Just like old times. It has been some time since the Jewellers Association of Australia has presented the JAA Australasian Jewellery Awards alongside an industry fair, in fact, the last time was in 2014. So, it was a great delight to once again be able to honour and celebrate the JAA Awards entrants and announce winners at the JIN Soiree x JAA Awards, held at the Jewellery Industry Fair on 26 August. Guests wined and dined while networking, connecting, and immersing themselves in the industry’s vibrant culture.
In line with the tradition of the Awards, all entrants exhibited unique creativity and exceptional craftsmanship. Every entrant is a winner in their own right, for putting their work forward to be judged and pushing their boundaries of creativity and manufacturing skill. We commend and congratulate them on their achievements. Each entry comes with an exceptional backstory, some more simple than others but notable. An incredible amount of thought, consideration and passion was displayed in every creation. Attention to detail, workmanship, design and finish were presented on a level second to none.
We are extremely proud to have been able to bring this program to the industry and award talent within the Australian jewellery industry. We are excited to see the next generation of Australian jewellery artisans deliver this calibre of bespoke, fine jewellery.
We invite the industry to watch the JAA Awards video featuring a behind-the-scenes look at judging day and view the JAA Awards e-publication, Adornment. Both can be viewed at jaa.com.au/awards. In next month’s issue of JW Magazine, we will feature all Award winners with interviews.
Meeting with NSW Police
The JAA was recently invited to attend a meeting with the NSW Police Serious Crime and Robbery Squad. The meeting occurs annually and allows participants to understand the current crime trends among high-risk sectors such as retail, banking, secure transit, pharmaceutical, petroleum, tobacco as well as jewellery.
The current trends indicate that robbery crimes are returning to pre-pandemic levels with increases in the level of violence during the robbery, of particular note is the increase in youth offences, which has seen a significant increase, and the rise in opportunistic offending. This occurs when the offender is unable to rob the intended target and instead looks to other soft targets in the immediate vicinity.
It is a reminder to ensure that businesses routinely review and remind staff of operating procedures particularly concerning the opening and closing of stores to ensure you do not become a soft target. Furthermore, the importance of good quality CCTV cannot be understated. Quality CCTV has been able to assist police in apprehending offenders who have committed multiple offences, in addition to the use of biometric technology.
If you have any concerns about what is happening in your area, please let us know.
JAA Board
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