The contest prize winners will be recognized during the Expo. 
Attendee registration is now open.

Background

The “Pôle Bijou” today, proposes a contest centers on the theme “Childhood Jewelry”. The reasons behind this choice are :
“Les enfants d’Agathe Courtois”, a company located in the “Pôle Bijou”, proposes to dedicate the majority of its production to children.
The future exhibit location of the “Pôle Bijou”, which will open its door at the end of 2009, will be located in an old nursery.
This is the first contest initiated for the “Pôle Bijou”.

Returning to our theme:

Jewelry: a word that everyone is going to define by their own view and their own approach.
Childhood : a word that can have several different meanings depending on the dictionary used.
• Used to define the first years of human life, from birth to puberty,
• Used to defined children in their entirety, as a stage in life,
• Define the beginning, the birth of something,
• Used sometimes through analogy to depict a relative lack of maturity, a certain naïveté or innocence, in some cases a certain simple mindeness especially if talking about a person “regressing to childhood”.

Furthermore, the word childhood can be interpreted as a common inheritance to all human beings. Each one of us has had a childhood during which he/she has accumulated perceptions, sensations, emotions, and knowledge which contributed to the fabric of who we are today …

The theme, purposely very broad, can be discussed without any restrictions by the participants.

Article 1 – Contest Objectives

This contest of international dimension is exclusively open to students or young creators, self-employed persons or people, with less than 5 years of professional experience (proof will be required).
The objective is to create a jewelry or a collection of jewelry inspired by the theme “Childhood Jewelry”.

Two categories are proposed for this contest:
Jewelry as a series of duplicated pieces (between 50 to 100 pieces maximum)
Jewelry as a series of unique pieces
The contestant should clearly specify which category they would like to compete in. The contest is designed to evaluate the professionalism and the creativity of the young contestant engaged in artistic venues or the arts.

Article 2 – Technical Characteristics of the pieces

Materials to be used : No restrictions except for legal restrictions
Production Techniques : No restrictions
Retail unit price of the product:
Around 150 to 350 euros for Jewelry created as a series of duplicated pieces
Around 350 to 700 euros for Jewelry created as a unique piece

Article 3 – Contest Organization

Le contest is organized and administered by:
Pôle Bijou – Communauté de Communes du Cristal
2 rue Adrien Michaut
54120 Baccarat
France

Contact : Monique Manoha
+33 (0)3 83 76 06 99
Pôle Bijou Baccarat

Le contest will take place in two stages.

Stage 1: Preselection
Application of candidate and submission of project on paper.
15 to 25 proposed projects in each of the two categories described previously will be selected by the jury based on review of the submitted documents.

Stage 2: Selection
The candidates selected for the second stage must present either a prototype or a finished piece of their project. The jury will award the prizes based on the document submitted and the objects presented.

Article 4 – Stage 1 Procedure

Whichever the selected category is, the candidates documents must be received by midnight March 25th 2009, at the following address:
Pôle Bijou
Communauté de Communes du Cristal
2 rue Adrien Michaut
54120 Baccarat
France

They must include :
An application form (see attached) clearly indicating the chosen category.
For students, proof of enrollment, for employed individual, a copy of their work employment contract, for artisans or self employed candidates, a copy of their company’s Identification Number.
Colored designs along with dimensions (format A4 or A3) or electronic 3D files on CD in PDF format.
A full description of each object (materials, size…).
An explanation (in French or English) justifying the esthetic choices, the materials, and the techniques used.
Eventually mock-ups

The selection of the projects and candidates for the second stage will be decided by two juries (one for each category) comprised of:
• professionals of the jewelry industry
• professionals of the arts
• elected members of “La Communauté de Communes du Cristal”

The projects will be judged based on criteria of creativity, aesthetics and production feasibility (especially in the category of “series of duplicated pieces”).

The quality of the project presentation and the respect of the contest rules will be determining factors.

Both the selected and non-selected candidates will be notified of the jury’s decision by mail before the end of April 2009.

Non-selected projects will be returned to the candidates within a period of two (2) months after the final selection. The selected projects will be retained until the end of the contest.

Article 5 – Stage 2 Procedures

The candidates selected by the jury, in both categories, must submit their prototypes of their finished product between September 14th and midnight October 9th 2009.
These objects must be accompanied by an explanation clearly specifying to which initial project they correspond, as well as the candidate’s name and the category for which they are competing.

