Awards mark decade of diamond jewellery excellence

Posted May 05, 2015 | By Stephanie Chan • Staff Journalist

Jewellers have been invited to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery Awards.

The awards, which have been hosted by Diamond Guild Australia biennially since 2005, aim to showcase innovative jewellery designs featuring natural diamonds.

Registrations of interest are now being accepted, with Diamond Guild Australia executive officer Melissa James adding that the anniversary represented a milestone for the competition.

“The awards are now regarded as the foremost jewellery design event in Australia,” she stated. “The competition is highly respected and carries a lot of credibility within the industry. It is also the only awards competition that celebrates diamonds.”

The national competition is open to all designers and jewellers working within an Australian retail jewellery business, with entries to be judged on craftsmanship, quality, originality and design by an industry panel.

The awards program includes seven categories, with some focusing on highlighting certain diamond characteristics, such as the Diamond Solitaire, Fancy Shape and Fancy Colour categories.

Others focus on the context of jewellery design, including Daily Diamonds, which promotes the everyday wearability of “entry-level value” diamond jewellery; The Gents, aimed at increasing interest in the male diamond jewellery market; and Red Carpet, which invites jewellers to produce a piece that “would capture the attention of all paparazzi”.

The program also encourages budding jewellers and designers through the Emerging Talent category.

“We [Diamond Guild Australia] feel it’s part of our responsibility to help endorse up-and-coming talent because it’s becoming more and more difficult for apprentice jewellers to secure a position,” James commented. “Anything that can be done to promote and support jewellery training is crucial.”

James said the Daily Diamonds and Emerging Talent categories, which were introduced in 2013, received excellent feedback and a pleasing number of entries in the last competition. “Now that these categories are in their second year, we expect they’ll enjoy an even stronger response,” she added.

The winners of each category will receive a certificate and trophy, and it was said that participants would also benefit from Diamond Guild Australia’s extensive media campaign, which will promote the awards and showcase the finalists’ pieces.

In addition, one of the seven category winners will be named the Supreme Award winner for demonstrating innovative design, true excellence and outstanding workmanship.

Further details on the 2015 Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery Awards will be released shortly, and interested parties can register their interest via www.diamondguild.com.au.