YAEL DESIGNS
Founded by Yehouda Saketkhou in San Francisco, Yael Designs arrives at Centurion with a new product line centered around the stone. As the brand approaches its 25th anniversary, the brand explores one-of-a-kind jewels led by exceptional stones. On the business front, Saketkhou notes a renewed clarity around merchandising and scale. “Our merchandising is very focused now, and it’s proven to move well with our retail partners.” Holiday memo testing confirmed the direction, with strong sell-through and momentum. “We saw a lot of memo sales, which was really exciting,” he adds.
Design inspiration continues to draw from “architecture and travel,” grounded in “structure and proportion.” For the milestone anniversary, the brand is working on limited-edition pieces that highlight core motifs and signature looks. “The collection will be called ‘The Odyssey’ – that’s all we can say at this moment in time,” says the founder. Technical precision remains central. “We’re focusing heavily on precision-cut stones – making sure they’re not too deep, that the proportions are right, and that they deliver full luster and brilliance,” says Saketkhou, whose preferred shapes include ovals, Asschers, square emerald cuts and increasingly hexagons, paired with platinum and 18-karat yellow and white gold.
“At the end of the day, it’s less about size or trends and more about how beautifully the stone is cut and how it lives within the design.” Saketkhou’s philosophy extends to current style shifts, where clients are embracing intentional irregularity. What’s driving this is a shift in how people want jewellery to feel, he remarks. “They want pieces that look collected rather than matched… Mixed shapes add depth and visual interest, and they allow the stone cutting to really shine.”
w: yaeldesigns.com
GURHAN
At Centurion this season, Gurhan Orhan presents two parallel narratives that underpins his role “as a steward of history and rare artistry.” Together, they signal an evolution toward what Orhan describes as the “Jewel as Artifact,” as he moves beyond traditional adornment to create a more curatorial experience for the collector.
The Lost Art Capsule extends the brand’s philosophy of “reincarnation” into the realm of vintage ceramics. Orhan has sourced “lost moments of refined craftsmanship,” including are Toshikane buttons from post-war Japan, royal crests from Limoges, France, and pastoral scenes from Denton, England. These painted porcelains, prized for their narrative detail and colour, are preserved through, what he describes as a “custom fortress” of hand-hammered 24k gold – designed, he shares, to “ensure this fragile artistry is protected and worn forever.”
Additionally, the brand is introducing One-Of-A-Kind Pendants shaped by provenance and the designer’s signature ‘crown’ aesthetic. The collection centres on North American turquoise – Royston, Kingman Spiderweb and Sleeping Beauty – paired with antiquities such as Viking and Byzantine bronze crosses. A notable highlight is the ‘crown’ setting – a 24k gold cap embellished with brilliant-cut diamonds, combined with functional 18k gold detachable bales. “This allows the wearer to transform these substantial pendants by moving them between heavy chains, leather cords, or pearls.”
Across both collections, the design language is shaped by contrast. “The work is defined by a dialogue between organic preservation and architectural structure,” Orhan explains. Hammered 24k gold bezels act as protective frameworks, while amorphous, freeform silhouettes allow each material and stone to determine its own form. “This lets the natural shape of the turquoise or emerald dictate the design,” he adds. The collections, inspired by Orhan’s lifelong passion for “art, history, and craftsmanship” invite the wearer to become “the guardian of a specific moment in art history.”
w:gurhan.com
GOSHWARA
Founder of Goshwara, Sweta Jain explores her signature language of modern classics. This year, she has added a new cushion shape to one of her most popular collections – Manhattan. Goshwara, which specialises in high-end coloured stones, plays with a “softer, more feminine” counterpoint to silhouettes that have long defined the brand.
The designer has curated the GC Collection – Goshwara Classics in limited colours and gold motifs. The emerald cut, a beloved shape, finds its way yet again into opals, rubies and tanzanites. These gems continue to perform well for Goshwara across seasons. “Perhaps they are great neutrals – and that always works in their favour,” Jain remarks. Rendered in 18k gold, the GC collection includes about a dozen styles across eight colours, priced from $2,600 to $6,800. Inspired by medallion pendants, the designs incorporate colour through a classic lens, with pieces such as pink opal drop earrings inspired by mosaic. Goshwara’s one-of-a-kind jewels continue to be guided by “the stone itself, architecture, or nature.”