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The Australian Opal Awards have come and gone for another year, highlighting excellence in jewellery manufacturing and carving in the local trade. | Source: Australian Opal Awards

2025 Australian Opal Awards winners in the spotlight

Posted August 04, 2025 | By Samuel Ord

A stunning example of opal jewellery by a Sydney designer has taken out first prize at the 2025 Australian Opal Awards.

The awards were held on 25 July in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, with the entrants showcased from 23-26 July. More than 260 people attended the event, celebrating the night with a ‘Roaring Twenties’ theme.

There were six categories: open prestige jewellery, freeform prestige jewellery, designer meanswear jewellery, freeform carving, figurative carving, and jewellery hand sketch. More than $30,000 in prizes was up for grabs.

The winner of the Open Prestige Jewellery Award ($15,000) was Nadia Neuman of Mondial, with her piece The Celestine. The handmade 18-carat gold Andamooka Opal necklace features a captivating 20-carat freeform, double-sided crystal opal from South Australia.

The Celestine by Nadia Neuman of Mondial in Sydney.

It’s a rare example of fine Andamooka crystal opal, displaying a full spectral range with orange, green, and yellow hues on a light honey-colored body. The opal is designed to spin within a double-sided diamond frame and includes gold tassels tipped with opals and diamonds.

“Regarding its design, the magnificent opal itself was the inspiration for the entire piece. My goal was to create something that highlighted the opal's best features, especially its stunning display of colour on both sides,” Neuman told Jeweller.

“This led to the decision to make the gemstone rotatable, allowing everyone to enjoy this magnificent natural creation.

“As for the inspiration behind the collection, I've wanted to create an opal collection for some time now. My aim is to offer a more contemporary collection that reminds Australians of the inherent beauty and magic of these natural gemstones.”

It’s been an eventful year for the Sydney jeweller – winning the Champion of Champions award at the International Jewellery Design Excellence Awards in Hong Kong with her piece Kaleidoscope in March.

Neuman added: “I hope to elevate the opal beyond a souvenir for tourists, showcasing it in elegant, timeless, and contemporary designs. Australia has an abundance of beautiful and unique gemstones, and displaying them in this way is what I love most.”

Nadia Neuman of Mondial, Sydney, showcases The Celestine at the 2025 Australian Opal Exhibition.

Two entrants were awarded Highly Commended in the Open Prestige Jewellery category. These were John Li (Jia Ling Li) from Otto Jewellery with Ripple of a Dream and Cheal Opal with the Electra Ring.

The Freeform Prestige Jewellery Award was won by Symphony from Andrew Mitchell of Martin Rogers Jewellery. This category also had two Highly Commended awards - Corey Gibson of Corey Gibson Jewellery with The African Queen and Vulcano Island by Kristia Strinz of Designatelier Strinz.

Gibson was also the winner of the People’s Choice Award, followed by Kayt Primmer from Valued Possessions with Mantra of the Ridge. Designer Menswear was awarded to Carmen Hui of Hang Fong Opal Company with Timeless Uluru. Highly Commended was awarded to Adrian Hogan from Matchmaker Opals with Prometheus.

The Figurative and Freeform Opal Carving was won by Jenny Summerville with her pieces Koi for Figurative and Icefire for Freeform. Echoes in the Spiral by Kuo Lai and Hsiu-Chu from Yu Hsiang Jewellery was the winner of the Jewellery Hand Sketch Award.

The judging panel said the quality of entries was consistently high-quality.

"The calibre of work submitted in 2025 has truly raised the bar. A significant number of entries would not only hold their own, but excel on the international stage," a spokesperson said.

The Australian Opal Awards are organised by the International Opal Jewellery Design Awards Association, a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2000 to promote the national gemstone.

WATCH VIDEO

2025 AUSTRALIAN OPAL AWARDS Winners


The Celestine by Nadia Neuman, Mondial - Winner of the Open Prestige Jewellery Award.	Ripple of a Dream by John Li, Otto Jewellery - Highly Commended in the Open Prestige Jewellery Award.	Electra Ring by Cheal Opal - Highly Commended in the Open Prestige Jewellery Award.

The Symphony by Andrew Mitchell, Martin Rogers Jewellery - Winner of the Freeform Prestige Jewellery Award.	The African Queen by Corey Gibson, Corey Gibson Jewellery - Highly Commended in the Freeform Prestige Jewellery Award.	Vulcano Island by Kristia Strinz, Designatelier Strinz - Highly Commended in the Freeform Prestige Jewellery Award.

Timeless Uluru by Carmen Hui, Hang Fong Opal Company - Winner of the Designer Menswear Jewellery Award.	Prometheus by Adrian Hogan, Matchmaker Opals - Highly Commended in the Designer Menswear Jewellery Award.	Icefire by Jennifer Summerville - Winner of the Freeform Carving Award.

PITME by David Valenti - Highly Commended in the Freeform Carving Award.	Koi by Jennifer Summerville - Winner of the Figurative Carving Award.	Sunbaker by Trudy Stahmer - Highly Commended in the Freeform Carving Award.

Echoes in the Spiral by Kuo Lai & Hsiu-Chu, Yu Hsiang Jewellery - Winner of the Jewellery Hand Sketches Award.	Stingray by Jennifer Rowlands - Highly Commended in the Jewellery Hand Sketches Award.	The African Queen by Corey Gibson, Corey Gibson Jewellery - Winner of the People’s Choice Award.