Tucked away in the Aster 1 room on the Terrace Level of the Centurion
Jewelry (location not being disclosed this year for security reasons) are this year’s six Emerging Designer Award winners. This is
the third year the Centurion brand has set up space for an intimate
group of jewelry newcomers who have never before exhibited in a U.S. fair.
Designers were chosen based
on a popular vote of prestige retail jewelers in late 2010, selected
according to the uniqueness of their merchandise and its salability.
I
spoke briefly to each designer, who showed me a selection of their work
housed in the single glass display towers provided to them by H2
Events, the organizer of the show. Styles varied widely, from
organic-looking pieces in 22k gold to funky and well-made 18k gold-accented fine silver pieces to massive baroque pearls set in 18k gold and diamonds.
If you’re at the show, be sure to pop downstairs and visit
(I heard grumblings from both Emerging Designers as well as some of the
more established vendors next door that traffic was a little light).
I’m interested to know what showgoers think about the
newbies. A number of folks were impressed by last year’s Emerging Designers, including Julieli—which is now being represented by Fragments and has been picked up by retailers
nationwide—so I wonder how retailers will respond to this
year’s group.
Cross stacking rings in 18k gold with rubies and sapphires; three shown are $7,600 retail. William Belack,
Belack Jewelry Design
22k gold and Afghani emerald earrings (right) are a steal at $4,000 retail while another pair with pink tourmalines aren’t bad either at $1,800. Pamela
Harari, Pamela
Harari Jewelry Design
Fine silver and 18k gold Hugs (open ring) and Kisses rings have diamonds and start at $700 retail. These are pretty weighty rings. Pamela
Harari, Pamela
Harari Jewelry Design
A Bedouin bead bracelet in fine silver and 18k gold retails for $12,000. Amitai Kav,
Amitai Kav
An 18k gold bracelet weighing 100 grams has a sturdy clasp system; $15,000. Amitai Kav,
Amitai Kav
Sculptural steel and Argentium silver pieces start at $172 retail (for one of the bracelets shown). Valerie
Ostenak, VOSTENAKstudios
18k gold styles with Moroccan styling start at $1,600 retail ($1,000 in silver). JJ Williams, JJ Number 8
Baroque pearls in 18k gold with diamonds; Nuttapon (Kenny)
Yongkiettakul, Kavant
Peridot petal earrings in 18k gold with diamonds feature moveable petals for $5,900. Nuttapon (Kenny)
Yongkiettakul, Kavant
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