The 18th edition of the Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD) Design Awards is calling on up-and-coming jewelry designers all over the world to enter its biennial competition.
While the contest, which has been around since 1984, is proud of the exposure its given to budding creators in the international community, it wants to go even bigger, expanding its reach to the United States with a goal of 2,500 design entrants by Oct. 15.
“We want to be an incubator for jewelry design and create opportunities for new talent,” said HRD CEO Ellen Joncheere in a statement. “With more than 800 applicants in 38 countries, we want to keep growing and specifically in those countries that are underrepresented in our contest, like the United States. The competition is free, and the winners will be flown in to Italy for a final red carpet event where they present the real version, which we build for them, of the design they created. The United States has lots of talented designers, and this can be an amazing opportunity for them to get their name out in our industry.”
This year’s contest expands into three categories: the traditional diamond jewelry and gemstone jewelry, and—new for this edition— accessories, which includes shoes, handbags, and watches. The theme for this edition is peace.
The winner of each category will see their piece brought to life through production and will become a member of the HRD community.
Started in 1984, the Antwerp Diamond High Council Awards (as it was called at the time) was a competition aimed at promoting creativity and excellence in design throughout Belgium’s contemporary diamond jewelry scene. By 1988, the contest had evolved to take on a theme for its design entries and started running every other year. In 2003, the contest opened to entrants from all over the world.
To enter, candidates should prepare to send their designs through the HRD website. The deadline to enter is Oct. 15.
Top: A winner of the 2007 edition of the HRD Design Awards, these creations from artist Ohtsuki Asako were inspired by Lady of the Camellias, an opera based on the novel by French writer Alexandre Dumas (photo courtesy of DIVA Antwerp).
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