Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition Winning Pieces Go On Display

Local talents interpret dreams through inspiring designs

HONG KONG, Aug 1, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 38th HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and 8th HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show are fully open to the public at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) until 2 August. As one of the highlight events this year, the 23rd Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition award presentation ceremony was held on the opening day of the shows. The winning pieces - all locally designed and of exceptional craftmanship - are on display at the Hall 3FG Concourse of the fairground for the appreciation of visitors and exhibitors.

The Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition is jointly organised by the HKTDC, the Hong Kong Jewellers' & Goldsmiths' Association, Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association, Hong Kong Jewelry Manufacturers' Association and the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong. Now in its 23rd edition, the competition continues to provide a platform for local talents to showcase their creative flair, to identify budding designers, and advance design excellence in the local jewellery industry. The theme of this year's competition was "Dream", encompassing both the fantastical imaginations of people's dreams as well as the aspirations they have for the future. The competition was divided into two categories, the Open Group and the Student Group, with contestants giving highly personal interpretations of the theme through works of extraordinary creativity and craftsmanship.

Open Group shows imagination and exquisite craftsmanship

Three Best of Show awards were given in the Open Group. Yuen Ching-chi claimed a Best of Show award for the second consecutive year. Her 2022 entry, "The Dream of Butterfly", in black and white tones, portrays butterflies that dream of dancing freely in the snow and the transformations they must go through to survive periods of severe weather. Ms Yuen's design sends a message that everyone can still carry their dreams and fly high under adversity.

Another Best of Show award went to Hui Yuk-king's multipurpose ring, "Where Dreams Lie". Her design is adorned with more than 900 coloured sapphires in 100 different shades, totalling more than 20 carats, all handpicked by the designer herself. It took more than 500 hours to create this delicate and colourful ring that depicts the origin of dreams and explores our imaginations.

"Flying" by Yung Yuk-shan is the third piece given the Best of Show award. The pendant/brooch depicts an astronaut being lifted into the air by a bunch of handheld, planet-shaped balloons. Inspiration came from the designer's childhood dream of going on space adventures as well as the sense of pride she felt when a Chinese female astronaut went into space.

Student Group unleashes boundless potential

Open to students of institutions registered in Hong Kong, the Student Group category of the competition aims to inspire more young design talents to join the jewellery design profession. This year, VTC Youth College student Stephanie Law's entry, "The Unicorn in My Dream - RUNNING", won both the Champion title and the Craftsmanship and Technology Award. The ring is embellished with sapphires and a droplet tourmaline mounted in 18-karat white gold and yellow gold. The unicorn's wings show an enamelled gradation, from red to violet, that adds a hint of fantasy, while the surrounding whirlwind feature can be spun around.

The second runner-up spot went to Alison Yip who is studying on a programme co-offered by the School for Higher and Professional Education and Sheffield Hallam University. Her bangle design, "Fountain of Utopia", is a visualisation of the designer's ideal world. She imagines there is a goddess who bestows spring water that can cure people's pain and forgive their sins, helping to create a utopia.

This year, two second runner-up awardees were selected from a plethora of impressive entries. Cannis Pang from the Hong Kong Design Institute created "Wonderland", a ring designed as a dreamy flower with a swirling shape. Glass beads of different sizes resemble short-lived bubbles in a dream-like atmosphere. Lam Wai-yee, a repeat winner from the School of Continuing Education at Hong Kong Baptist University, designed "The Interlock", a bangle that locks "dreams" and "ambitions" together, conveying a determination to pursue one's goals.

Nearly 120 entries were submitted for this year's Jewellery Design Competition. The seven-strong judging panel evaluated the entries based on creativity and innovation, aesthetics, craftsmanship and wearability, topic relevance and marketability (the latter applicable only to the Open Group).

This year, the newly added "Popularity Award" went to Hui Yuk-king's entry "Where Dreams Lie". It was voted for by visitors on the first day of the twin jewellery shows out of all the winning pieces.

Twin jewellery shows go fully public along with Simply Shopping Fest

The two concurrent jewellery events have attracted more than 430 exhibitors in 2022, showcasing a dazzling array of exquisite jewellery and jewellery-making materials. The shows run until 2 August and are fully open to the public. Jewellery lovers are welcome to enjoy the displays and purchase precious items. In parallel with the twin jewellery shows, the HKTDC is also staging the debut Simply Shopping Fest, offering the public a rewarding one-stop shopping experience with a variety of gourmet foods and wine, home and living products, as well as toys and leisure products.

Fair websites:

- Hong Kong International Jewellery Show:

https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkjewellery/en/product

- Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem and Pearl Show:

https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkdgp/en/exhibitor-list

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

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