2009 George A. Schuetz Jewelry Design Contest - WINNERS!

One of the great things about "Show Season" in the Jewelery & Gem Industries are all the Design Contests. Participating in a contest can do a lot of great things for your business - the secret is finding the right contest for your work...but that is another post all together and I will look at this topic soon on my Business of Craft blog. I am still catching up with the posts lost when my computer crashed in Tucson but expect a flurry of writing on all my blogs shortly!

First up - the winners of the 2009 George A. Schuetz Jewelry Design Contest!

This is an annual jewelry design contest offered by GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. Named in honor of the late men’s jewelry designer George A. Schuetz Sr., the international competition recognizes the best original men’s jewelry and accessories designs. It is open to all designers.

The first place winner was Sung Woo Hong, of Seoul, Korea, for a tie tack and cuff links set made of emerald cut and tapered sapphires and radiant and princess cut diamonds in 18 karat yellow gold. The first prize award is $500 and a crystal trophy.

“I am very honored,” Hong said. “Receiving this recognition gave me much energy and confidence. I like giving people joy by designing jewelry and I hope they will always remember my pieces.”

The second place award went to Joana Miranda of Glendale, Wisconsin for her “Dog Tags with Hidden Pico Drive.”

Her design uses polished white metal, channel-set rubies and black onyx inlay. Hidden inside the flip-top compartment is a Pico Drive. The Pico, or thumb drive, the smallest external computer drive on the market, is waterproof and equivalent to the size of a U.S. quarter. The dog tags are strung on a platinum bead chain. Miranda received a crystal trophy as recognition of her achievement.

“I am delighted to have won second place and I am grateful to GIA for sponsoring a competition that has inspired me to try to design in elegant and stylish ways for men,” said Miranda, who also won a prize in last year’s George A. Schuetz Design Contest. “Because this was my first Computer-Aided Design (CAD) submission in a design contest, this honor took on unique significance for me. I am continuing my design work with both CAD and hand-drawn renderings.”

Amit B. Kurdekar, of Mumbai, India, came in third place with a men’s ring made of enamel and 24 karat white and yellow gold.

“The Schuetz Contest is an excellent opportunity for young designers to express their creative vision and exercise their many talents,” said Phillip Weeks, manager of GIA’s Student Financial Assistance department and coordinator of the contest. “Contestants may submit one original color design rendering that has not been previously exhibited or ordered for sale.”

Each entry is judged by an independent panel of industry experts who evaluate it based on design, wearability, manufacturability and appeal. The time period to enter a rendering in the competition is from April 15 to June 15. No fee is charged to enter the contest.

Entries for the 2010 Schuetz Design Contest should be mailed according to the instructions on the 2010 entry form, which will be available beginning April 15 on the GIA web site at www.gia.edu, under Library Resources, Design Contests.

The George A. Schuetz Design Contest was established in 1973 by friends and family of Schuetz. The winners of the first contest were announced in 1974. GIA hosts and manages the competition.

Photos courtesy of the GIA via JCK Online story at: http://www.jckonline.com/article/449519-2009_George_A_Schuetz_Design_Contest_Winners_Announced.php?nid=2054&source=title&rid=15168191

Timothy Meier - Innovator

Tim Meier came to the attention of jewelry enthusiasts in 2007 with his inclusion in the exclusive "Best In Show" listing by JCK magazine following the JCK Las Vegas Jewelry Show.

Always questioning, always striving to understand...a little bit from his website: http://www.timothymeier.com

The Artist

(BTW - this is one of the best "Artist Statements" I've read)

The strength of bones is dictated by the engineering that human beings are unable to replicate. Perfectly adapted to their application. What would be the simplest , most effective way to wrap a finger in metal? What is the most comfortable and appealing necklace that is possible to make? Seashells are formed in a perfect spiral unbeknownst to the mollusk that is forming it one layer of calcium carbonate at a time. for more go to http://www.timothymeier.com/TheArtist.aspx

"It's all about getting people in touch with the primal human urge to make one's self more attractive by decoration. I'm just caught up in the concept that jewelry is culturally universal, and accessible to people on every continent."

Ellipse_________

All of my forms are a discussion in the definition of space. I like to think that my carved forms are something that would spontaneously happen in nature. Each individual piece is delicate, even feminine, and then together the chain becomes tough and masculine. I love that transition that a piece makes from concept to reality.

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The Vision

In America today, 63 percent of women say that they think fine-jewelry on men is sexy and 74 percent of women have purchased jewelry for a man. Why are men being forgotten in commercial jewelry markets? Men who see the Timothy Meier collection of mens jewelry will feel compelled to decorate themselves. Decoration is not something reserved for the fairer sex. There is nothing effeminate about a 4-ounce chain of blackened Sterling silver.

His innovative "Vertabrae" series has won him international acclaim - and I have to say I am a huge fan. Individually carved links - hand cast and hand assembled - available in Sterling, Stainless Steel, and now he has started working in Platinum!

Vertebrae_________

This is the genesis of a number of ideas. Bones have a repulsive/ alluring charm. Whether you are a hard line creationist, or a Darwinian scholar, there is no argument over the miracle of the engineering behind bones. On a trip to West Africa, I noticed bead vendors in the Abidjan market selling snake vertebrae all strung up as jewelry. I was mystified, and rather repulsed. These were the coolest shapes I had ever seen, and I wanted very badly in a primal sort of way to decorate myself in these tribal ornaments. (Without having a dead snake around my neck) Unleash your tribal warrior...

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