How Platinum is Inspiring Jewelry’s Brightest Designers
COUTURE in Las Vegas continues to shine as the premier destination for the world’s finest jewelry designers, and 2024 is no exception. In its third consecutive year, the COUTURE Platinum Spotlight Program has invited four new designers to join seven returning alumni, to showcase how platinum transforms their creative visions into showstopping designs.
The mix of alumni and newcomers showcases how platinum continues to inspire fine jewelry, with each designer exploring the metal’s unique ability to enhance their creative vision. As these talented artists step out of their comfort zones, they’re realizing that platinum doesn’t just complement their visions — it transforms them.
Let’s meet these designers and explore how platinum has inspired their latest creations.
Beck, a returning designer, is known for crafting heirloom-worthy pieces that evoke the beauty of life by the sea. For her, platinum embodies both durability and timelessness, making it the ideal material for creating jewelry that is meant to be passed down through generations. She explains, “The idea of heirloom pieces and the idea of the durability of a piece really excites me. There’s something about platinum that not only is it timeless but it’s durable and something really special.”
An alumna of the program, Lauren Harwell Godfrey is known for her bold designs and rich color palettes. This year platinum has pushed her to think in new and exciting ways about materiality. On her experience working with platinum Harwell Godfrey notes, “That’s the thing with platinum. I think it has presence. I think the color is really beautiful. I like it more than white gold. I think platinum has a depth of color that’s really special.”
Jade Ruzzo, known for bold, metal-heavy designs, used platinum this year to showcase the brilliance of gemstones. Not only that, but Jade also experimented with new materials and textures. Reflecting on her Platinum Spotlight piece, Jade remarks how she loves “the diamond against the platinum because it really shows off how white the platinum is. I love that, diamonds really pop against it, but this time went in a different route. Now that I’ve worked with colored stones with platinum, I see how warm and rich it feels even though it still has that whiteness. So, it’s been a really, really fun experiment.”
A newcomer to the Platinum Spotlight Program, Mike Joseph is known for creating jewelry that celebrates individuality, and he finds platinum to be the perfect medium for his vision. His brand partner praises its unmatched strength and lasting beauty, stating that platinum is, “beautiful, it’s strong, it never loses its color, so it’s authentic. Platinum is going to be as beautiful as the first day you purchased it. It’s eternally beautiful!”
For Renato Cipullo, platinum’s natural grayish color and lack of need for rhodium plating make it an elegant and sophisticated choice. “I find the natural grayish color very elegant and sophisticated,” he says, appreciating it more than white gold for its timeless beauty.
Retrouvaí’s designs often center around diamonds, making platinum the ideal metal to bring their brilliance to life. On her experience working with platinum Kirsty Stone notes, “No other metal really brings a diamond to life like platinum does. And I always work a lot with diamond and platinum together, because to me it’s a match made.”
Renowned for his designs that merge tradition with modernity, Selim Mouzannar joins the Platinum Spotlight Program for the first time. He has a deep connection to platinum, a metal he finds authentic and timeless. Selim remarks, “I have a very strong relationship with platinum as a metal in the way I feel it, in the way I touch it, in the way I look at it. It’s a very special metal, it’s in my mind and my heart.”
A newcomer to the program, Single Stone brings a love for vintage-inspired designs and an appreciation for how platinum wears over time. This year Corina Madilian found herself drawn to platinum’s patina noting how, “I’m a big fan of the look and texture that platinum takes on when it’s lived in, you can tell that something is loved by how it’s worn and how it is worn throughout their journey. Love the density and love the weight! I love the fact that it is something that is so resilient. It is a strong metal.”
Traditionally a yellow gold brand, Sorellina continues to explore new color palettes with platinum. This year Nicole Carosella remarks that, “Platinum is the true white metal and to have that with no plating is really beautiful, you’re getting the metal in its purest form. And platinum doesn’t wear, so it’s a strong metal. It is a heavy and a cool metal. The weight of platinum and the color of platinum just feel special.”
Known for their minimalist and intricate designs, Ten Thousand Things has a deep appreciation for platinum’s unique properties, especially how it polishes and reflects light.
David Rees loves how, “it polishes and what happens to the edge when you really finely polished platinum. The light reflection that platinum gives you is just – not like anything else.” While Ron Anderson appreciates how, “Platinum looks like platinum. It doesn’t look like anything else. You don’t think it’s silver you don’t think its white gold. It has an amazing grayish glow to it. There’s just nothing like it.”
