Courtesy MJSA

The Oceana pendant by Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Fine Jewelry, winner of two awards

MJSA has announced the winners of the 2015 Vision Awards, its annual awards honoring designers.

The winning designs will be featured at the 2016 MJSA Expo in March in New York City as well as in the August 2015 issue of the MJSA Journal.

The design judges for the competition were Michael Coan of the Fashion Institute of Technology; Jason Dow of Jason Dow Jewelry; Cindy Edelstein of the Jeweler’s Resource Bureau; Lee Krombholz of Krombholz Jewelers/Just Like You Designs; Joel McFadden of Joel McFadden Designs; and Eva Martin of Eva Martin Jewelry. Eugene Brill of Jewelry.com and Andrea Hill of StrategyWerx judged the Digital Marketing Distinction entries. 

The winners are: 

Professional Division (4+ Years in Business)

First Place: Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry, Laguna Beach, Calif., for his Oceana pendant. “The pendant features a 32.86 ct. aquamarine (cut by Stephen Avery) and Spectra gold that transforms seamlessly through seven shades, from yellow to white,” according to the winners announcement.

Second Place: Annie Koenig, Annie K Jewelry in Louisville, Ky., for her Diamond Wave earrings, “which feature curved strips of 14k yellow and white gold that naturally rotate as they are worn.”

Professional Division (1–3 Years in Business)

First Place: Baiyang Qiu, BQ Jewelry, Milpitas, Calif., for “a pair of hand-fabricated earrings featuring 4 mm rubies bezel-set in 18k yellow wire constructions.” 

Second Place: Hisano Shepherd, little h, Los Angeles, for “earrings made from a freshwater soufflé pearl cut in half and affixed with yellow and pink sapphires.”

Laser Distinction (sponsored by LaserStar Technologies)

Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry, Laguna Beach, Calif., for his Oceana pendant.

CAD/CAM Distinction (sponsored by EnvisionTEC)

Annie Koenig, Annie K Jewelry in Louisville, Ky., for her Diamond Wave earrings.

Custom Design Distinction (sponsored by Century Casting Co. Inc.)

Krista Robertson, Green Lake Jewelry Works, Seattle, for a “950 platinum engagement ring that tastefully features an 18k cast grasshopper—one of the family symbols that the client asked to have incorporated into the ring.”

Digital Marketing Distinction (sponsored by StrategyWerx)

Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry, Greenville, S.C., for a “program that effectively engages customers with new designs and allows them to share images.”

“Future of the Industry” Student Awards (sponsored by the MJSA Education Foundation) 

First Place: Diana Telesheva, Moscow State University of Design & Technology, Moscow, for her Butterflies ring, “which uses the plique-à-jour enameling technique to replicate a butterfly’s translucent wings.”

Second Place: Eunhwa Son, University of Kansas, Belton, Mo., for two neckpieces, Endless Growth, “which features laser-cut acrylic remnants that were electroformed and silver plated,” and Illusions, “primarily made of black and white paper.” 

Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine