Nine win honors in jewelry design competition

Jack Demirjian, of Mastercraft Jewelers in Livonia, won top honors in the 2007 Jewelry Design Competition sponsored by the Michigan Jewelers Association. He and eight other winners received awards for their outstanding jewelry designs. Demirjian also has won awards in the past three Jewelry Design competitions sponsored by MJA.

Demirjian’s design, an 18-karat gold pendant with ametrine, diamonds and sapphires, placed first in the Individual Goldsmith category, Division Two (over $2,500 retail value).

With the highest overall score from judges, the design will advance to the Jewelers of America Affiliate National Design Competition in New York in January. It also earned the Judge’s Choice award, given for the piece that shows exceptional originality and creativity.

A new category was added to the competition this year to recognize jewelry designed by means of computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM).

“We added this category in recognition of the fact that many jewelers are creating beautiful pieces using CAD/CAM, which should be judged on different criteria than pieces designed in more traditional ways,” said Frank Yanke, of Yanke Designs in Franklin, who coordinated judging for the competition.

“There were few entries this year in this category, probably because it was new, but we expect more entries next year as jewelers learn of this category and plan for the competition.”

The contest judges included Ben Barber, of C.W. Petersen Jewelry Design in Ann Arbor; Tim McInerney, of Birdseye Metals in Troy; and Carol Dytyniak, of Yanke Designs in Franklin.

 

Individual Goldsmith,
Division One
(under $2,500 retail value)

1st place
Cass Maiorana
Plymouth Jewelry & Gifts,
Plymouth
18-karat white and yellow gold ring with green tourmaline and bezel-set round diamonds.


2nd place
Mark Urban
Urban Jewelers,
Ann Arbor
Pendant with genuine golden south sea pearl and 17 diamonds channel-set in 14-karat two-tone gold.

Individual Goldsmith,
Division Two
(over $2,500 retail value)

1st place
Jack Demirjian
Mastercraft Jewelers,
Livonia
18-karat yellow and white gold pendant with ametrine, diamonds, yellow and blue sapphires.

2nd place
Jack Demirjian
Mastercraft Jewelers,
Livonia
18-karat white and yellow gold ring with green tourmaline, diamonds, tsavorites and yellow sapphires.

 

Goldsmith/Manufacturer
Division One
 (under $2,500 retail value)

1st place
Michele Rohn, Kris Kildow and Howard Herbst
Michele & Company Fine Jewelers,
Lapeer
14-karat gold ladies’ semi-mount ring with pave-set and burnish-set diamonds.

Goldsmith/Manufacturer,
Division Two
(over $2,500 retail value)

1st place
Daren Schurman & Sam Serra
Aurum Design,
Rochester
14-karat white gold ring with bi-color tourmalines and white and purple irradiated diamonds.


2nd place
Jack Demirjian
J. Demere Designs,
Livonia
18-karat white and yellow gold ring with oval-cut pink tourmaline, rubies, sapphires and diamonds.

 

CAD/CAM, Division Two
(over $2,500 retail value)


1st place
Randy Erickson
Richardson Jewelers,
Escanaba
Pendant with 29-carat ametrine embraced by diamonds and citrine.

 

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