(NEW YORK) – Jewelers of America (JA) has announced the winners of its 31st annual CASE Awards jewelry design competition. The CASE Awards, JA’s national design competition, recognizes JA Members who exhibit creativity, artistry, style and excellence in jewelry design.
This year marked an all-time high number of CASE Awards entries, with nearly 200 entries in total. CASE Awards expanded this year to include 14 different categories based on jewelry style and price. These categories were Bracelets up to $5,000; Bracelets $5,001 and up; Earrings up to $5,000; Earrings $5,001 and up; Necklaces up to $5,000; Necklaces $5,001 and up; Rings up to $5,000; Rings $5,001 and up; Engagement Rings up to $5,000; Engagement Rings $5,001 and up; Wedding Bands up to $5,000; Wedding Bands $5,001 and up; Engagement Rings up to $5,000; Engagement Rings $5,001 and up; Pins/Brooches/Cufflinks (any price); and Other (non-jewelry items made of precious metals or stones), any price.
“Jewelers of America’s CASE Awards design competition showcases the fine craftsmanship and talent of JA Members across the country,” says Amanda Gizzi, spokesperson for JA. “Judging was incredibly difficult this year as we had a wide variety of immensely talented jewelry designers enter in every category. The judges had to carefully consider the judging criteria and it had to come down to the finest details to determine winners.”
The winners in each category were determined by a panel of design experts who evaluated the entries on the following criteria: overall design, marketability, originality and quality of manufacture. Judges included Terry Chandler, DCA; Deirdre Featherstone, Featherstone Design; Amanda Gizzi, Jewelers of America; Brecken Branstrator, National Jeweler; JB Jones, NYC Jewelry Week; Adrianne Sanogo, Black in Jewelry Coalition and GIA Graduate Gemologist; and Iveta N. Stephanopoulos, GIA.
15 winners were determined in total – one per category and two first-place winners in the Necklaces $5,001 and up category. All winners will receive a customized CASE Award trophy and national and local media coverage.
The 2021 CASE Awards were sponsored by Synchrony, Jewelers Mutual Group and Chosen Payments. The CASE Awards is open only to employees of JA Member companies. For more information about the competition and to view the Winner’s Photo Gallery, visit www.jewelers.org/caseawards or contact Jewelers of America’s Member Services at 800-223-0673.
2021 CASE Award Winners
Engagement Rings up to $5,000 
Ben Bridge Jeweler
Designed by Angela Hope, Seattle, WA
Diamond engagement ring inspired by a sunrise, made of 14K palladium alloyed recycled white gold with baguette diamonds (.42 ctw)
$2,399 for semi-mount
Engagement Rings $5,001 and up 
Omi Privé
Designed by Niveet Nagpal. West Covina, CA
Platinum ring featuring an 8.86 carat oval blue moonstone accented by pear-shape paraíba-type tourmalines (1.10 ctw), round paraíba tourmalines (0.34 ctw) and round diamonds (0.96 ctw)
$34,000
Earrings up to $5,000
Le Vian
Designed by Eddie LeVian. Great Neck, NY
14K yellow gold earrings with natural pink and white freshwater pearl, and natural carved prehnite leaves
$4,999
Earrings $5,001 and up 
Graziela Gems
Designed by Graziela Kaufman, Highwood, IL
Blue sapphire earrings (5.79 ctw) set in 18K blue rhodium gold
$7,800
Necklaces up to $5,000 
Lilly Street
Designed by Lynn Gambino, Old Brookville, NY
Mini capulet necklace in 18K pink gold with natural Herkimer crystals and a ruby center
$2,320
Necklaces $5,001 and up (two first-place winners) 
Brody Designs
Designed by Mike Anderson, Stevens Point, WI
57 carat carved untreated Colorado blue topaz necklace in 14K white gold
$16,000
Necklaces $5,001 and Up (two first-place winners) 
Schullin
Designed by Hans Schullin, Graz, Austria
Necklace made of red Mediterranean coral branches, silver sheen obsidian cabochons (227.96 ctw) and brilliant cut diamonds (1.09 ctw), set in 18K rose gold
$22,500
Bracelets up to $5,000
Schullin
Designed by Hans Schullin, Graz, Austria
Green galuchat cuff with a branch of green oval cut tourmalines (5.36 ctw) and white brilliant cut diamonds (0.05 ctw) in 18K fair trade rose gold.
$2,900
Bracelets $5,001 and up
Valani
Designed by Heena Shah, New York, NY
Bracelet in 18K white gold set with 14 brilliant cut rubies (14.90 ctw), 30 trillion cut rubies (4.52 ctw), 56 marquise cut diamonds (7.99 ctw), 14 pear-shaped diamonds (2.77 ctw), and 490 brilliant cut diamonds (4.76 ctw)
$345,000
Rings up to $5,000
Steven Paul Designs
Designed by Steven Kistner, Delafield, WI
Prosthetic eye set in sterling silver with mechanism to open and close eye
$4,800
Rings $5,001 and up 
Alexandra Mor
Designed by Alexandra Mor, New York, NY
One-of-a-kind 15.27 carat hexagon cut Muzo-mine Columbian emeralds and diamonds wide eternity band set in platinum on an 18-karat yellow gold Alexandra Mor logo gallery
$55,000
Pins/Brooches/Cufflinks (any price) 
The Gem Vault
Designed by Sharon Curtiss-Gal and William Brewer, Flemington, NJ
Fine Oregon sunstones from the Dust Devil mine in Plush, Oregon (14.96ctw) surrounded by pink spinels (3.70 ctw) and accented by tsavorites (.91 ctw) and round diamonds (.56 ctw) in 18K yellow gold
$13,000
Wedding Bands up to $5,000 
Gabriel & Co.
Designed by Gabriel & Co., New York, NY
14K white gold wide anniversary band with round and baguette diamonds (1.37 ctw)
$2,265
Wedding Bands $5,001 and up 
Le Vian
Designed by Eddie LeVian, Great Neck, NY
Platinum and 18K yellow gold accent ring with 18 natural fancy light yellow diamonds – 6.8cts of sunny yellow diamonds and 0.48cts of Vanilla Diamonds®
$42,400
Other (non-jewelry items made of precious metals or stones, any price)
Samuel B. Collection
Designed by Samuel Behnam and Neda Behnam, Great Neck, NY
Oxidized sterling silver ballpoint pen with faceted black spinel endcap
$417
