The Cultured Pearl Association of America Announces Winners of 9th Annual International Pearl Design Competition

New York, NY – Nov. 1, 2018. The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) has announced the winners of its 9^th Annual International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC).

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, judges Tara Silberberg of The Clay Pot in Brooklyn and New York City, Editor and Brand Consultant Cheryl Kremkow, and Jean Francois Bibet, workshop and production director at Cartier, inspected 33 finalist pieces at a private location in the city. By the end of the day, six winners had been chosen across seven categories for the U.S. Division, while eight winners were chosen in the International Division for the same categories. Winners are as follows:

U.S. Division with Judging of Live Finalist Pieces

President’s Trophy. This top prize is given to the piece deemed the most beautiful and original design concept that is well made, celebrates pearls, and leaves a lasting impression of pearls as must-have gems.

Winner: Rivoli earrings by Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Designs in Laguna Beach, Calif. Made in 14k, 18k, and 22k gold with golden South Sea pearls, cream-to-white akoya pearls, and diamonds.

Luster Award. This winning piece represents the evolution of a best-selling pearl jewelry design and bears a covetable and marketable concept with wide appeal for the marketplace.

Winner: Day-to-Night pendant necklace by Hisano Shepherd of Little h Jewelry in Los Angeles. Made in 14k gold with sliced and carved Tahitian pearls and black and colorless diamonds.

Orient Award. This winning piece appeals to an emerging pearl jewelry collector—someone who has never before thought of wearing pearls—through attractive design, innovative use of pearls, and an accessible price.

Winner: Orbit pendant by Timo Krapf of Timo Krapf Jewelry in Pittsford, N.Y. Made in platinum with a Tahitian pearl and cord and inspired by anticlastic raising. 

Visionary Award for Classic Styles. This winning piece is attractive, creative, and salable, championing a fresh look for an iconic pearl style—strands, studs, bracelets, or a ring—to help change the dated perception of pearls in the market.

Winner: Time is Now Convertible Skull necklace by Jennifer Pusenkoff of Jennifer Pusenkoff Designs in Essexville, Mich. Piece features Tahitian pearls, a white South Sea pearl, a white freshwater pearl, a carved howlite skull, diamonds, and 18k gold components. The piece transforms for wear in many different ways.

Wedding Day Pearls. This winning piece best captures what a contemporary bride might wear on her wedding day.

Winner: Rivoli earrings by Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Designs in Laguna Beach, Calif. Made in 14k, 18k, and 22k gold with golden South Sea pearls, cream-to-white akoya pearls, and diamonds.

Fashion Award. This winning piece features a creative compilation of materials fashioned into a youthful, high fashion, and original pearl jewelry design that looks as if it came straight from a Paris runway.

Winner: Sea Star earrings by Mary Kay and Patrick Mohs of Patrick Mohs Jewelry in Wayzata, Minn. Made in 18k gold with golden South Sea pearls and diamond accents. 

Spotlight Award—Akoya Pearls. This new category for 2018 focuses on designs where 75 percent of the piece features one type of pearl—the akoya pearl for this year. This winning piece should make viewers think about akoya pearls and all their colors, including natural-color baby blue akoyas in addition to classic white, in a way that is fresh and modern, challenges the standard of designs that feature it, and entices a non-pearl-lover to start collecting.

Winner: Flex cuff by Sean Gilson for Assael in New York City. Made in 18k gold by way of the anticlastic raising technique for flexibility and has akoya pearls. 

Additionally, a Popularity Award for U.S. participants was also given to Camilla Marcondes Lima of Camilla Marcondes LLC for her Constellation necklace made of bamboo tubes, freshwater pearls, leather straps, a mother-of-pearl button. This award choice was based on the number of image likes received on the @PearlsCPAA Instagram account. Marcondes’ piece received 261 likes during the voting, more than any of the other finalists.

Honorable mentions for the U.S. Division include the other finalists:

• The Southern Magnolia ring by Ashleigh Branstetter
• Wooden bangle and Triple Finger ring by Brenda Smith
• Moi & Toi ring by Elizabeth Dilly Kirby of Elizabeth Blair Fine Jewelry
• Bikini in Diamonds and Pearls necklace by Carlie Matthews of Morgan Patricia Designs
• Harmony mother-of-pearl ring by Gina Ferranti of Gigi Ferranti Jewelry
• Pink Ombre ring by Hisano Shepherd of Little h
• Opulence necklace by Hisano Shepherd of Little h
• Il Festino ring by Hisano Shepherd of Little h
• Spiral Collection earrings by Hisano Shepherd of Little h
• Dancing Butterflies ring by James Kyllonen of Kyllonen Luxury
• Love Birds Forever necklace by Jennifer Pusenkoff of Jennifer Pusenkoff Jewelry
• Pop the Bubbly earrings by Jennifer Pusenkoff of Jennifer Pusenkoff Jewelry
• Tahitian pearl and diamond earrings by Jessica Herner of Herner and Dunn
• Flower earring set by Karla Dumas
• Octopus earrings by Katy Briscoe of Katy Briscoe Jewelry
• Lydia Grows necklace by Lika Behar of Lika Behar Designs
• Four Square and a Bunch of Triangles cufflinks by Link Wachler of Link Wachler Jewelry
• Saturn ring by Llyn Strong of Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry
• Koi pendant necklace by Llyn Strong of Llyn Strong Jewelry
• Golden Waves ring by Mary Kay and Patrick Mohs of Patrick Mohs Design
• Paper Clip earrings by Mastoloni
• Crushed Ombré ring by Pamela Froman of Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry
• Orbit ring by Takayas Mizuno of Takayas Design
• Carved Pearl Parasol necklace by William Travis Kukovich of William Travis Jewelry
• Seabreeze earrings by Hector Hassey of Hector Hassey Jewelry Design 

Download high-res images for the U.S. Division here.

