Austin, Texas—Fine jewelry store Eliza Page has announced the winners of its “Austin Shines” awards, a jewelry design contest that spotlights local creativity in a market often dominated by global names.
Jamie Turner Designs took home the “Judges’ Shining Star” award, while Claire Sommers Buck Jewelry won the “People’s Choice Shining Star” award. Second-place prizes in each category brought the total to four winners.
Each winner received a package designed to support long-term growth: a cash prize, business consulting, a one-year membership to the Austin chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association, and a six-month residency at Eliza Page.
Jamie Turner Designs, founded by Texas native Robert Turner and master jeweler Patrick Dobbs, is one of the standout stories. Turner began collecting gemstones in the early 2000s and started designing jewelry in 2017. He partnered with Dobbs in 2020, launching Jamie Turner Designs in 2022—named after Turner’s daughter.
Claire Sommers Buck Jewelry, meanwhile, reflects its founder’s deep inspiration from ancient world cultures. A native Texan, Sommers Buck handcrafts her pieces in her East Austin studio, using nationally sourced gemstones and metals. Her early love for handmade art grew out of her parents’ ceramic studio. In 2009, she refined her skills at the Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, cementing her passion for metalsmithing.
The winning collections will be showcased at Eliza Page in-store and online until Oct. 31. Alongside these collections, original designs created by finalists—each incorporating a salt-and-pepper diamond provided by Eliza Page—are also available for purchase.
Proceeds from these finalist pieces will be donated to the Center for Child Protection, Travis County’s only nonprofit dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes against children. The center uses a trauma-informed approach to support young victims of abuse or violence.
This year also marks Eliza Page’s 20th anniversary. Founder Elizabeth Gibson, who first introduced “Austin Shines” in 2010, revived the contest this year to celebrate the milestone.
By merging local artistry with community impact, Eliza Page positions “Austin Shines” as more than an award show—it’s a statement. But the question remains: can independent designers and salt-and-pepper diamonds win long-term attention in an industry still obsessed with global luxury brands and the rise of lab grown diamonds?
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