Sculpting Excellence: Ana Khouri to Receive the 2026 Gem Award for High Jewelry
In a move that celebrates the convergence of fine art and wearable luxury, the Jewelers of America (JA) has announced that visionary designer Ana Khouri will be the recipient of the prestigious 2026 Gem Award for High Jewelry Excellence.
The announcement marks a significant milestone for the Brazilian-born, New York-based artist, whose work has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of modern high jewelry. Khouri is set to accept the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards ceremony, often hailed as the “Oscars of the jewelry industry,” which will take place on Friday, March 13, 2026, at the iconic Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
A Coronation at Cipriani: The 2026 GEM Awards
The Gem Awards are widely considered the jewelry industry’s most illustrious accolades, recognizing individuals and companies that have raised the visibility and status of fine jewelry and watches. The Gem Award for High Jewelry Excellence, in particular, is reserved for those rare creators whose collections do not merely exist within the market but actively drive consumer demand and redefine the category itself.
For the Gem Awards Committee, the choice of Ana Khouri for the 2026 honor was a recognition of her unique voice in a crowded field. Her work does not follow trends; it sculpts them.
“Through a sculptural approach rooted in fine art, Ana Khouri has established a distinct and influential voice within high jewelry, defined by exceptional craftsmanship and ethical materials,” stated Amanda Gizzi, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Jewelers of America.
Gizzi elaborated on the committee’s decision, highlighting the intellectual and emotional depth of Khouri’s creations: “Ana Khouri’s work continues to elevate the category, offering designs that resonate deeply with collectors while expanding the boundaries of what high jewelry can be.”
This recognition places Khouri among the pantheon of industry greats, validating a career spent blurring the lines between museum-quality sculpture and ergonomic adornment.
The Sculptural Approach: Redefining High Jewelry
To understand why Ana Khouri is receiving this award is to understand her unconventional path to the jewelry bench. Unlike many of her contemporaries who began as traditional goldsmiths, Khouri’s roots are firmly planted in the world of fine arts.
Born in Brazil, Khouri spent her formative years immersed in the study of sculpture. This background is the “DNA” of her eponymous brand, which she founded in 2002. For Khouri, jewelry is not simply decoration; it is a medium of sculpture that happens to be worn on the body. Her design process typically begins not with a sketch of a ring or a necklace, but with the creation of a sculpture. Only after the form is perfected in the abstract does she adapt it to the human silhouette.
Art Meets Adornment
Khouri’s designs are renowned for their ergonomic ingenuity. She is credited with popularizing the ear cuff in the realm of high jewelry, transforming it from a punk-adjacent accessory into a staple of red-carpet elegance. Her pieces often defy gravity, utilizing hidden mechanisms and counterbalances to make diamonds and gold appear as if they are floating effortlessly against the skin.
This philosophy—that the piece must mold to the wearer, rather than the wearer adjusting to the piece—was honed at her New York City salon, which she opened in 2013. It is here, in an intimate, appointment-only setting, that she presents her one-of-a-kind creations. Her work eschews the rigid symmetry of traditional high jewelry in favor of organic, fluid shapes that mimic the curves of the female form.
From The Row to the Auction Block: A Global Impact
While Khouri’s salon serves as the private heart of her brand, her influence has radiated globally through strategic partnerships and high-profile exhibitions.
A Cult Following in Fashion
One of the most significant pillars of Khouri’s commercial success and visibility has been her long-standing collaboration with The Row, the ultra-luxury fashion house founded by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Khouri is the only jeweler to create exclusive high-jewelry collections for the brand, a partnership that speaks to a shared ethos of quiet luxury, minimalism, and uncompromising quality. These limited-edition pieces have introduced her sculptural aesthetic to a devoted audience of fashion-forward collectors who view jewelry as an extension of their personal style rather than a mere display of wealth.
Commanding the Auction World
Khouri’s rise to the top of the high jewelry world has also been marked by her acceptance into the rarefied sphere of fine art auctions. She has held solo exhibitions at some of the world’s most prestigious auction houses, including Phillips, Sotheby’s, and Christie’s.
Her presence at the TEFAF New York art fair further cemented her status as an artist-jeweler. At these events, her pieces are often displayed alongside contemporary art, reinforcing the narrative that a diamond ear cuff or a tourmaline collar by Ana Khouri carries the same artistic weight as a canvas or a bronze sculpture.
A Legacy of Ethical Luxury
In an era where sustainability is increasingly scrutinized, Ana Khouri has been a pioneer of “conscientious luxury.” The Jewelers of America statement emphasized this aspect of her work as a key factor in her selection for the award.
Khouri has long been a vocal advocate for environmental and social responsibility within the supply chain. According to the JA statement, all of Khouri’s jewelry is crafted using Fairmined 18-karat gold, platinum, and ethically and responsibly sourced gemstones.
This commitment goes beyond marketing; it is woven into the operational fabric of her brand. Khouri champions the use of Fairmined gold to ensure that small-scale mining communities are treated fairly and that the environmental impact of extraction is minimized. By proving that high jewelry can be both ethically sourced and aesthetically breathtaking, she has set a new standard for excellence that the Gem Awards seeks to highlight.
A History of Recognition and Future Triumphs
The 2026 Gem Award for High Jewelry Excellence is not Khouri’s first brush with the Gem Awards. She was previously a nominee for the Gem Award for Jewelry Design in 2020, a nod that foreshadowed her eventual ascent to the top prize in the High Jewelry category.
Winning the High Jewelry Excellence award puts her in an elite circle of designers who have not only mastered their craft but have also succeeded in creating a commercial demand that revitalizes the industry. It is an acknowledgment that in 2026, “excellence” requires a blend of artistic daring, technical mastery, and ethical stewardship.
Sharing the Stage: The 2026 Ceremony
When Ana Khouri takes the stage at Cipriani 42nd Street on March 13, she will be surrounded by other titans of the trade. The evening will be a celebration of the entire ecosystem of the jewelry world, honoring achievements across various disciplines.
In addition to Khouri’s honor, the evening will feature awards in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation. The competition for the Jewelry Design category is particularly fierce this year, with nominees including Cece Fein-Hughes of Cece Jewellery, Silvia Furmanovich, and Catherine Sarr of Almasika—all of whom represent the diverse future of the industry.
Furthermore, the night will pay tribute to two legends of jewelry retail. Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the monumental Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Udells are being honored for their decades of leadership and for building London Jewelers into one of the country’s premier destinations for luxury watches and fine jewelry. Their presence alongside Khouri underscores the event’s theme of bridging the gap between historic legacy and avant-garde innovation.
Conclusion
As March 2026 approaches, the jewelry industry prepares to applaud a woman who dared to treat gold like clay and diamonds like paint. Ana Khouri’s selection for the Gem Award for High Jewelry Excellence is a testament to the power of a singular artistic vision.
By fusing the disciplines of sculpture and gemology, and by anchoring her practice in unwavering ethical standards, Khouri has done more than just create beautiful objects—she has expanded the vocabulary of high jewelry. Her win is a victory for those who believe that the ultimate luxury lies in the harmony between art, the body, and the earth.
