Tahitian Pearl Design Competition Planned

Staff -- JCK Online, 5/1/2001 2:00:00 AM

Perles de Tahiti has announced plans for a second Tahitian Pearl Trophy jewelry design competition, with an awards ceremony to be held in New York City in September 2002. This will be an international event aimed at encouraging jewelry designers throughout the world to design original creations using the Tahiti cultured pearl.

The first Tahitian Pearl Trophy competition was held over a two-year period (1999-2000) with national competitions in 17 countries that produced hundreds of original pieces of Tahitian pearl jewelry. The 83 pieces that reached the finals of the competition produced 30 winners from 11 countries, who were honored at a gala award ceremony in Paris on Oct. 8, 2000. The second competition will have 10 categories: necklace, earrings, ring, bracelet, pendant, brooch, parure (a three-piece set of a necklace with matching earrings and bracelet), men's jewelry, accessory (such as hair, lingerie, and belt accessory jewelry), and design (a freestyle category that can include entries as objects and sculpture). This will be the first time that the competition includes a category for men's jewelry.

All entries in any of the 10 categories must contain good-quality Tahitian pearls of any size, shape, or color to be eligible for the national competitions. All jewelry designs must be original and not have been previously exhibited or entered in any other competition. Each participating country will have qualified judges choosing the national winners. Those winners will then qualify for the international competition, which will involve judging by an international jury.

Like the first edition, the second Tahitian Pearl Trophy competition will choose 10 international winners—one from each of the 10 categories. This jury also will announce the winners of special prizes, sponsored by various trade jewelry and fashion publications, television, and the French Polynesia Government Ministry of Marine Resources.