International Division (judged through images only)

President’s Trophy. Duet cuff by Ambika Thandavan of Ganjam Nagappa & Son (P) Ltd. in Bangalore, India. Proposed design to be made in 18k rose gold with pink and cream-color akoya pearls, pink tourmalines, and diamonds.

Luster Award. Tie! The World is My Oyster pendant necklace by Niki Kavakonis of

Niki Kavakonis Designs in Toronto, Canada, and the Ostralis pendant by Georgina Staley of Georgie’s Fine Jewellery in Australia. The World is My Oyster is made in 18k gold with a 16 mm Tahitian pearl with hand carving and hand gilding of 23k gold leaf with a stand that allows the pearl to rotate on an axis as an object of art. The Ostralis pendant is proposed to be made in 18k rose gold with large South Sea pearls, small akoya pearls, and Australian pink Argyle diamonds.

Orient Award.  Circuit earrings by Juhyun Song of Amy Eujeny Fine Jewelry in South Korea. Proposed design to be made with South Sea pearls, malachite, and diamonds.

Visionary Award for Classic Styles. Meet Me in Paris necklace by Jennifer Pusenkoff of Jennifer Pusenkoff Designs in Germany and the U.S. Proposed design to be made with South Sea and freshwater pearls in round and drop shapes in pastel colors ranging from very light pink and pinkish orange to salmon to yellow or gold and 18k gold components.

Wedding Day Pearls. Alhambra earrings by Alexandra Neskreba of NES Jewelry Design Studio in Russia. Proposed design to be made in 18k gold with diamonds and pearls.

Fashion Award. My Glamorous Armor necklace by Wei Lo, a student from Taiwan. Proposed design to be made in platinum with black and peacock-green Tahitian pearls and golden-yellow South Sea pearls.

Spotlight Award—Akoya Pearls. Universe earrings by Yuan Hsin Chang of Capstone Diamond International Ltd. in Taiwan. Proposed design to be made in 18k gold with akoya pearls and diamonds.

Honorable mentions for the International Division include the other finalists:

• Fantasy ring by Angela Lin
• First Love earrings by Daquan Wu
• Dancing Girl pendant necklace by Jieqing (Jaclyn) Ding
• Stream Pearl necklace by Hector Hassey of Hector Hassey Design
• Manhattan Bridge necklace by Meng Hsuan Lin
• Embrace brooch by Millie Ho
• Pearl Duck ring by Paula Guzmán
• Fluttershy brooch by Ray Ma
• Amour en Cage earrings by Sabina Wong
• Bird Bath ring by Yoshiko Lovella Izumi
• Hanging Gardens earrings by Yoshiko Lovella Izumi
• Pearl of the Orient necklace by Yoshiko Lovella Izumi
• Heart of the Young Grass earrings by Sylvia Jielu Zhang
• Play of Keys earrings by Kinnal Sharanappa
• Dance of Lotus bracelet by Murugesh Manickam
• Bolt of Tahiti single earring by Murugesh Manickam

The goal of the IPDC is to create compelling new pearl jewelry designs worthy of recognition, media exposure, and now, financial rewards, hopefully through sales of some entries. The CPAA celebrates pearls of all varieties and encourages seasoned and award-winning artists and beginners alike to compete in the IPDC.

Those with residences inside the U.S. competed by submitting images of pieces first, followed by a second round of judging of live goods. International participants competed with renderings and sketches alone. 

Winning pieces in the U.S. division now go on a retail store tour beginning at the Clay Pot in New York City, then traveling to Max’s in Minneapolis, and one other store. Pieces will be for sale at each location. Items that remain unsold move on to the next destination, and all unsold items at the end of the tour will be returned to their makers.

Come to the kick-off cocktail party at The Clay Pot at 22 Spring St. on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. to see the winners and sip prosecco! The winning pieces plus several Honorable Mentions will be at The Clay Pot from Nov. 1 to Friday, Nov. 16. Unsold pieces debut at Max’s on Black Friday and remain there through Dec. 7.

For more information about the CPAA, log onto www.cpaa.org.

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CPAA is a nonprofit founded in 1957. The group comprises the finest manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers, and suppliers of cultured pearls in the United States, and its goals are to improve retail marketability of pearls and cultivate demand among consumers. Through promotion, education, public relations, and unwavering commitment to the category, CPAA aims to inspire an authentic passion for all cultured pearl varieties. For more information about becoming a certified pearl expert, please visit PearlsAsOne.org. To learn more about the Cultured Pearl Association of America, please visit CPAA.org.