Registrations were initially opened in February 2020, with a gala presentation ceremony scheduled for October. However, organisers decided to postpone the biennial competition in April given the pandemic’s “unfathomable impact on members of the Australian retail jewellery industry”.
At the time, the award ceremony was tentatively rescheduled for May 2021, with entries opening in March.
However, Melissa James, executive officer Diamond Guild Australia, confirmed to Jeweller that the competition has now been postponed a second time.
“We are yet to finalise the timing but have made the decision to push the tentative new date for the awards back once again.
"This was taken following the recent COVID-19 lockdowns and the ongoing border closures, making it difficult to plan for a national awards event in the first half of this year,” she explained.
James told Jeweller that the new dates would be finalised at the next Diamond Guild Australia board meeting on 16 February, with a likely target of August entry submissions and an October gala presentation – though these dates are “entirely dependent on the next few months of trading and the COVID-19 situation”.
“The Guild is, as always, highly motivated to support and foster the great design talent with the Australian jewellery industry, but needs to take an agile approach to planning this event so that the maximum number of jewellers across Australia are in a position to create an entry and to attend an event to announce the winners for 2021,” James added.
“Now, more than ever, the jewellery trade needs every opportunity to promote the local talent and the wonderful small businesses that make up our industry.”
Two other local jewellery competitions – the Australian Jewellery Design Awards, which are traditionally presented at the International Jewellery & Watch Fair, and the Jewellers Association of Australia Australasian Jewellery Awards – are also set to take place in 2021, based on their existing biennial schedules.
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