Melbourne-based San Young ‘Kusi’ Kim was recently awarded third prize in the advanced user category for the 2015 Asia and Oceania 3Design CAD Jewellery Design Contest.
The competition was hosted by jewellery software developer Gravotech Group and required jewellers to use its CAD products, 3Design and 3Shaper, to design a piece of jewellery based on their interpretation of the theme, Home.
The contest comprised two categories – one for existing users of the software and one for new users – with prizes including jewellery software packages and a one-week trip to France to visit the Gravotech 3Design headquarters for first-prize winners.
Chris Hill, 3D product manager for the software’s local distributor, LST Group, said Kim’s globe-shaped pendant design was selected from 492 entries across Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, China and Japan.
“Australia and New Zealand had the second highest level of participation [36 entrants],” he added.
Hill wasn’t surprised by the amount of interest the competition received, explaining, “CAD has become an essential tool for a jewellery workshop to be competitive in the current market.
“The Asian market has a firm grasp on modern technologies. Having an Australian amongst the prize winners shows the Australian jewellery industry is keeping up with its neighbours.”
Motivations and inspirations
Kim, who is employed as a jewellery designer at Lenrose & Ace David Jewellery, said she entered the contest to achieve her dream of becoming “an artist”, adding that the competition had been one of the biggest challenges of her career.
“I was very grateful to win the award, not only because I was named one of the winners, but more because I felt like my little voice was being heard by others,” she said.
Kim explained that the piece, featuring yellow and white gold as well as a number of gemstones, took a couple of months to create, with most of the time being spent developing the idea.
Commenting on her interpretation of the theme, she said, “We all speak through different languages. For me, that’s Korean, English, then jewellery. Through this design, I wanted to talk about the uncontainable and indescribable value of home, love and faith.”
First prize for the advanced users category was awarded to Cai Zhiyong from Taiwan, while Liu Xiaohua from China received the top award for the novice users category.
All winners for the Asia and Oceania contest were announced at a ceremony held on 12 September at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in China.
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