These pieces will be presented during a “General Public” exhibition between October 24th and November 28th, 2009. This exhibition will take place in the exhibit hall of the “Hôtel de Ville” of Baccarat. The presentation of the objects could include information from the application documents (drawings, ..)

The results of the contest and award of the prizes will take place Saturday November 28th, 2009 during the exhibit.

Article 6 – Prizes

Each jury (“Serie of Duplicated Pieces” and “Unique Piece”) will award three (3) prizes.
Two additional prizes will be awarded during the exhibit:
A prize “jeune public” awarded by popular vote of visitors to the exhibit who are younger than (13) thirteen years old.
A prize “public moins jeune” awarded by popular vote of visitors to the exhibit who are (13) thirteen years old and older.

Cash, artistic material or artistic tools will constitute the different prizes. A decision to produce the object by a partner enterprise could equally be made, in which case a production contract will be required to be signed.

The winners will be notified no later than November 20th, 2009 in order for them to make the necessary travel arrangements to be present for the distribution of prizes. Travel costs, as well as room and board will be paid by the contest organizer.

Article 7 – Project Rights

The candidates authorize the “Pôle Bijou” from “la Communauté de Communes du Cristal” to display their project (winners or non-winners), to cite their authors and to use their design for information and promotional purposes, by any means of communication, especially by print articles, brochures, internet sites, exhibits, and public display, without time limits.

Article 8 – Responsibility

The “Pôle Bijou” from “la Communauté de Communes du Cristal” reserve the right, to shorten, lengthen, delay, modify or cancel at any time the contest under any circumstances. They will contact the candidates regarding any delays as quickly as possible. The contest organizer will not be responsible for any type of liability.

Article 9 – Disputes

In case of disputes related to interpretation or execution of the rules, or in general related to the way the contest is run, french laws will only apply, and only those courts of the “département de Meurthe-et-Moselle” will be allowed to be used.

By participating in the contest, you fully and unconditionally agree to the specific rules, terms an conditions provided for the contest.

Thanks to Angela Baduel-Crispin for sending this along.

so fresh. the jewellery award by Pierre Lang 09

For the fourth time, the 10.000,00-euro prize – so fresh. the jewellery award by Pierre Lang – awaits for extraordinary contemporary jewellery design.
Entry deadline is 22 February 2009.

Invited to apply are jewellery, fashion and product designers living in Europe, as well as students and trainees in their last year of studies who deal intensively with jewellery design.

The award-winner and two further talents chosen from the pool of applicants will be invited to Vienna to publicly present the selected works at the 9 festival for fashion and photography, and a publication will be produced to showcase the work.

so fresh. the jewellery award by Pierre Lang was initiated in 2006 by the Pierre Lang jewellery company and Unit F büro für mode as a way to foster up-and-coming talent and sustainably support the careers of promising jewellery designers. The goal is to seek out refreshing new approaches to jewellery design and to raise awareness amongst the public at large of the myriad forms jewellery can take.

Today, jewellery is more exciting, diverse and personal than ever.
A new generation of jewellery designers is taking a fresh look at the long history of jewellery, or purposefully setting off in completely new directions.

Jewellery has taken on a much higher profile in fashion as well. Hardly a designer can be found who doesn’t send his or her creations down the catwalk accessorized with jewellery. In national and international fashion magazines jewellery has long since become much more than just the icing on the fashion cake. Contemporary jewellery design is providing new inspiration and inventing surprising ways to adorn the body.

This is where so fresh. the jewellery award by Pierre Lang comes in, recognizing jewellery design that enhances and enriches our conventional notion of what jewellery is and can be.

Details on the award, the contest, past years’ winners and photos can be found at http://www.sofreshaward.com/

Submission deadline: Jan. 15, 2009

General Information
The MJSA Vision Awards Design Competition annually recognizes the talent and innovation of designers whose work will have a profound influence on the future of jewelry design. In addition to the overall Professional and Student Awards, the competition features special Distinction Awards that allow us to recognize designers using specific materials or technologies in new and creative ways. This year’s featured Distinction categories include:

Enamel Distinction, sponsored by Rio Grande
Laser Distinction, sponsored by Crafford–LaserStar Technologies Corp.
Mokumé-gane Distinction, sponsored by Shining Wave Metals and Reactive Metals Studio
Palladium Distinction, sponsored by Hoover & Strong
Platinum Distinction, sponsored by Platinum Guild International

New for 2009! The Reactive Metals Challenge
The first 10 professional entrants for this challenge will have their $50 entry fees waived, courtesy of Reactive Metals Studio, if their designs incorporate the use of reactive metals. The winner of this challenge will receive a $500 cash prize.

