IGI Is Holding a Jewelry Design Contest And It’s Free to Enter

New York—The International Gemological Institute is accepting entries for a new jewelry design competition.

The 2020 Jewel Jewelry Design Contest invites both new and experienced jewelers, students, teachers, artists or jewelry lovers to submit a color drawing for a proposed jewelry design in one of four categories: Diamond, Colored Stones, Gold, and Creative Materials.

The design doesn’t need to be manufactured, but makers should estimate the retail cost of their proposed piece to be $3,000 or less.

Submissions are due by Aug. 20 on the IGI website. It is free to enter.

Judges will evaluate submissions on creativity, how the material was used, cost, feasibility of production and wearability.

IGI will announce a maximum of 30 competition finalists on Sept. 1. It will produce the designs in partnership with House of Jewelry Creation.

Winners of the 2020 IGI Jewel Jewelry Design Contest will be announced at a live awards ceremony scheduled to take place in Shanghai on Nov. 25, pending any pandemic-related restrictions, with finalists and their guests invited to attend.

The awards ceremony also will be broadcast globally.

The contest will crown one champion, who will be awarded a $1,140 cash prize; two silver medalists, who will win $570 each; and four “Outstanding Design” winners, who will receive a cash prize of $285 each.

All winners will also receive scholarships toward coursework at one of IGI’s International Schools of Gemology.

The panel of judges includes designer Stephen Webster and trend forecaster Paola De Luca.

The other judges are: David Gotlib, Alexandre Corrot, Mauro Vegliante, Maria Laura La Mantia, Philip Sajet and Wang Jin Yuan, chairperson of the Fosun Art Center.

The competition has an overarching theme, “Collision and Fusion.”

In a press release, IGI explained the theme encourages submitting designers to embrace duality in their work, whether stylistically or culturally.

CEO Roland Lorie said: “In our industry’s history, every collision and fusion of civilizations made way for new classical eras. With the new IGI Jewel Jewelry Design Contest, we hope to empower participants to approach design with a global perspective and make room for the next period of influential jewelry.”

IGI said winning contestants also would receive exposure in a number of arenas, including future trade shows.

The contest is happening in part to support emerging design voices during a time of global uncertainty, which is why IGI is not charging a competition entry fee and is funding manufacture of finalists’ designs, it said.

Full submission requirements are