Nine category awards were announced from which the industry's highest honours, the JAA Jeweller of the Year and the Apprentice of the Year, were announced.
Martyn Brown and Martin Linning from Townsville's Jewellery by Design won the Jeweller of the Year Award.
Brown and Linning had earlier been announced as the CAD/CAM Award winners with their piece, Undulation. The piece is a bangle made from a finely wound, anodised titanium wire overlaid by a network of gold rivulets that direct 1,200 loose brilliant cut diamonds, bound together by a hand cut glass sleeve.
The pair said they had not even expected to win their category so to win the overall award was an even greater shock, particularly because they felt working with CAD technology might work against their chances.
Linning said the fact that the judges had awarded the top prize to a CAD jeweller was perhaps an indication that the industry was starting to embrace the value of the technology to the industry.
"I think this gives an indication about where the industry has been for the last five years and where the industry is going to be in the future," Linning said. He explaind that working with CAD did not replace the jewellery design process, but was a new tool to be used within it to help reduce costs. "We still do the hands on design with the customer, we still talk with the customer about what they want and we still decide the best way to make a piece of jewellery. We can't make for our customers what they want for a price they want any other way."
Brown said they were fortunate to have the support of their employer and some very generous suppliers in helping them work on the piece.
"The owner of our store, Jamie, has always approached the industry as a creative endeavor," Brown said. "He has other businesses, but he has a passion for jewellery, and that is the whole reason we have a jewellery store. The design and the passion for jewellery takes precedence in our store because of that. We are very much encouraged to enter each year because of that. He is a fantastic boss."
The Apprentice of the Year went to JAA Awards debutant Wayne Hooper of Wayne Hooper Jewellery and Peter Minturn Goldsmith School for his piece, Montgolfier.
Hooper was announced as the winner first and second year Apprentice Award and said the idea had come from a technical exercise he had been set. The project was to make an item to be worn by an actor that could be seen from 10 metres away.
The piece is a ring styled like a hot air balloon and can be opened to fit a small LED light to backlight the cabochons.
Hooper said he was humbled and speechless after accepting the award and thanked his partner for the encouragement and allowing him to achieve the result.
"I owe it all to Katie Tate," Hooper said. "I said to her I wouldn't mind learning from Peter Minturn before he retires and she said to take a year off and do it. That has snowballed into three years. I really appreciate the knowledge and the people who are sharing that with me. I am in my 40s and I am a student. I don't think you ever stop learning."
A comprehensive report of all winners of the JAA Australasian Jewellery Awards, including pictures of the night will be published in the October issue of Jeweller.
VIEW THE FINALISTS IN JEWELLER'S EMAG
The 2012 JAA Australasian Jewellery Awards aims to celebrate our most talented jewellers. Held every two years, the competition brings together Australia's best design talent.
As the name suggests, this year the competition has crossed the Tasman to include New Zealand entrants for the first time.
With 42 finalists chosen from 112 entries, the awards honour jewellers who create pieces with the highest levels of artistry, creativity and excellence in quality and style.