The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation have announced Eleanor H. Yeh as the winner of the eighth annual Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design. Yeh, a 2024 jewelry design graduate from GIA’s London campus, was honored for her design featuring intricate goldwork, pearls, and gemstones.
The prestigious award, established in 2018 by GIA and the Buccellati Foundation, recognizes the exceptional talent of jewelry design students worldwide. Gianmaria Buccellati founded the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation in 2008 to preserve the artistic and cultural legacy of both his and his father Mario’s work in the jewelry industry.
Yeh was announced as the recipient of the award during the GIA Alumni Collective celebration in Tucson, Arizona, on February 7. The announcement was made by GIA President and CEO Susan Jacques and Larry French, Chief Officer for North American Strategies of the Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation.
Jacques shared, “These beautiful hand renderings are a reminder of the tangible, personal, and physical connection that gems and jewelry spark in each of us. That is what makes this design competition so special.”
Earlier that day, a panel of independent judges, including designers and educators, evaluated the hand-rendered designs from 14 finalists at the Alfie Norville Museum in Tucson.
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