Winning the Tahitian Pearl Trophy: Ashleigh Branstetter's Pearl Award Legacy

Ashleigh Branstetter® has spent decades creating jewelry that the world’s most prestigious organizations stop to recognize. Among the rarest honors she has received are those from the pearl world — an industry that values not just beauty, but a deep understanding of the ocean’s most luminous gem. Her pearl award record spans nearly two decades and includes two of the most coveted distinctions in cultured pearl jewelry.

The Perles de Tahiti North American Pearl Trophy

The Perles de Tahiti Pearl Trophy is awarded by the Gemès de Tahiti organization, which oversees the promotion of genuine Tahitian pearls worldwide. The Trophy recognizes jewelry designers who demonstrate exceptional artistry in the use of Tahitian cultured pearls — prized for their extraordinary range of natural color, from deep peacock green to midnight silver and aubergine.

Ashleigh won the Perles de Tahiti North American Pearl Trophy twice, a remarkable achievement that reflects her mastery of pearl-centered design.

2004 Pearl Trophy — Tahitian Pearl Drop Earrings

Ashleigh’s first Pearl Trophy win came in 2004 for a pair of extraordinary Tahitian pearl drop earrings set in 18-karat gold. Each earring features a luminous Tahitian pearl suspended from sculpted gold petals — a graceful, organic design that captures the natural beauty of the pearl while elevating it with refined craftsmanship. This win not only announced Ashleigh as a serious force in pearl jewelry design, it also planted the seed for something much larger: the Signature Ruffle© design. The sculptural petal form in those earrings became the genesis of Ashleigh’s most iconic and recognizable design motif — one that has since defined her entire collection.

2006 Pearl Trophy — Tahitian Pearl Design

Two years later, Ashleigh returned to claim the Pearl Trophy again in 2006 — a testament to the consistency and evolution of her design vision. Back-to-back recognition from one of the pearl industry’s most respected competitions is a distinction few designers anywhere in the world can claim.

The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) — Honorable Mention

The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) is the leading industry organization dedicated to promoting cultured pearls in the American market. Their annual design competition draws entries from fine jewelry designers nationwide, with awards recognizing excellence in craftsmanship, design innovation, and the artful use of cultured pearls.

In 2018, Ashleigh received a CPAA Honorable Mention for her extraordinary Magnolia Pearl Ring — one of her most celebrated and recognizable designs.

The Magnolia Pearl Ring

The Magnolia Pearl Ring is a masterwork of sculptural jewelry design. At its center sits a luminous Tahitian pearl, cradled within a magnolia blossom crafted in platinum. The petals — rendered in matte-finished platinum — frame the pearl with organic grace, while a pavé of brilliant diamonds traces the shank for an added touch of brilliance. The result is a ring that feels simultaneously architectural and natural: bold enough to command attention, refined enough to be timeless.

The Magnolia Pearl Ring embodies everything that defines Ashleigh’s design philosophy: rare materials, sculptural form, and an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship. It is no surprise that the CPAA recognized it among the finest pearl jewelry designs in the country.

A Rare Pearl Design Legacy

Taken together, Ashleigh’s three pearl award recognitions — two Perles de Tahiti Pearl Trophy wins and a CPAA Honorable Mention — place her among a very select group of American jewelry designers who have been recognized repeatedly and across multiple organizations for their work with pearls.

For Ashleigh, pearls are not an accessory to a design — they are the soul of it. Each piece begins with the pearl: its overtone, its size, its character. The jewelry is built to honor that. This approach, rooted in a GIA Graduate Gemologist’s understanding of gemstones and a sculptor’s sensitivity to form, is what sets her pearl jewelry apart.

Explore Pearl Jewelry by Ashleigh Branstetter®

Whether you are drawn to the organic luster of a Tahitian pearl, the classic elegance of a South Sea pearl, or the soft glow of freshwater cultured pearls, Ashleigh’s designs offer something rare: pearl jewelry made by a designer who truly understands what she is working with. Based in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Ashleigh creates bespoke and collection pieces for clients who value beauty, artistry, and meaning.

Explore pearl necklaces and pendants or inquire about a custom pearl design — and wear a piece of award-winning legacy.