Kering has announced the winners of the second edition of the Kering Generation Award X Jewelry, recognising breakthrough ideas that advance sustainability and innovation in the jewellery industry. The awards ceremony took place on 9 July at Kering’s headquarters in Paris during Paris Haute Couture Week.

Developed in partnership with CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation and under the scientific coordination of POLI.design – Politecnico di Milano, the award brought together 44 startups and students from 10 leading universities and academies worldwide. The initiative builds on Kering’s Generation Award, first launched in China in 2018 and expanded to the jewellery sector in 2024 to encourage environmentally responsible innovation.

This year’s competition was centred on the theme “Second Chance, First Choice”, inviting participants to develop solutions that reduce the environmental footprint of the jewellery industry through circular design, new materials, improved processes, services and technological innovation, including artificial intelligence.

The Student Category was won by Yang Yuchan (China) for Perching Willow, a contemporary jewellery project that transforms discarded compact discs into fine jewellery using traditional Chinese lacquer techniques and mother-of-pearl inlay craftsmanship. The work recreates the iridescence of natural mother-of-pearl through recycled materials.

The Startup Category winner was GeoGems (France) for OriGems, a scientific traceability solution designed to verify the origin of gemstones. The project addresses one of the jewellery industry’s key challenges by enabling gemstone provenance to be scientifically authenticated rather than relying solely on declarations.

The awards were presented by Professor Alba Cappellieri, Head of Jewellery and Fashion Accessories Programmes at Politecnico di Milano, and Gaetano Cavalieri, President of CIBJO.

Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering, said the award demonstrates how the next generation is redefining sustainable jewellery through the convergence of craftsmanship, technology and environmental responsibility. Gaetano Cavalieri added that the finalists’ projects reflected the expectations and values of emerging consumers while offering valuable insights into the future direction of the jewellery industry.

As part of their awards, Yang Yuchan will undertake a six-month internship with Kering jewellery maison Pomellato, while GeoGems will receive mentorship from experts at Politecnico di Milano to help further develop its technology.