The Champagne Pommery Grand Prix Award will be presented for the most outstanding entry in the 1996 Australian Jewellery Design Awards. The prestigious French champagne maker will sponsor the contest and present the winner with a monetary prize and a trip for two to Paris, Reims and Pommery, France. The award will be presented Aug. 26 during the Australian Jewellery Fair.
The deadline for entries in the 1997 American Gem Trade Association Spectrum Awards competition is this Sept. 20. Judges will include Mark Loren, a three-time Spectrum award winner and retailer in Ft. Myers, Fla.; Susan Sadler, an award-winning designer in Tulsa, Okla; and Elena Verbin, editor in chief of Colored Stone magazine. AGTA, P.O. Box 420643, Dallas, TX 75342-0643; (800) 972-1162 or (214) 742-4367.
Winners of the first Ponte d’Oro Competition – sponsored by JCK, the Arezzo Convention Center and the Italian Sponsoring Committee – will be on display at the JCK International Jewelry Show in Las Vegas through June 3. The competition theme is Duality, with two entities combining to create a greater whole. The 25 finalist pieces were manufactured by craftsmen in Arezzo, Italy. Designers of the four winning pieces will be honored during the Designers Live Auction at the show June 3 and will become part of the Arezzo Oro d’Autore special award collection. The remaining 21 pieces will be offered for sale at the auction.
Also on display at the JCK Show will be the winners of the first Designing Tomorrow’s Classics competition sponsored by Peter Brams Ltd. The contest is geared toward development of designers who create jewelry for volume retailers. A Designing Tomorrow’s Classic showcase will be located in the lounge adjoining the Design Center.
The Ohio Jewelers Association is seeking entries in its annual jewelry design contest. Applications and entry fees are due by July 8 and finished designs by July 29 for judging at the Columbus Jewelry Show Aug. 16-18. Awards will be presented in three categories: up to $1,000 cost, more than $1,000 cost and student (under $1,000). A Best of Show entry will be selected and submitted to Jewelers of America for its national contest in February 1997. Any OJA member or employee of an OJA retail member is eligible to enter, as are college students interested in creating a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. Any entry must be created by the person entering it, must be constructed of precious metals and natural gemstones, must have been made within 12 months of the contest deadline, but cannot have been mass-produced or previously sold. Pieces may have been entered in other contests, but must not have won any other awards. OJA, 50 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215; (800) 652-6257 or (614) 221-7833.
The deadline in the 1996 Arizona Jewelers Association Design Competition is Aug. 1. All entries will be judged on the beauty and originality of the design, wearability, salability and quality of craftsmanship. Entries will be accepted in three divisions based on retail value (up to $1,000, $1,000-$3,000 and more than $3,000). Entrants are allowed no more than one entry per division. For entry forms and more information, contact Marti Hubbard, Ferris Gold/Arts, 4735 E. Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85718; (520) 299-5023.
KUDOS
Nancy Karpel of N. Karpel Studio in New Haven, Conn., received a 1996 Niche Award for “Fine Jewelry: One of a Kind” during the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Crafts this spring. Karpel’s entry was a shimmer brooch in 14k and 18k gold with diamonds and colored gemstones. Julie Rauschenberger of Seattle, Wash., received a Niche Award in the “Fine Jewelry: Production” category for a paisley ball and chain in 18k and 22k gold, ruby and fine silver. Applications for the 1997 Niche Awards are available from Niche magazine, 3000 Chestnut Ave., Suite 304, Baltimore, MD 21211; (800) NICHE-14.
Cartier Inc. announced the winners of its Pasha contest, with grand prizes of a Pasha C watch and a trip to France and Switzerland. The winners are Norma Sanchez of Ely-M Jewelers in Miami, Fla.; Marcus Rosner of Morgan & Marcus Jewelers in Los Angeles, Cal.; Stephen Maselli of Maselli Jewelers in New York, N.Y.; and Esther Ungar of Simpson Jewelry in Brooklyn, N.Y. Winners were selected by a point system based on the number and styles of Pasha watches sold between Nov. 20 and Dec. 31, 1995.
Jewelers of America announced winners of its sixth annual JA/Affiliate National Design Competition. Walter Rodriguez of Town Square Jewelers in Fayetteville, Ga., won Best of Show for a gold choker accented with natural brown and white diamonds. Sherry Frey of Burnell’s Creative Gold in Wichita, Kan., won in the over-$3,000 category for a 14k yellow and white gold ring with a 1.94-ct. center diamond and .69 ct. of smaller diamonds in a bridged, stylized infinity design. Andre Van Bergejik of Ries-Nichols Jewelers in Indianapolis, Ind., won in the $1,000-$3,000 category with a contemporary 14k yellow and white gold pin/pendant with frosted black round onyx, fan-shaped green tourmaline and princess and round brilliant-cut diamonds. In the under-$1,000 category, Ron Koenig of Michael’s Jewelry in Columbia, S.C., won with an 18k yellow gold ring set with three red spinels and .73 ct. of diamonds.