VIPs Dazzle at the 2019 Town & Country Jewelry Awards

The second annual Town & Country Jewelry Awards ceremony was, not surprisingly, a great opportunity to spot some incredible fine jewelry on the red carpet. The awards program is a partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue and is designed to recognize unmatched jewelry talent and general excellence within 12 categories, including Breakthrough Designer of the Year, Collection of the Year, Champion of the Year, Innovator of the Year, Red Carpet Stylist of the Year.

The winners, selected by a panel of Town & Country editors, designers, collectors, and influencers, were announced in the Hearst-owned publication’s February issue and feted last night in the window-wrapped Gold Room at the top of the Standard hotel in New York City.

The dress code instructed guests to “dress brilliantly” and VIPs such as actress Kelly Ripa, figure skater Adam Rippon, author Candace Bushnell, models Hilary Rhoda, Doutzen Kroes, and Leyna Bloom, and other attendees definitely whipped out (or borrowed) their best and most dramatic jewels, including a few “holy grails” in the words of Town & Country’s editor-in-chief Stellene Volandes (a perennial, uniquely passionate champion of fine jewelry design in her own right).

Lucia Silvestri Town and Country awards — *Lucia Silvestri at the 2019 Town & Country Jewelry Awards (photo: Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com)*

Lucia Silvestri, creative director of Bulgari, accepted her Collection of the Year award (for Wild Pop, a colorful fantasia on the extravagant 1980s) wearing a necklace from the collection featuring diamonds and rubies.

And, as expected, there was plenty of Bulgari on display in the room.

Lady Kitty Spencer Town and Country — *Lady Kitty Spencer at the 2019 Town & Country Jewelry Awards (photo: Mike Vitelli/BFA.com)*

The exquisite Lady Kitty Spencer (the late Princess Diana’s niece), a Bulgari brand ambassador who presented Silvestri’s award, lit up the night in the house’s Serpenti necklace and earrings, both featuring rubies and diamonds, and a trio of diamond rings.

And Volandes likewise charmed the crowd in a magnificent Serpenti diamond suite lead by a necklace featuring more than 75 cts.’ worth of pear-shape and pavé diamonds.