Winners of the 20th Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition were announced yesterday, highlighting the skills of some of Hong Kong’s most talented young jewellers.

This year’s competition highlighter local designers’ boundless creativity and impeccable craftsmanship under the theme “Be Connected, Be United.” Among the creative entries were a school of fish assembled on a brooch, symbolising the power of unity, and a mix of Chinese and Western tableware miniatures set on a pair of earrings to represent cultural integration.

The Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong Jewellers’ & Goldsmiths’ Association, Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association, Hong Kong Jewelry Manufacturers’ Association and the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, China. Over the past two decades, the competition has served to identify many budding talents and promote Hong Kong jewellery products to an international audience.

The latest edition of the competition received close to 200 entries in two categories – the Open Group and Student Group. The panel consisted of seven judges from various sectors, who evaluated the entries based on: Creativity and innovation; aesthetics, craftsmanship and wearability; topic relevance; and marketability (applicable only to the Open Group).

Open Group: Best of Show Award & Craftsmanship and Technology Award – “We are ONE”

Three Best of Show awards were given in the Open Group. Jane Li’s entry, “We are ONE,” features a school of fish swimming elegantly in the sea, symbolising the power of unity. The brooch features larger fish, with glittering diamond chips and coloured gemstones on their bodies coming to life like a group of smaller fish caught in the light. The entry won the Best of Show Award as well as the Craftsmanship and Technology Award, in recognition of Li’s excellence in jewellery craftsmanship.

Open Group: Best of Show Award – “Motivate”

Ko Wing-yu, another Best of Show Award winner, emphasises unity in her entry, creating the piece “Motivate.” Ko noted that the Belt and Road Initiative has at its core the ideas of mutual effort, cooperation and benefits. Her design presents the idea that “unity is important for a country; gathered hearts are important for unity.” The entry plays with the concept of rings, interlocking bands of red, blue and green gemstones with the diamond-studded central core of the ring, creating a highly dynamic design.

Open Group: Best of Show Award – “Enjoy”

Chu Wai-on is the third Best of Show Award winner. Her earrings design, “Enjoy,” features different designs on both sides. One side of the earrings is platinum-coloured, featuring miniatures of Chinese tableware such as teapots, bowls, plates, chopsticks and soup spoons, while the other is rose gold-coloured, featuring Western tableware miniatures such as diamond-shaped teapots, cups, plates, long spoons and forks. The blending of Chinese and Western culinary elements signifies how sincere cooperation can help to create a win-win situation.

Student Group: Champion – “Silk Road”

Open to students of institutions registered in Hong Kong, the Student Group category aims to inspire more young people and aspiring jewellery designers to join the industry. Cris Gao from the Hong Kong Baptist University’s School of Continuing Education was named Student Group Champion for her necklace design “Silk Road,” inspired by the classic Chinese blue-and-white porcelain that was exported along the Silk Road to Europe. Gao’s entry combines a qipao collar with elegant blue-and-white porcelain patterns to highlight the beauty of the two heritages, demonstrating her creativity through a combination of rich materials.

Student Group: First Runner-up – “Bridge”

The First Runner-up in the Student Group was Lam Yuet-wan from the School for Higher and Professional Education. She sees the Belt and Road Initiative as a bridge of friendship crossing over mountains and seas to connect countries for trade and create unity and cooperation, bringing people from different countries closer together to start a new chapter for mainland China and the world. Her ring design, “Bridge,” is inspired by a bridge structure, with the red gemstone in the centre symbolising a heart that represents power, unity and cohesion.

Student Group: Second Runner-up – “Satisfy”

The Second Runner-up title in the Student Group was awarded to Yeung Ling from the School for Higher and Professional Education, whose brooch design “Satisfy” incorporates architectural elements. Her design materialises the concept of an economic pillar through geometric shapes, curves and straight lines. The dazzling gold, silver and blue geometric adornments in the form of stars and moons alongside the pillar symbolise how the growth potential offered by the Belt and Road Initiative drives through countries to create a stronger future for everyone.

Winning works on display

The three winners in the Student Group category all received cash prizes, while the three Open Group winners will be sponsored by the Hong Kong Japan Business Co-operation Committee to attend a five-day jewellery design study course in Japan. All the winning entries will be exhibited at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show to promote Hong Kong’s unique designs to global jewellers and buyers.

Organised by the HKTDC, the 36th HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show will be held from February 28 to 4 March at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre while the sixth HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show will take place from February 26 to March 2 at AsiaWorld-Expo. The two shows will gather more than 4,600 exhibitors from 48 countries and regions, forming the world’s largest jewellery trading platform.