The Couture Show has become the largest and most prestigious trade fair for jewelry designers and brands in North America. The Couture Show Design Awards is easily the most prestigious awards program in North America for these same designers and artists who come from all over the world to show their creations to an invitation only group of retailers and then enter them into the awards program.

This year the top three jewelers were announced in 14 categories. Twelve categories were selected by a handful of judges representing different backgrounds in the jewelry and fashion industry. One category was selected by attendees and a category was selected by editors attending Couture.

Encore Theater featured a number of designers hailing from across the globe, highlighting the event’s global footprint and calling out the months or even years of work that it takes each contender to create their pieces.

“I want to acknowledge all of the hard work, determination and perseverance it took each of our designers to get here tonight,” noted Gannon Brousseau, COUTURE Director and EVP, Emerald when he opened the show.

The first award of the evening, Best in Bridal, was presented to Vanessa Fernandez of Vanessa Fernandez Studio, who made her COUTURE debut this year.

Sorellina took home the award for Best in Innovative with an 18k gold cassette pendant featuring diamonds encased in white sapphires and accented with a pencil-shaped charm with which to “rewind” or “fast forward” the cassette.

The evening also paid tribute to Julie Von Bargen Thom from Von Bargen’s Jewelers, who was presented with the annual Cindy Edelstein Award. Julie was nominated by her team as well as several designers and brands from the COUTURE community who acknowledged the many ways in which she has carried on and enhanced her father’s legacy.

The three brands that took the podium in the category deserve special mention. ‘ the highly coveted People’s Choice category, which between a first place for Richard We and a third for Rosmundo saw Chantecler Capri rightfully included.