AGTA adding palladium to jewelry design competition
By http://www.nationaljeweler.com
The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) is adding the Palladium Prestige Awards to its 2012 Spectrum Awards jewelry design competition in order to recognize designers working with the metal, the organization announced recently.
According to the AGTA, the Palladium Alliance International (PAI), the organization that works to raise the profile of palladium, will judge the palladium pieces within the five existing Spectrum categories: Bridal, Classical, Business/Day Wear, Evening Wear and Men’s Wear. The PAI then will select a winner for the new “Best Use of Palladium and Color” award.
“We had some prominent pieces created in palladium, including ‘Best of Show’ by Todd Reed and first place in ‘Evening Wear’ by Cynthia Zava, take top honors in last year’s competition and believe that this will only encourage more designers to enter their work in palladium,” AGTA Chief Executive Officer Doug Hucker said.
In order to be eligible for the award, designers must use 950 or better quality palladium, and palladium must comprise at least 90 percent of the metal used in the piece.
With nearly 30 years in existence, the AGTA Spectrum Awards is one of the most prestigiousjewelry design and lapidary competitions in the world, serving as a benchmark for the industry’s designers to measure themselves against their peers.
The 2012 awards are slated to be presented Feb. 4 in Tucson at the Spectrum Awards Gala during the AGTA GemFair. More information and entry forms can be found here.
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