Meet the Winners of COUTURE 2025

Jun 11

Jewelers and Their Award-Winning Creations

The Couture Awards are the ultimate celebration of talent and camaraderie within the fine jewelry industry. Each year, editors, buyers, influencers and more are wowed by the innovative treasures on offer at the show and anticipation runs high when it comes to the masterfully crafted jewels presented for the awards.

This year’s judging panel consisted of: Kat Stokes of Korman Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas; designer Selim Mouzannar; Liza Urla from Gemologue; Jennifer Farrington of Mitchell Stores; and Rachael Burrow Rummel, the style and market editor at Veranda magazine, all of whom applied their jewelry expertise to help choose the lucky winners.

While there were fourteen different categories, each one undoubtedly showcased innovation and technique, as well as pure charm.

Best in Below $10k: Three Stories

Three Stories was founded by friends Camelia Chiriac, Barbara Laird, and Emily Cohen, and their love of jewelry, friendship, and storytelling through jewels is the cornerstone of the brand. Their newest collection, “Stories of Animal Archetypes”, consists of mesmerizing creatures, including this “Wise Owl” double-sided locket pendant. It represents a story of whimsy with an Australian opal, sapphires and emeralds spinning belly and wisdom with the tree of life and the word “wisdom” inscribed inside.

Best in Bridal: Mason and Books

Mason and Books is a New York- based brand that was launched in 2021 by founder Jamie Books. The brand’s “design philosophy is to dream up unconventional ways to interpret common concepts,” which was accomplished with this alternative “Slingshot Lasso” ring. The platinum and 14k gold, 3.68-carat emerald-cut diamond ring is meant to symbolize setbacks that are part of life and that are eventually seen as part of propelling you forward. This makes it the ideal engagement ring in some cases and just an amazing must-have ring in others.

Best in Colored Gemstones Below $40K: Harwell Godfrey

Designer Lauren Harwell Godfrey of Harwell Godfrey creates collections centered around a focused theme while still staying true to her brand identity and aesthetic (African diaspora textiles and patterns in precious gemstones), making her pieces a favorite among Couture showgoers and fans alike. This “Granny Squares Florence” bracelet is part of the new 1975 Collection and is a luxurious homage to the classic crochet blankets found on almost every couch in the ’70s. “We sourced over 33 unique stones and used 30—none repeated,” says Godfrey, resulting in the use of translucent and opaque geometric patterns.

Best in Colored Gemstones Below $40K: Harwell Godfrey

Best in Colored Gemstones Above $40K: Vanessa Fernandez

Anyone who’s seen Vanessa Fernandez’s work in person won’t be surprised to hear that she’s bringing home her second Couture Award in just two years of attending the show. This year’s award is in celebration of a one-of-a-kind handcrafted chrysoberyl necklace that is a continuation of her “CURVA” creations, which celebrate the female form and always include exceptionally vibrant stones. It took Fernandez approximately 120 hours to complete the piece and each link is cold connected (meaning: no heat was used in connecting the links). A true labor of love.

Best in Colored Gemstones Above $40K: Vanessa Fernandez

The Editor’s Choice: Robinson Pelham

Robinson Pelham is a London-based brand founded by Vanessa Chilton, Zoe Benyon, and Kate Pelham Burn. The brand has over 25 years of experience, and 2025 marks the 10th year of the iconic “Identity” necklace. This latest version has a pear-link set with a 1.50-carat pear-shaped diamond. The extra sparkle surely had a hand in making the best-selling design (Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan) a now award-winning design.

Best in Diamonds Below $40K: Bibi Van Der Velden

The phrase “wearable art” is thrown around a lot when it comes to jewelry design, but it couldn’t be a more accurate statement when it comes to Bibi van der Velden. The Amsterdam- based designer studied fine arts in Florence and continued at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and the Royal Academy of Arts. Each of her creations allows the wearer to interact with their “art” with moving mechanisms. This diamond alligator has a moving tail and is set with baguette-cut diamonds in white gold that mimic an alligator’s movement and texture.

