Melissa Jacobs

The first United States showing of the 2000 Gold Virtuosi Design Awards kicked off December 6 at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) world headquarters in Carlsbad, California. Ten suites of jewelry were worn by InStyle magazine models and GIA students for an audience of more than 275 at the special preview party. The award-winning pieces were added to display cases when the exhibit opened to the public Dec. 7.

GIA President William E. Boyajian said, "It's truly a pleasure for GIA to host the Gold Virtuosi 2000 exhibit. We thank the World Gold Council and our great friends at the Vicenza Trade Fair Board for making this event possible."  He added, "GIA is known as the world's foremost authority in gemology, but we support the entire jewelry industry, and these designs represent gold jewelry in a wonderful way. We're especially proud that three winning designs were done by GIA graduates."

The three graduate award-winners, Jin Kang, Hye Mi Do, G.G., and Ji Won Ok are alumnae of the GIA campus in Korea. Two of the three graduate winners were on hand during the opening night to help showcase their winning designs.

Also in attendance were sponsor representatives from the Vicenza Trade Fair Board in Italy. “We are pleased that Dr. Giovanni Lasagna, president of the Vicenza Trade Fair, and Dr. Andrea Turcato, its executive director, came all the way from Italy to celebrate with us and to honor innovation in the design of gold jewelry,” said Jane Lynch, GIA director of institute relations.

The 30 winners from the year 2000 competition were selected from more than 3,000 design sketches submitted by artists in 34 countries for the World Gold Council competition.  Dubbed the “Oscars” for the gold jewelry industry, the Gold Virtuosi Design Awards recognize the best designs in gold jewelry from around the world. The 30 award-winning designers and their pieces were selected for their deep appreciation and understanding of the unique qualities of gold. 

Rick Bannerot, U.S. advertising and marketing manager for the World Gold Council, pointed out that this worldwide competition is different from other competitions in jewelry design, “It’s about what one does with the concept of jewelry design. It’s about reinventing what was already done into something no one’s ever seen before. It’s about taking risks.” 

Bannerot added, “GIA is the world center for jewelry design. What better place to hold an event for award winners in jewelry design?”
One of the GIA graduate winners who attended the preview party, Jin Kang, a 1999 graduate of the GIA Korea design class, came to the event in traditional Korean attire. The Gold Virtuosi competition in gold design was a new concept for Kang.  She said, “I used to design gold around gemstones, so gold was used for a support only. However, I learned from this design work, gold has its own unique beauty and so much workability.” 

Kang’s award-winning design comprises 18K yellow gold chains and 18K white gold balls together. Her necklace design includes a clasp that is worn on the front of the neck, while several yellow gold chains speckled with white gold balls drape down the back. She also created a bracelet with a clasp on the front similar to the necklace. A brooch rounds out the set.

After winning several jewelry design competitions in Korea, Kang opened up her own jewelry design shop “Jin” in Sept. 2000 in Seoul, Korea.

GIA Korea graduate Hye Mi Do, G.G., also attended the opening event to showcase her jewelry. Her jewelry is one of the few winners made from 18K white gold. The matching necklace, earrings and ring are all spherical in shape. Each sphere is intricately carved with intertwining lines. Do explained that her design idea comes from our advancing technology and resembles a computer chip or motherboard.

Do was inspired by the industrial millennium for her design. She felt her jewelry reflected how “computers spread forward, they’re pervasive throughout the world.” She is currently enrolled in the Jewelry Manufacturing Arts program at GIA Carlsbad.   

Ji Won Ok said that she learned much from her jewelry design classes. “GIA Korea education gave me the insight to see the whole world, rather than just Korea, and the design class taught me to describe my design in a much more organized format.” She was not in attendance at the opening event

For Ok’s winning design, the necklace, earrings and brooch are all made up of 18K yellow and white gold. With a series of hoops and balls, Ok’s design is very similar to the scientific structure of atoms. “I designed atoms that are connected to become whole, but they move independently as well.” Ok said that “life in a new millennium civilization” inspired her unique design.

The designs are on display from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. through Dec. 15 in the GIA Museum Gallery.  GIA is located at 5345 Armada Dr., in Carlsbad, and can be reached by calling (760)603-4000.