The inaugural International Jewellery Design Excellence (IJDE) Awards showcased designs from the world’s ‘best of the best’ jewellery designers at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show in March.
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the competition is an “invitation-only” event restricted to top prize winners from other international jewellery design competitions.
According to HKTDC assistant executive director Raymond Yip, the award “pays tribute to the cream of the crop”.
“Invitations to compete were issued worldwide to winners of other jewellery design competitions,” he says.
“The result was an elite group of entrants with a proven track record in creativity and design competing for the highest honour.”
One hundred and seventy entrants from 27 countries and regions including 24 from 24 from Hong Kong, 43 from Europe, 42 from North America, 15 from Australia and one from New Zealand competed in the event.
The highest accolade went to Hong Kong designer Joey Lai Yee Cheung who was awarded the ‘Chamption of Champions’ prize for his ‘Eternity Blooming’ necklace.
The other major prize winners were:
- Storming Lady earrings by Lila Lei Na Wong (Hong Kong)
- Charming Rose ring by Nan Ge Wang (China)
- Night of Wishes bracelet by Rajvi Mehta (India)
- Liberdade Earrings by Suka Braga (Brazil)
- Trapeze bracelet by Shen Feng (China)
- Vogue bangle by Arunpreet Kaur Nagi (India)
- 9 Caprices necklace by Jordi Rabat (Spain)
- Happiness necklace by Gigi Cheng (Hong Kong)
The competition judging panel comprised HKTDC Jewellery Advisory Committee chairman Lawrence Ma, UK Vogue jewellery editor Carol Woolton, Hong Kong designer Kan Tai Keung, Swiss jewellery consultant Jean-François Michaud, Hasbani Gioielli partner Joseph Hasbani, Christies UK jewellery department specialist Emma Checkley, Hong Kong jewellery designer Wallace Chan, China Capital Museum vice-director Yao An and Megamcapital founder Marie E Girón.
According to chief judge Lawrence Ma, the names of designers and originating design competitions of all entries were excluded from the judging material to ensure fairness during the first Judging.
All entries were scored independently by each judge and then the top eight designs receiving the highest total scores were chosen as the finalists to enter the final judging competition at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show.
Ma says each entry in the competition had to incorporate one or more precious metals or stones and was judged on creativity, uniqueness, craftsmanship and beauty.