Diamond Guild Australia has officially announced its long awaited Jewellery Design Awards will be held again in 2023 following a nearly 5 year hiatus in response to Covid-19.
Regarded as the foremost jewellery design competition in Australia, the Diamond Guild Jewellery Awards has traditionally been a biennial event since its establishment in 2005. Hosted by the members of the Guild, the Awards are open to all members of the retail jewellery trade operating within Australia.
“This year we are delighted to be once again holding this event for the industry following 3 years of disruption and uncertainty due to the pandemic – we have had a number of false starts but feel confident that 2023 will have seen a full year of growth and strong trading for the industry. To hold an event of this style before now just wouldn’t have been appropriate,” explains Melissa James, Executive Officer of Diamond Guild Australia.
The 2023 Diamond Guild Awards will feature the 6 design categories of previous years and the introduction of a new rendering category entitled ‘Design for Diamonds’ which will call for professional jewellery designers to submit their concept via a rendering of any means – this will include hand drawing, CAD and programs such as Procreate.
“The Guild wishes to reflect the progression of design technology in the industry and the importance of the designer in the creative process of jewellery making. We hope that this category will attract the most innovative and exciting designs from the wealth of talented professional Jewellery Designers working in Australia,” says James.
The line-up of categories announced to be contested at the 2023 Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery Awards will be as follows:
DIAMONDS FOR MEN
DESIGN FOR DIAMONDS
EMERGING TALENT – A STUDENT/APPRENTICE CATEGORY
EVERYDAY DIAMONDS
FANCY COLOURED DIAMONDS
RED CARPET
SOLITAIRE
From each category three finalists will be selected and the winner chosen based on the stringent points based judging system. The winners will then contest the prize of 2023 SUPREME AWARD WINNER based on the entry with the highest overall score.
Diamond Guild Australia will also be emphasising the rarity and beauty of natural diamonds in the 2023 Competition in response to the recent emergence of man-made diamonds in the Australian Diamond industry.
‘The membership of the Guild has taken a strictly “natural diamond only” position and this will be reflected in the criteria for entries into the 2023 Awards. Pieces featuring man made diamonds will not be eligible and all submissions will be required to provide proof of the natural origin on the diamonds used,” says James.
The pinnacle of the 2023 Diamond Guild Awards will be the Gala event celebrating the finalists and winners to be held at the aptly named new Langham Jewel Hotel on the Gold Coast on Monday 19 June 2023.
“The Guild is looking forward to hosting a wonderful event celebrating the design talent of the Australian Jewellery industry once again. Much has happened since our last Awards in 2018 and we hope to provide a showcase event to shine a light on our fantastic and ever evolving diamond industry”
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