JNA Awards 2012 Jewellery Industry Best Practices

69 JNA AWARDS 2012 Accolades Some of the award-winning pieces by The Inspired Collection include the “Vinko” ring by Christine Douglas, which placed first in the Gemological Institute of America’s George A. Schuetz Design Contest in 2011; “Money Clip,” an 18-karat white gold and diamond money clip designed by Benham, which took the third spot in the same competition; “Circlipd Radiant” diamond ring in platinum and gold, which was the Bronze Pin Winner at the 2011 Best Design Awards; and the “X-Tension” necklace by Nigel Wong, which snagged the top spot at the 2010 New Zealand Jewellery Design Awards. Benham also led the company in launching the “Wilshi” brand, a unique “Proposal Ring” designed to fill a niche in the jewellery market, which is now sold in more than 60 stores in Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand and the Norfolk Islands. International market “I am very passionate about the jewellery industry and in particular creating a company that is known globally for its fresh innovative approach to jewellery design. I believe the key factor in my nomination for the JNA Awards is reflected in the success and recognition that our team has achieved in such a short space of time,” said Benham. The jewellery designer is upbeat about The Inspired Collection’s future. “We are excited about the prospects of the Inspired brand internationally,” said Benham. “We have a vision to turn The Inspired Collection into one of most highly respected jewellery design companies in the world. We want to continue to partner with the best and most highly respected jewellery companies and work with them in designing commercially successful collections for their respective markets.” ‘Circlipd Radiant’ diamond ring in platinum and gold by The Inspired Collection (left) The ‘Stellad’ ring is developed from a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern manufacturing technology (right) Chris Benham, co-founder of The Inspired Collection ‘Sargasso’ ring designed by Ian Douglas for The Inspired Collection ‘Patai’ ring designed by Ian Douglas for The Inspired Collection