While the diamond solitaire—yawn—is the undisputed champion of bridal jewelry, it also can be pretty boring. The industry needs new contenders to enter the style arena, and thankfully, three industry heavyweights teamed up to get champion fresh ideas.

Manufacturer Martin Flyer, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and Platinum Guild International sponsored a bridal jewelry design competition for students. More than 20 pupils from F.I.T.’s Accessories Design course were enlisted to sketch original diamond and platinum ring designs within Flyer’s five classifications of bridal jewelry—solitaires (of course), three-stone rings, channel settings, shared-prong styles, and micro pavé. Pieces were judged by industry experts (including JCKstyle) on manufacturing ability, originality, and sales potential. The winner gets visibility at the 2008 LUXURY by JCK and JCK ~ Las Vegas shows and in select Martin Flyer promotions, as well as the opportunity to see the completed precious piece before it joins other SKUs in the FlyerFit line.

Five finalists convened last week at an awards ceremony at F.I.T.; Eunhee Lee took first place. Four other students also were honored. Lee’s piece features 0.80 cts. t.w. melee, a round brilliant center stone, and a domelike design that reminded JCKstyle of a thistle flower (they’re pretty). The semi-mount will command a respectable $6,500 retail price point (almost as much as a year at F.I.T.).

We saw the ring this week at a PGI-sponsored event, comfortably mingling with the jewelry of industry veterans like Oscar Heyman. Were JCKstyle issuing grades, we’d give this one an A+.

Weekly Gem
Thank God It’s Golf has, thank heavens, relaunched its popular line of “Swarovsky” crystal-encrusted ball markers, according to a company press release. While the brand provides golfers with a fashionable way to accessorize their looks, JCKstyle offers the company a tip: Swarovski is spelled with an I.

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