Known for blending boldness with timeless charm, Walters Faith returns this year as a Platinum Spotlight alumni. This year the brand found that platinum brings a fresh brightness to their collections, which are often centered around rose gold. On their experience working with platinum, Stephanie Walters Abramow reflects that, “The whiteness and the purity of platinum very effortlessly, ties all our collections together. It’s almost like that blender. If you put it in where it might look very monochromatic – and all rose or all yellow – it really just brightens the case.”
Beck, a returning designer, is known for crafting heirloom-worthy pieces that evoke the beauty of life by the sea. For her, platinum embodies both durability and timelessness, making it the ideal material for creating jewelry that is meant to be passed down through generations. She explains, “The idea of heirloom pieces and the idea of the durability of a piece really excites me. There’s something about platinum that not only is it timeless but it’s durable and something really special.”
An alumna of the program, Lauren Harwell Godfrey is known for her bold designs and rich color palettes. This year platinum has pushed her to think in new and exciting ways about materiality. On her experience working with platinum Harwell Godfrey notes, “That’s the thing with platinum. I think it has presence. I think the color is really beautiful. I like it more than white gold. I think platinum has a depth of color that’s really special.”
Jade Ruzzo, known for bold, metal-heavy designs, used platinum this year to showcase the brilliance of gemstones. Not only that, but Jade also experimented with new materials and textures. Reflecting on her Platinum Spotlight piece, Jade remarks how she loves “the diamond against the platinum because it really shows off how white the platinum is. I love that, diamonds really pop against it, but this time went in a different route. Now that I’ve worked with colored stones with platinum, I see how warm and rich it feels even though it still has that whiteness. So, it’s been a really, really fun experiment.”
A newcomer to the Platinum Spotlight Program, Mike Joseph is known for creating jewelry that celebrates individuality, and he finds platinum to be the perfect medium for his vision. His brand partner praises its unmatched strength and lasting beauty, stating that platinum is, “beautiful, it’s strong, it never loses its color, so it’s authentic. Platinum is going to be as beautiful as the first day you purchased it. It’s eternally beautiful!”
For Renato Cipullo, platinum’s natural grayish color and lack of need for rhodium plating make it an elegant and sophisticated choice. “I find the natural grayish color very elegant and sophisticated,” he says, appreciating it more than white gold for its timeless beauty.
Retrouvaí’s designs often center around diamonds, making platinum the ideal metal to bring their brilliance to life. On her experience working with platinum Kirsty Stone notes, “No other metal really brings a diamond to life like platinum does. And I always work a lot with diamond and platinum together, because to me it’s a match made.”
Renowned for his designs that merge tradition with modernity, Selim Mouzannar joins the Platinum Spotlight Program for the first time. He has a deep connection to platinum, a metal he finds authentic and timeless. Selim remarks, “I have a very strong relationship with platinum as a metal in the way I feel it, in the way I touch it, in the way I look at it. It’s a very special metal, it’s in my mind and my heart.”
A newcomer to the program, Single Stone brings a love for vintage-inspired designs and an appreciation for how platinum wears over time. This year Corina Madilian found herself drawn to platinum’s patina noting how, “I’m a big fan of the look and texture that platinum takes on when it’s lived in, you can tell that something is loved by how it’s worn and how it is worn throughout their journey. Love the density and love the weight! I love the fact that it is something that is so resilient. It is a strong metal.”
Traditionally a yellow gold brand, Sorellina continues to explore new color palettes with platinum. This year Nicole Carosella remarks that, “Platinum is the true white metal and to have that with no plating is really beautiful, you’re getting the metal in its purest form. And platinum doesn’t wear, so it’s a strong metal. It is a heavy and a cool metal. The weight of platinum and the color of platinum just feel special.”
Known for their minimalist and intricate designs, Ten Thousand Things has a deep appreciation for platinum’s unique properties, especially how it polishes and reflects light.
David Rees loves how, “it polishes and what happens to the edge when you really finely polished platinum. The light reflection that platinum gives you is just – not like anything else.” While Ron Anderson appreciates how, “Platinum looks like platinum. It doesn’t look like anything else. You don’t think it’s silver you don’t think its white gold. It has an amazing grayish glow to it. There’s just nothing like it.”
Known for blending boldness with timeless charm, Walters Faith returns this year as a Platinum Spotlight alumni. This year the brand found that platinum brings a fresh brightness to their collections, which are often centered around rose gold. On their experience working with platinum, Stephanie Walters Abramow reflects that, “The whiteness and the purity of platinum very effortlessly, ties all our collections together. It’s almost like that blender. If you put it in where it might look very monochromatic – and all rose or all yellow – it really just brightens the case.”
