Every Design has a Story
At Uwe Koetter Jewellers, every piece begins with a story. A memory. A symbol. A heritage. A moment of transformation. A personal truth shaped into something that can be worn, cherished, and carried forward.
This year, we invited young creatives, hobbyists, and jewellery design students to take part in our first Design Your Story competition, an initiative created to celebrate individuality, imagination, and the art of meaningful jewellery design.
The competition opened on 2 March 2026 and closed on 31 March 2026, giving contestants the opportunity to design a jewellery piece that uniquely represented who they are. The theme, Design Your Story, encouraged entrants to explore identity, heritage, interests, tradition, personal growth, and the moments that have shaped them.
For Uwe Koetter Jewellers, this competition was about more than beautiful sketches. It was about giving exposure to young designers and jewellery enthusiasts with a passion for creative expression, whether they are pursuing jewellery as a career path or simply exploring their talent.
As jewellers, designers, and goldsmiths, we know that jewellery has always held the power to tell deeply personal stories. Through this competition, we wanted to honour that tradition while supporting the next generation of South African creatives.
From Entries to Finalists
As this was the first year of the competition, we were delighted by the response and the number of entries received. Each design offered a glimpse into the contestant’s personal world, reflecting themes of transformation, memory, nature, womanhood, heritage, resilience, and self-expression.
From the submitted entries, our judges selected their top five designs. The judging panel consisted of respected designers and goldsmiths, who assessed each submission based on the creativity of the design and the execution of the concept.
The top five finalists were announced on Monday, 13 April 2026, after which the public vote opened on Instagram and Facebook. This gave our audience the opportunity to take part in the final stage of the competition by voting for their favourite design through likes and reactions.
The final winner was announced on 28 April 2026.
The Prize
The winner of the Design Your Story competition will have their jewellery design manufactured by Uwe Koetter Jewellers, free of charge, in silver and synthetic stones.
Before manufacturing begins, the winner will receive a private consultation with our head designer, Johan Louw, and Lead CAD Designer, Margo Lewis, who will help refine the design for production. From there, they will have the opportunity to watch their concept come to life through the hands of our experienced team. They will have exclusive access to our premises and be able to visit our workshop and watch our goldsmiths and gemstone setters work on their piece.
Once completed, the finished piece will be gifted to the winner.
The four runners-up will each receive a 30% discount at Uwe Koetter Jewellers, which can be used towards either our Ready to Wear jewellery collection or a bespoke commission.
Meet the Finalists
Cameryn Linde
Cameryn Linde, a second-year jewellery design student at Ruth Prowse, created a design inspired by the dragonfly.
For Cameryn, the dragonfly represents transformation, resilience, independence, and the process of becoming. Her concept reflects her personal journey of moving to Cape Town, studying jewellery design, and building something of her own.
The dragonfly may appear delicate, but it moves with strength and precision. In the same way, Cameryn’s design speaks to the kind of strength that is not always loud or obvious, but quietly powerful.
Her piece captures a story of growth, change, freedom, and learning to trust the process.
Jana Lutzeler
Jana Lutzeler, also a second-year jewellery design student at Ruth Prowse, designed a ring inspired by the tactile intimacy of nature.
Her design features leaves gently cradling a central flower motif, echoing the simple human gesture of picking and holding a flower. Drawing from fynbos and field flora, the ring becomes a small, wearable landscape.
Through organic textures and interwoven elements, Jana’s design reflects the layered abundance of wild plant life. It is a piece that invites connection, memory, movement, and a sense of holding nature close.
Caitlin Montgomery
Caitlin Montgomery’s design tells a deeply personal story of grief, rupture, and rebuilding.
Her concept is based on the idea that we live many “lifetimes” within one life, each decade bringing a new version of ourselves. Caitlin’s design reflects the unexpected turn her life took in her twenties, when her father became ill and passed away from Early Onset Dementia.
The crack in the design represents the break in her heart and life, while the ladder symbolises the rebuilding that followed. The sapphire becomes central to this story, surrounded by the crack that represents her own experience of loss and resilience.
It is a design rooted in vulnerability, strength, and the process of finding a way forward.
Duduzile Sithole
Duduzile Sithole designed a pair of earrings featuring blue topaz gemstones.
Her concept is personal and symbolic, with blue topaz chosen to represent her birth month, December. Blue topaz is a popular modern addition to December’s birthstones and appears in a variety of shades, from light sky blue to deep London blue.
Her design celebrates the beauty of birthstones and the way gemstones can connect jewellery to personal identity, memory, and meaning.
Leandri Odendal
Leandri Odendal, a second-year student at Isa Carstens Academy, created a design inspired by elegance and the quiet strength of womanhood.
Her earrings were designed as a reminder that, no matter what one may be facing, there is power in carrying oneself with grace. Drawing inspiration from Cinderella’s resilience, Leandri’s concept speaks to kindness, inner strength, and the ability to shine through difficult moments.
Her design honours the strength women hold within themselves, even when that strength is expressed softly.
The Winner
After two weeks of suspense, our winner was decided by the public – Cameryn Linde! Linde is a second-year jewellery design student, and Ruth Prowse and we are delighted to be able to bring her beautiful and thoughtful piece to life. The manufacturing process will commence during the month of May and the beginning of June, to ensure that her piece is not rushed and looks as spectacular as her design.
Jewellery as Personal Legacy
Each finalist interpreted the theme in a distinct way. Some designs looked to nature, others to memory, identity, grief, birthstones, and womanhood. What united them all was the understanding that jewellery is never just decorative.
A piece of jewellery can become a symbol of who we are, where we come from, what we have endured, and what we hope to become.
This belief has always been central to Uwe Koetter Jewellers. Our name has been built on outstanding jewellery design, excellent craftsmanship, and the ability to transform meaningful ideas into lasting pieces.
Through Design Your Story, we are proud to continue this legacy by supporting young jewellery designers and enthusiasts in the creative community.
To our finalists, thank you for sharing your stories with us. To everyone who entered, thank you for trusting us with your creativity.
The future of jewellery design is personal, expressive, and filled with promise.
And this is only the beginning.
