PGI JAPAN NAMES DESIGN WINNERS

The Platinum Guild International Japan announced the winners of its “Platinum Design of the Year” contest. The contest evaluates designs from among all platinum jewelry and other platinum products created over the past year. There are four sections: Commercially Produced Jewellery, Works of Art, Designers’ Proposals, and Students’ Proposals.

Last year, 1,042 items were entered, 36 of them from countries outside Japan, including the U.S., Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

Judges were architect Masayuki Kurokawa, fashion designer Kensho Abe, fashion critic and journalist Junko Ohuchi, painter Maako Kido, manufacturer Yohjiro Gotoh, jewelry designer Aya Nakayama, and PGI president Osamu Matsuura. One grand prize, four best of section prizes and 15 section prizes were awarded.

Cornelis Hollander, Scottsdale, Ariz., received a section prize for commercially produced jewelry. This was Hollander’s second time as a winner in the contest; he was the only American to win.

MJA HOSTS CONTEST

Women’s gold and diamond earrings designed by Kim Yanke of Yanke Designs, Franklin, Mich., captured “Best of Show” in the Michigan Jewelers Association’s seventh annual design competition.

Yanke’s 14k gold earrings with trillion-cut diamonds also took first place in the Professional Goldsmith category. Designers competed in four categories. Winners were:

• Student: Staci Kerman, Bloomfield Hills, for a sterling silver pin with onyx, amethyst and rutilated quartz. She won second prize with another sterling silver pin with channel-set amethysts.

• Advanced student: Beth Hood of Facets of Todd Michael, Ferndale, for a rubellite tourmaline and matte crystal 14k gold women’s pendant. Second place went to Karey Anderson of Dupuis et Fils Jewelers, Jackson, for a women’s ring of 18k yellow gold with 15 full-cut round brilliant diamonds.

• Professional Goldsmith: Yanke’s earrings as described above. Second prize went to Carol S. DeBenedet of C.S. DeBenedet Jewelers, Westland, for a women’s 14k gold bracelet with 11 princess-cut rubies and diamonds.

• Designer/Manufacturer partnership: Ara Nishanian of Creative Jewelers, Southfield, and Onnig Chopjian for a women’s 14k yellow gold bracelet with 18 trillion-cut blue topazes and 36 brilliant-cut diamonds. Second place went to Frank Yanke and Rudy VanWell of Yanke Designs for a women’s 14k yellow gold pendant and earring set with round amethysts and diamonds.

A new award, the Spectral Award, went to Thomas Kemp and Linda Wilson of Wattsson & Wattsson Jewelers Inc., Marquette, for a hand-crafted pin of 14k white and 18k yellow gold with one fancy-cut Australian opal, three brilliant-cut diamonds, six baguette diamonds and one marquise-cut diamond. The new award is sponsored by Roger and Ginger Dery of Spectral Gems, Birmingham, and is presented to the designer whose piece received the most votes from show attendees.

The contest was held in conjunction with the Greater Great Lakes Jewelry Exposition at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn. Next year’s contest is slated for March 2-3, 1996. Additional information can be obtained from Kelly Hayes, Design Contest Coordinator, (800) 366-3699.

GOLAY BUCHEL PRIZE AWARDED AT BASEL

Golay Buchel presented its Prize awards April 28 during the World Watch, Clock and Jewellery Show in Basel, Switzerland.

Golay Buchel + Cie, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, has sponsored the competition for ten years to encourage the creative efforts of students hoping to become jewelry designers. Prizes are awarded to final-year jewelers’ apprentices and to students of applied and decorative arts colleges in Switzerland.

“A Stopper for a Perfume Bottle” was the theme of this year’s contest, surprising many competitors by its departure from the usual theme of wearable jewelry.

First prize went to Manuela Br of Vordemwald, second prize to Mirjam Patscheider of Zurich and third prize to Raphal Maires of Cernier. The prize for originality went to Diana Halbeisen of Roeschenz.

Entries were judged on the basis of originality, innovation, craftsmanship and appropriateness to function.