Taking the top prize in the 2007 HRD Awards diamond jewelry design contest was Alina Sossou-Alamorean, 39, of France. Her entry “La cape indomptable” is a cape made out of iron wire. The 574 rough diamonds, pearl drops, cabochon and cubes, with a total weight of 983.57 cts., were provided by Abittan Abrasives nv Colour Me & Cabochon Diamond. The jewelry item was sponsored by Cocon & Papillon & Marc Lauer.

The theme of this year’s competition was a ‘A Night at the Opera,’ and the awards ceremony was held in the Koningin Elisabethzaal in Antwerp.

Finalist Hitomi Sasaki, 27, of Japan created her head jewel “Chrysanthemum” using a classical Japanese technique for making flowers in cloth. Inspired by Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly, the jewel was set with 59 brilliant-cut diamonds, with a total weight of 33.35 cts. The diamonds were provided by J. Pinchasi & Sons.

Finalist Sancha Livia Resende, 49, of Brazil, turned to nature and the grace and sensuality of a women for inspiration when designing her mini coat “Glamourissime”. It was set with 345 brilliant-cut diamonds, with a total weight of 13.30 cts. The diamonds were provided by Chintamani. The jewel was sponsored by Manoel Bernardes Joias and the setting was sponsored by Roëll Diamonds & Jewels.

Belgian finalist Annelies Weinberger, 26, is fascinated by the history of jewelry design and its cultural aspects. She created a  mouth piece “Tache de beauté,” that refers to an 18th Century custom. In those days “the mouche” or “beauty spot” was used to communicate. She made her jewel in yellow gold and messing, set with six brilliant-cut diamonds, with a total weight of 3.75 carats, which were provided by M.S.D. The jewel was sponsored by Etn. P.C. Boschmans and the setting by Diamondland.

In creating his jewel “Bois Givrés,” finalist Timothé Windeshausen, 29, of Belgium, crafted an arm-shoulder piece out of gold and silver inspired by Debussy’s opera Pelléas and Mélissande. In this libretto the character has very long hair that transforms into ivy. In the jewel were set in white gold 127 diamonds with a total weight of 16 cts. The diamonds were provided by Rubin en Zonen. The gold was sponsored by Jean Windeshausen Joailliers and Etn P.C. Boschmans.

The HRD Awards contest was launched in 1984 as the “Antwerp Diamond High Council Awards,” with the aim of enhancing creativity and design excellence in contemporary diamond jewelry in Belgium, in 2003 it went international. Almost 700 designers from all over the world participated in this 2007 edition.

JCK