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Industry News: Competitions Spark Design Ideas At AJDC, MJSA, GEM Awards May 26, 2015 (0 comments)
American Jewelry Design Council's "FIRE" Collection Debuts At Couture
Hermitage, PA—The newest collection from the American Jewelry Design Council's (AJDC) 2015 Annual Design Project, "FIRE," will have its inaugural exhibition at the Couture Show, May 28-June 1, 2015, at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas.
A group of more than 20 works of unique handcrafted jewelry from AJDC member designers from across the United States will be on display in the Sunset Hallway, just outside the Lafite and Latour ballrooms during Couture show hours.
Additionally, selected pieces from the 2012 "ICE" Design Project will be on display in the Gemological Institute of America' (GIA) Booth L99 at the JCK Show May 29-June 1. This is in celebration of the upcoming installation at GIA of the AJDC exhibition "Variations on a Theme," which collects 25 years of AJDC design projects. "Variations on a Theme" debuted in October 2013 at the Forbes Galleries in New York City, and recently completed an exhibition term at the Kent State University Museum in Kent, OH.
The GIA presentation will open in July 2015, and will include the 2014 'Rhythm' Design Project as well as the "Fire" project.
MJSA Announces 2015 Vision Awards Winners
Attleboro, MA—MJSA has announced the winners of its 2015 Vision Awards Competition. Created to recognize outstanding achievements in the design, manufacture, and sale of jewelry, this year's awards go to eight designers in seven categories. The winners are:
Professional Division (4+ Years in Business), first place: Adam Neeley, Adam Neely Fine Art Jewelry, Laguna Beach, CA, for his Oceana pendant (below left) with a 32.86 carat aquamarine (cut by Stephen Avery) and "Spectra" gold that transforms seamlessly through seven shades, from yellow to white. Second place: Annie Koenig, Annie K Jewelry in Louisville, KY, for her Diamond Wave earrings (below right), with curved strips of 14k yellow and white gold that naturally rotate as they are worn.
Professional Division (1-3 Years in Business), first Place: Baiyang Qiu, BQ Jewelry, Milpitas, CA, for a pair of hand-fabricated earrings featuring 4 mm rubies bezel-set in 18k yellow wire constructions. Second place: Hisano Shepherd, little h, Los Angeles, for earrings made from a freshwater soufflé pearl cut in half and affixed with yellow and pink sapphires.
Laser Distinction (sponsored by LaserStar Technologies): Adam Neeley for his Oceana pendant. Neely said the laser proved "absolutely necessary" in protecting the gold's hardness and finish.
CAD/CAM Distinction (sponsored by EnvisionTEC): Annie Koenig. CAD/CAM allowed the designer to create the earrings' latticework as a repeatable design, and to grow "test models" so she could better position registration pegs and align the curved pieces.
Custom Design Distinction (sponsored by Century Casting Co. Inc.): Krista Robertson, Green Lake Jewelry Works, Seattle, WA, for a 950 platinum engagement ring that tastefully features an 18k cast grasshopper—one of the family symbols that the client asked to have incorporated into the ring.
Digital Marketing Distinction (sponsored by StrategyWerx): Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry, Greenville, SC, for a program that effectively engages customers with new designs and allows them to share images. Grounded by a strong website that explains the custom design process and emphasizes Strong's community events, the company's digital reach is expanded through a monthly e-newsletter, a blog, and presences on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
"Future of the Industry" Student Awards (sponsored by the MJSA Education Foundation), first Place: Diana Telesheva, Moscow State University of Design & Technology, Moscow, Russia, for her Butterflies ring, which uses the plique-a-jour enameling technique to replicate a butterfly's translucent wings. Second Place: Eunhwa Son, University of Kansas, Belton, MO, for two neckpieces, Endless Growth which features laser-cut acrylic remnants that were electroformed and silver plated, and Illusions, primarily made of black and white paper).
Design judges for the competition were Michael Coan, Fashion Institute of Technology; Jason Dow, Jason Dow Jewelry; Cindy Edelstein, the Jeweler's Resource Bureau; Lee Krombholz, Krombholz Jewelers/Just Like You Designs; Joel McFadden, Joel McFadden Designs; and Eva Martin, Eva Martin Jewelry. Eugene Brill of Jewelry.com and Andrea Hill of StrategyWerx judged the Digital Marketing Distinction entries.
All winning entries will be featured in the August issue of MJSA Journal, as well as in ads in Instore and Metalsmith magazines, the 2015 media sponsors. The winners will also be displayed at the 2016 MJSA Expo, which will take place March 13-15 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. For more information, go to MJSA.org or call 1-800-444-MJSA (6572).
Jewelers of America Adds New GEM Award for Watch Design Category
New York, NY –– Jewelers of America (JA) has announced the addition of a GEM Award for Watch Design to the 14th Annual GEM Awards gala, set for January 8, 2016, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. The GEM Award for Watch Design will honor either a well-established or emerging brand that has an extraordinary design aesthetic and/or has made significant technological advancements in the field of watches. The awards honor the achievements of individuals and companies whose work raises the visibility of fine jewelry and watches.
The GEM Awards Committee is now seeking suggestions for potential 2016 GEM Awards nominees in the categories of Watch Design, Jewelry Design, Lifetime Achievement, Marketing & Communications and Media Excellence. Companies and individuals can submit themselves or others for consideration through June 30, 2015, at www.jewelers.org/gemawards.
The GEM Awards Committee will review the submissions to determine the individuals who will be celebrated as 2016 GEM Award Nominees in each category; a panel of industry experts and influencers will vote to determine the winner. An independent auditing firm tallies the votes to keep winners confidential until a live reveal during the ceremony on January 8, 2016. There are three nominees per category, with the exception of Lifetime Achievement, which is presented to a single honoree announced prior to the event.
“There is still buzz about the 13th annual GEM Awards and the expanded awards categories for 2016 only add to the excitement,” says Elite Traveler publisher and GEM Awards Chair Norman Miller. “GEM Awards has always been anchored by the support of watch brands and it felt like the perfect time to add the GEM Award for Watch Design. We expect to be blown away by the quality and talent of the submissions for Jewelry Design, Lifetime Achievement, Marketing & Communications, Media Excellence and Watch Design.”
The 2016 GEM Awards Committee is made up of: Norman Miller, Elite Traveler, Chair; Hyla Bauer, Watch Journal; David Bonaparte, Jewelers of America; David Bouffard, Signet Jewelers; Rachel Branch, Past Chair; Caryl Capeci, Hearts on Fire; Gannon Brousseau, Couture; James D’Adamo, Hearst Magazines; Marion Fasel, The Adventurine; Carson Glover, Tiffany & Co.; Jenny Luker, Platinum Guild International; Giovanni Mattera, de Grisogono; Russell Pagliughi, Swarovski; Nancy Robey, The Nancy Robey Partnership; Kara Ross, Kara Ross NY; Doug Sills, A Link; Olivier Stip, CHANEL; Ray Stuart, Bed Bath & Beyond; and Deborah Tauber, The Tauber Marketing Group.