The winners of the biennial Diamond Guild Australia (DGA) Jewellery Awards were announced last week at a lavish cocktail celebration in Sydney.
In addition to the finalists and their guests, the event was attended by the awards’ judging panel – Australian fashion designer Carla Zampatti; Good Design Australia CEO Dr Brandon Gien; Object: Australian Design Centre director Steve Pozel; Qantas Media editor-in-chief Kirsten Galliott; and DGA foundation member and J Farren-Price Jewellers director Julian Farren-Price.
As with the last awards held in 2013, this year’s program included seven categories designed to showcase innovative jewellery designs featuring natural diamonds.
“The calibre of pieces entered in this year’s competition was of an exceptional standard and raised the bar for this prestigious design awards to new heights,” DGA executive officer Melissa James said.
“We received entries from all over Australia reflecting the fact this is a truly national event open to all jewellers working in a retail environment.”
For the second year, an additional Supreme Award was presented to the category winner that scored the most points overall, which was said to represent the “pinnacle of diamond jewellery design excellence” for the 2015 competition.
The accolade was awarded to Red Carpet category winner Berj Ohanessian of Berjani Jewellers for Waves, an 18-carat white gold dress ring thread set with four carats of brilliant cut diamonds.
Ohanessian told Jeweller that he decided to enter the awards in order to challenge himself and “stretch” his design and creative skills.
“It is very exciting to be rewarded for all your hard work and to be notified that you are a finalist. Then, to hear your name called that you have won your category is an amazing feeling,” he said.
“This time around, to then have been awarded with the Supreme Award is indescribable. I feel both honoured and humbled to have received such an award.”
James said the DGA had been “absolutely delighted” with the outcome of the 2015 awards.
“We are now looking forward to presenting these amazing diamond pieces to the public to showcase the world-class design talent we have here in Australia,” she added.
The winners of the 2015 DGA Jewellery Awards were as follows:
- Red Carpet Award – Waves by Berj Ohanessian, Berjani Jewellers
- Fancy Colour Award – Ariel by Olivar Musson, Musson Jewellers
- Daily Diamonds Award – Loire by Robert Musson, Musson Jewellers
- Gents Award – Oceanus by Mike and Panos Levendi, Levendi Jewellers
- Fancy Shape Award – Odyssey by Olivar Musson, Musson Jewellers
- Solitaire Award – Continuum by Robert Opat, Mondial Pink Diamond Atelier
- Emerging Talent Award – Ezara by Laura Pivovaroff, Martin Rogers Jewellers
- Supreme Award – Waves by Berj Ohannessian, Berjani Jewellers
The DGA Jewellery Awards have been hosted by DGA biennially since 2005 and are open to designers and jewellers working within an Australian retail jewellery business.
The DGA was formed to establish and preserve a benchmark for quality and ethics in the promotion and sale of diamonds throughout Australia.
The DGA was formed to establish and preserve a benchmark for quality and ethics in the promotion and sale of diamonds throughout Australia.
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