Best in Diamonds Below $40K: Bibi Van Der Velden

Best in Diamonds Above $40K: Busatti 1947

Third-generation jewelers and siblings, Lalla and Davide Busatti, who branched out from their family business and founded, Milan-based Busatti 1947 to create exquisite one-of-a-kind Italian jewels. The “Vegas” brooch is the perfect example of their artistry, with the use of T Black (Titanium) petals, white gold, hand-set diamond flower veins, a rose quartz bud, and an over four-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond center. It’s “a sculptural brooch that brings together nature and high jewelry with the utmost precision”, according to Lalla and Davide, and we (and the Couture Award judges) agree.

Best in Diamonds Above $40K: Busatti 1947

Best in Gold: Lunar Rain

The brand Lunar Rain is designed by Canadian-based artist Melissa Chen. The nature-inspired pieces have a “surrealism, Art Nouveau, and ancient Greek and Roman aesthetics,” which are always projected in gold. This award-winning “Moon Cat Locket” necklace consisting of 18k gold, sapphire, diamond, and rose quartz was inspired by the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet. Its hand-brushed gold finish is meant to resemble fur and according to Chen, “it was surprisingly difficult to get the cat’s face to have a sweet expression; it took a lot of tweaking of its features.”

Best in Innovative: Yutai

Yuta Ishihara is the Tokyo-based designer of Yutai, a fine jewelry brand that creates modern jewels from traditional materials. Like their “Sectional” pearl necklaces (most recently featured on Sarah Jessica Parker on an episode of And Just Like That) that take classic pearls and splice them with other materials formed into the exact pearl shape and size. Then, there’s the award-winning “Fused Gems” collection, which features multiple cut stones fused together to create one showstopper stone.

Best in Platinum: R Kheni

Ravi Kheni of R Kheni started his jeweler’s journey in 2011 when he worked with his family in Mumbai after completing a GIA diamond course. He later worked in the ever-inspirational Istanbul in 2016 and eventually made his way to Mumbai to found Sonart Jewels in 2024. He pushes boundaries with his one-of-a-kind pieces that feature rare diamonds and gemstones and is inspired by everything from architecture to furniture. This three-dimensional bracelet was inspired by post-modern furniture and set with rose-cut diamonds, with space on each setting to allow light to pass through. The design is accomplished with the strength of platinum, resulting in a stunning technical creation.

Best in Haute Couture: Chantecler Capri

Chantecler Capri was founded in 1947 on the island of Capri. It remains a family-run business with Marie Elena Aprea as the current Vice President and Creative Director. Each creation is a celebration of the island, and the award-winning “Nautilus” necklace is dedicated to the Tyrrhenian Sea. It consists of white enamel, gold, titanium, and diamonds with fourteen nautilus shells projecting an irresistible iridescent glow, reminiscent of “the ethereal aura of the whitecaps of the mid-winter sea.”

Best in Pearls: Francesca Villa

Italian designer Francesca Villa should be used to the spotlight by now, after winning Best in Debuting last year and now Best in Pearls. Each of her creations is more unique than the next, often featuring her objets trouvés. This year’s winning piece, “Eyes on You,” consists of 18k rose gold, titanium, diamonds, pearls, citrine, iolite, and orange sapphire framing a vintage VariVue lenticular image. If that weren’t enough, Villa added dangling pearls for the ultimate covetable eclectic pearl treasure.

Best in Debuting: Zahn-Z

New York City–based Syrian American jewelry designer Hiba Husayni’s architectural background shines through each of her creations. Inspired by everything from the legendary Zaha Hadid to the humble facades and magical interiors of Syria, her designs result in “a secret, a personal story, a quiet luxury,” according to Husayni. This European-cut diamond holds its own set in a “ZAHA’s Secret” ring but the individually placed pavé diamonds are a welcome addition.

The People’s Choice: Sevan Bicakci

Sevan Bicakci creates museum-worthy jewels—and many are indeed found in museums and galleries across the globe. He’s truly a master of his craft, with many Couture awards under his belt to prove it, including last year’s Best in Haute Couture and this year’s People’s Choice. Inspiration comes from all walks of life, including nature scenes, and this ring is a shining example of couture craftsmanship with a variety of mesmerizing flowers in bloom.

Editor/Wordsmith: Johannah Masters & Jason Reuben

Every item featured is personally selected by our writers and editors (read: we're totally into it). Please know that when you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission (read: we get to keep doing what we love).

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