AWARDS & HONORS
First Accredited Gem Lab in the state of Arkansas (1961)
“Best Single-Store Jeweler” in America
National Jeweler Hall of Fame inducted Bill Underwood (1991)
Robert M. Shipley Award, the highest award in the industry, awarded to Bill Underwood (1993)
Entrepreneur of the Year awarded to Bill Underwood by Sam Walton Business School (2004)
“Triple-0” Award given to Bill Underwood (2005)
“America’s Coolest Store” by InStore Magazine (2006)
Leading Independent Jeweler by Town & Country (2013)
AR Parks and Recreation Volunteer of the Year given to Laura Underwood (2018)
Distinguished Alumni Award given to Bill Underwood by the University of Arkansas Alumni Association in 2019
Robert M. Shipley Award, the highest award in the industry, awarded to Craig Underwood (2022)
Legacy Business of the Year awarded to Underwoods by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce (2022)
20 Under 40 recipient Troy Underwood selected by Jewelers of America
CUSTOM DESIGN AWARDS
2016: Emmy Awards
On rare occasions, Mother Nature creates diamonds with a distinct and beautiful color and they are called “Fancy Colored Diamonds.” Many colors are extremely rare and this masterful combination of colors and shapes will dazzle the eye with its wide pallet of natural colored diamonds. Pink, purple, green, orange and yellow … just a few of the enticing array of 45 natural fancy colored diamonds featured in this one-of-a-kind bracelet. The 994 fully cut white accent diamonds are individually hand set. This bracelet already has a famous history as it graced the red carpet of the Emmy awards by celebrity reporter Natalie Morales of Access Hollywood. Featured in magazines and news stories, Underwood’s was recognized across the industry when Underwood’s was asked to participate in Hollywood’s Emmy Awards.
2014: CASE Award Winner
Jewelers of America, the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry retail marketplace, has awarded Craig Underwood, Becki Lamascus and Tom Weishaar, of Fayetteville’s Underwood’s Fine Jewelers, a first-place award in the 2014 CASE Awards, the association’s annual jewelry design competition. The team competed among more than 63 jewelers in the competition. The CASE Awards recognize the creativity, artistry, style and excellence in jewelry design from top jewelers across the nation. It was held in March at the JA New York trade show.
2012: CASE Award Honorable Mention
This Underwood custom creation is one of our latest award winners, winning Honorable Mention in the national CASE award from Jewelers of America, representing more than 5000 jewelry stores nationwide, and recognizing Creativity, Artistry, Style, and Excellence. Made in platinum and 18 carat pink gold, the center diamond is over 2 carats and is perfectly cut.
2012: Emmy Awards
Underwoods was invited to create a custom-made diamond bracelet for the 2012 Emmys in Hollywood, California. Access Hollywood reporter Shaun Robinson wore the bracelet during the red carpet event. The bracelet contains eight opaque faceted diamonds, weighing 17.65 carats, each in a hand forged solid gold setting. The bracelet was designed and custom made in Underwood’s own shops and is one-of-a-kind.
2002: AGTA Platinum Honors Award
Made of platinum with 18K yellow gold accents, this Tanzanite pendant won the prestigious “Platinum Honors Award” in 2002, the industry’s premier platinum design competition. Underwood’s is the first and only jeweler in Arkansas to be awarded a Platinum Honors Award.
International Pearl Design Award
These custom designed cuff links won the prestigious International Pearl Design Competition held in Tokyo, Japan. From a field of over 1000 entries, representing 46 countries world wide, this design from Underwood’s was the highest ranking U.S. entry in this highly competitive contest.
1999: Spectrum Award winner
The Underwood Design Team has won a coveted Spectrum Award, the most prestigious U.S. Designer Award for excellence in design.
The Spectrum Award is the nation’s most prestigious colored gemstone jewelry contest, attracting the nation’s top designers. Underwood’s is the first and only jeweler in Arkansas to be awarded a Spectrum Design Award.
1978: Smithsonian Institution
Underwood’s was one of only 33 jewelers in the nation selected to create a piece of jewelry for the Smithsonian Institutions’ “Smithsonian Americas Collection.”
2000: Carat Award Competition
Underwood’s won first place in the Carat Award competition for excellence of design and construction using a “laser welding” technique where all pieces are joined with a special laser welding machine.
2024: Underwoods Earns 1st Place in Jewelers of America National Design Competition
Underwoods took top honors in the Retailer Jewelry category for pieces valued between $2,001 and $5,000 at the annual jewelry design competition hosted by Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for the fine jewelry industry.
The winning Underwoods piece was a custom 18k yellow gold hand forged ring featuring a spectacular 8.17ct square checkerboard amethyst center stone that is bezel set in a compass orientation. There are 6 fully cut diamonds that are channel set on shank that are all ideally cut, have a color grade of 1.0, a clarity grade of 5 and total weight of .54cts.