All first and second place winners in all categories will receive cash awards of up to $1,000. Their winning entries will be on display for thousands of buyers and exhibitors during the annual MJSA Expo New York, the largest and oldest trade show in the U.S. dedicated to the design and manufacturing of jewelry.

MJSA promotes competition winners through E-newsletters, here on the association website, and through other leading industry publications. Winners will also be featured in an article in MJSA Journal, one of the jewelry industry’s most respected trade publications.

In addition to the overall professional and student awards, the competition features special distinction awards that allow us to recognize designers using specific materials or technologies in new and creative ways.

All first and second place winners in all categories will receive cash awards of up $1,000. Their winning entries will be on display for thousands of buyers and exhibitors during the annual MJSA Expo New York show. MJSA promotes competition winners through E-newsletters, here on the association Web site, and through other leading industry publications. Winners will also be featured in an article in MJSA Journal, one of the jewelry industry’s most respected trade publications.

Eligibility
Eligible contestants are independent jewelry designers, company-employed jewelry designers, and students enrolled in an art or design-related program at a college or university. By entering the MJSA Vision Awards Design Competition, winners agree to have their names, photos, and designs used and displayed in conjunction with Expo New York and in any publicity generated by MJSA.

Judging
Winners are selected by leading manufacturers, jewelry designers, and other industry experts on the basis of creativity, presentation quality, effective use of materials, wearability, and the design’s perceived manufacturing and marketing potential. MJSA Vision Award judges may reject any entry which, in their opinion, fails to meet competition standards.

Project Proposals
Lark Books seeks artists to submit proposals for earring projects that can be
made…start to finish…in 30 minutes flat.

30-Minute Earrings will showcase more than 50 incredibly stylish step-by-step projects that can
be created without investing too much of a valuable commodity—time! The selected earring
designs will be modern and sophisticated and encompass many different styles and techniques.
The common denominator will be fast projects that look terrific!

30-Minute Earrings won’t teach fundamental jewelry making techniques. Designers can assume
that their readers are already proficient (and quick!) at skills such as sawing, soldering, and
finishing.

Accepted Designs
Scheduled to publish in Spring 2010, this 128-page book will offer need-to-know information
unique to earrings. It will address topics like gauge, ear wire shapes, weight, and much more.
Winning jewelers will be paid between $150 and $250 to create their designs. We’ll require
written step-by-step instructions; a brief bio sent to Lark via email; a signed contract; a W-9 form for tax purposes; the project itself; and other supporting materials as may be requested.
We don’t reimburse for materials, but will return all projects after photographing them for the book, and designers may do whatever they like with them after that. Designers receive full credit in the book, a complimentary copy of it, and discounts on future purchases of it.

How to Submit

By January 26, 2009, submit to Lark one proposal form per proposed project. There is NO LIMIT to how many proposals you can submit. Each proposal must include:

• full-color sketch, photo, scan, or printout of your proposed design (you may submit already finished earrings)
• sample images of the materials you intend to use
• description of the techniques you plan to use

I look forward to seeing your proposal(s)! And if you know anyone who would also be especially
suited for working as a designer on this project, please feel free to pass on this information.
Gavin Young, Assistant Editor Lark Books

The winner is awarded a booth in the New Designer Gallery at the July Jewelers of America Show in New York City. The winner is the focus of extensive media attention. This high-profile competition has successfully launched the careers of past winners such as Zoltan David, Todd Reed, Sarah Graham and Brian Sholdt. The entire jewelry industry eagerly awaits the New York debut of the AJDC’s pick. In addition, the winner receives professional support from members of the AJDC on making the step to larger markets.

The American Jewelry Design Council is a group of over thirty nationally prominent designers whose mission is to promote the art of jewelry. In coordination with the Jewelers of America, this contest has been a major annual success, each year presenting a single outstanding designer to national and international jewelry buyers.

Applicants must be a designer/owner of a jewelry manufacturing business, produce in the United States and have never exhibited at a JA Show. Selection is based on originality, craftsmanship, innovation, marketability and cohesiveness. The names of all finalists are submitted to the JA selection committee for consideration as a candidate for the New Designer Gallery. Winner and finalists are honored at an awards ceremony during the show.

Deadline for submission is January 15, 2009.
For more information and/or to receive an application, visit ajdc.org or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Alan Revere AJDC Talent Contest Chairman 760 Market Street, Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94102