Here Are the Winners of JA’s 2019 CASE Awards

Jewelers of America has announced the winners of its 2019 CASE Awards for retail members, including this necklace, which won first place in the “Jewelry $5,001 to $10,000” category. (Photo courtesy of Bart Gorin Photography)

April 30, 2019

New York—Jewelers of America held the judging for its 29th annual CASE Awards for jewelry design a few weeks ago, and the winners have been announced.

JA’s national design competition for jewelry retailers recognizes its retail members who exhibit creativity, artistry, style and excellence in jewelry design.

A panel of judges selected first and second place winners from 54 entries from retail members in four retail pricing categories: Jewelry to $2,000; $2,001 to $5,000; $5,001 to $10,000; and $10,001 and over.

The judges were National Jeweler’s Brecken Branstrator; Amy Elliott, JCK contributor and All That Glitters columnist; Deirdre Featherstone of Featherstone Design; Jewelers of America’s Amanda Gizzi; JB Jones, co-founder of NYC Jewelry Week; Erica Silverglide of GemologyGeek; and Maria Tsangaropoulos, GIA Jewelry Manufacturing Arts instructor.

They evaluated each pieced based on overall design, marketability, practicality/wearability and quality of manufacture.

Here are the competition’s eight winners. (Photos courtesy of Bart Gorin Photography)

First place in Jewelry Up to $2,000. Designed by Chris Jensen of C3 Designs in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A pair of sterling silver and 14-karat yellow gold earrings with rough selenite crystal and rough black tourmaline crystal, accented with bezel set rainbow topaz cabochon, topaz, London Blue Topaz and diamonds.
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Second place in Jewelry Up to $2,000. Designed by Sharon Curtiss-Gal of The Gem Vault in Flemington, New Jersey. A 14-karat rose and white gold necklace featuring an Australian opal (1.20 total carats) and diamonds on a 14-karat rose gold chain.
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First place in Jewelry $2,001 to $5,000. Designed by Ricardo Basta of Ricardo Basta Fine Jewelry in Los Angeles. A 14-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 7.05-carat heat treated blue zircon with round brilliant cut diamonds weighing 0.12 total carats.
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Second place in Jewelry $2,001 to $5,000. Designed by Marianne Vander Wall of Devon Fine Jewelry in Wyckoff, New Jersey. An 18-karat rose gold pendant with a 6.43-carat bezel-set kite shape peridot dangling from a 0.96-carat trillion green tourmaline with three bezel-set diamonds.
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First place in Jewelry $5,001 to $10,000. Designed by Thomas Dailing of Lee Ayers Jewelers in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The “Nova” 14-karat white gold pendant holding an 18.97-carat concave faceted citrine, accented with 33 round diamonds weighing a total 0.85 carats.
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Second place in Jewelry $5,001 to $10,000. Designed by Irina Orshansky of Bella Fine Jewelry in Guilderland, New York. A decanter made with silver, 22-karat yellow gold plated, gilding, glass and enamel, featuring the owner’s monogram.
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First place in Jewelry $10,001 & Over. Designed by Ricardo Basta of Ricardo Basta Fine Jewelry in Los Angeles. A pair of 18-karat yellow gold earrings with two trillion-cut pink tourmalines (weighing 35.49 total carats), two round faceted aquamarines (3.22 total carat weight), 372 round brilliant-cut fancy intense yellow diamonds (1.55 total carats), six round faceted pink sapphires weighing 0.16 carats total and six round faceted aquamarines weighing 0.22 total carats.
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Second place in Jewelry $10,001 & Over. Designed by Faye Kim of Faye Kim Fine Jewelry in Westport, Connecticut. A 28.80-carat natural Australian crystal opal ring set in 18-karat green gold with a band of micro pave-set diamonds weighing 0.42 total carats.
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First place in Jewelry Up to $2,000. Designed by Chris Jensen of C3 Designs in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A pair of sterling silver and 14-karat yellow gold earrings with rough selenite crystal and rough black tourmaline crystal, accented with bezel set rainbow topaz cabochon, topaz, London Blue Topaz and diamonds.

Second place in Jewelry Up to $2,000. Designed by Sharon Curtiss-Gal of The Gem Vault in Flemington, New Jersey. A 14-karat rose and white gold necklace featuring an Australian opal (1.20 total carats) and diamonds on a 14-karat rose gold chain.

First place in Jewelry $2,001 to $5,000. Designed by Ricardo Basta of Ricardo Basta Fine Jewelry in Los Angeles. A 14-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 7.05-carat heat treated blue zircon with round brilliant cut diamonds weighing 0.12 total carats.

Second place in Jewelry $2,001 to $5,000. Designed by Marianne Vander Wall of Devon Fine Jewelry in Wyckoff, New Jersey. An 18-karat rose gold pendant with a 6.43-carat bezel-set kite shape peridot dangling from a 0.96-carat trillion green tourmaline with three bezel-set diamonds.

First place in Jewelry $5,001 to $10,000. Designed by Thomas Dailing of Lee Ayers Jewelers in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The “Nova” 14-karat white gold pendant holding an 18.97-carat concave faceted citrine, accented with 33 round diamonds weighing a total 0.85 carats.

Second place in Jewelry $5,001 to $10,000. Designed by Irina Orshansky of Bella Fine Jewelry in Guilderland, New York. A decanter made with silver, 22-karat yellow gold plated, gilding, glass and enamel, featuring the owner’s monogram.

First place in Jewelry $10,001 & Over. Designed by Ricardo Basta of Ricardo Basta Fine Jewelry in Los Angeles. A pair of 18-karat yellow gold earrings with two trillion-cut pink tourmalines (weighing 35.49 total carats), two round faceted aquamarines (3.22 total carat weight), 372 round brilliant-cut fancy intense yellow diamonds (1.55 total carats), six round faceted pink sapphires weighing 0.16 carats total and six round faceted aquamarines weighing 0.22 total carats.

Second place in Jewelry $10,001 & Over. Designed by Faye Kim of Faye Kim Fine Jewelry in Westport, Connecticut. A 28.80-carat natural Australian crystal opal ring set in 18-karat green gold with a band of micro pave-set diamonds weighing 0.42 total carats.

All first and second place winners will receive a customized CASE Award trophy and national and local media coverage.

“The CASE Awards shine a spotlight on the custom designs of the talented jewelers in Jewelers of America Member stores across the country,” JA President & CEO David J. Bonaparte said. “We are excited to offer a national platform to recognize the creativity and fine craftsmanship of these JA members.”

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