridal' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Lisa Phillips Frankel and Danielle Frankel Nemiroff, founders of Phillips House

Phillips House 18k gold and diamond ring - 'Best in Bridal' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Persée Paris founder Nawal Laoui

Persée Paris gold, pearl and diamond earrings - 'Best in Pearls' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Alyona Kiperman, the founder of Nomis Jewelry

Nomis gold, pearl and diamond necklace - 'Best in Pearls' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Sameer Lilani, CEO of Amrapali London

Amrapali London gold, pearl, coloured gemstone and diamond necklace - 'Best in Pearls' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Nicole and Kim Carosella, founders of Sorellina Fine Jewellery

Sorellina platinum, pearl, coloured gemstone and diamond necklace - 'Best in Platinum' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Henrich & Denzel GmbH chief executive officer, Christian Brueggerhoff

Henrich & Denzel GmbH platinum and diamond ring - 'Best in Platinum' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Ron Anderson and David Rees, founders of Ten Thousand Things

Ten Thousand Things platinum, pearl and diamond necklace - 'Best in Platinum' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Peruffo gold and gemstone necklace - 'Best in Debuting' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Enrico Peruffo of Italian Jewellery brand Peruffo

Maison Alix Dumas gold and gemstone brooch - 'Best in Debuting' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Designer Alix Dumas

Alexandra Rosier gold and gemstone pendant - 'Best in Debuting' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Jewellery designer Alexandra Rosier

NeverNoT Travel Suitcase pendant necklace - 'Best in Below 10k Retail' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Jewellery designer Stephen Webster

Stephen Webster enamel and gold ring - 'Best in Below 10k Retail' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Tatiana Van Lancker, founder of VAN

VAN @ Muse gold and gemstone pendant - 'Best in Below 10k Retail' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Tara Maria Famiglietti, designer and creator of Ondyn Fine Jewellery

Ondyn Fine Jewellery gold and diamond earrings - 'Best in Diamonds Below $40K Retail' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Jewellery designer Eva Fehren

Eva Fehren gold and diamond earrings - 'Best in Diamonds Below $40K Retail' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

64Facets gold and diamond earrings - 'Best in Diamonds Below $40K Retail' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Kamyen diamond and emerald earrings - 'Best in Coloured Gemstones Below $40K Retail' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Cicada gold, diamond and coloured gemstone cuff - 'Best in Coloured Gemstones Below $40K Retail' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Sylva & Cie. gold and coloured gemstone ring - 'Best in Coloured Gemstones Below $40K Retail' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Etho Maria diamond bracelet - 'Best in Diamonds Above $40K Retail' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Busatti 1947 diamond cuff - 'Best in Diamonds Above $40K Retail' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Mattioli diamond ring - 'Best in Diamonds Above $40K Retail' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Valerie Messika, creator and designer behind Messika Fine Jewellery

Messika diamond necklace - 'Best in Haute Couture' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Jewellery designer Victor Velyan

Victor Velyan gold and tourmaline cuff - 'Best in Haute Couture' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Aletto Brothers diamond and emerald necklace - 'Best in Coloured Gems Above $ 40,000' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Tangarart diamond and emerald earrings - 'Best in Coloured Gems Above $ 40,000' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Couturemark diamond and coloured gemstone necklace - 'Best in Coloured Gems Above $ 40,000' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Marie Lichtenberg gold necklace- 'Best in Innovative' 1st Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Jewellery designer Marie Lichtenberg

Rahul and Roshni Jhaveri, founders of Studio Renn

Studio Renn gold, white gold, diamond and coloured gemstone bracelet- 'Best in Innovative' 2rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Gismondi1754 diamond and sapphire necklace - 'The Editor's Choice' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

Vendorafa gold necklace - 'The People's Choice' 2nd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

David Oscarson decorative pocketknife - 'The People's Choice' 3rd Place winner at the Couture Design Awards 2023

WORDS

Sarah Jordan Starting her career as a journalist, Sarah discovered the world of fine jewellery in 2014 when she began working as a magazine editor for a jewellery retail magazine in London. Since going freelance, Sarah has specialised in content writing, editing and branded storytelling for a range of businesses, including De Beers Jewellery, Sotheby’s, the Natural Diamond Council and Gem-A (Gemmological Association of Great Britain). She is also the founder of her own specialist copywriting business, The William Agency. Sarah has completed courses at both De Beers Group Institute of Diamonds and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and is well-versed in the language of high jewellery and the history of jewellery design movements. She has known Katerina for many years and shares her vision of helping even more women fall in love with fine jewellery… one gemstone at a time!

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