PlatAfrica 2017 Winners Declared

Platinum Guild International (PGI) India recently showcased the winning designs of PlatAfrica 2017, a jewellery design and manufacturing competition held annually.

At a press meet held in Mumbai in March, PGI India announced and showcased the winners of the PlatAfrica 2017 design competition. Held annually, the prestigious competition is presented by the world’s leading producer of the precious metal Anglo American Platinum, in association with PGI India and Metal Concentrators. The competition is open to students, apprentices and professional jewellers in South Africa to promote innovation and technical expertise in the design of platinum jewellery.

Vaishali Banerjee, managing director – India, PGI, noted, “It’s a matter of great pride for us at PGI to be associated with PlatAfrica which nurtures and develops talent in the field of platinum jewellery designing. I would like to congratulate all the winners for their creativity and innovative designs in platinum. This initiative is an opportunity to bring in new ideas and enrich platinum designing in India.”

This time, the theme of the competition was Bold Minimalism, which aimed at Indian millennials. Masters of selfexpression, this generation seeks designs which are understated yet distinctive. They look for a modern take on tradition and do not shy away from experimenting.

Four design hooks were selected to allow designers to explore the properties of platinum to create statement pieces for the Indian millennials:

New sculptural: artful, bold and assertive, multi-dimensional design.

Linear constellations: complex lines of metal that break the monotony and highlight the strength of platinum.

Asymmetrical silhouettes: simplistic yet substantial revelling in a break with tradition – off centre, unexpected.

Beyond deco: clean lines, multi-faceted angles a reflection of the future.

The winning designs at Plat Africa 2017 had a modern and contemporary style, with a strong influence of Indian culture. Each piece used the finest attributes of the metal platinum to bring out the beauty in the design. The winning pieces eloquently captured the essence of the bold minimalism theme which is: “less is more”.

Taking the first place were: Ulandie Jonas from the professional category with her piece themed ‘The Family Bond’, and Anke Van der Linden from the student’s category for her piece ‘Undulation’

Runners-up (second place) were: Nihal Shah from the professional category, and Fraser Schenck from the student’s category

The top winning designs included beautifully crafted platinum pieces like neckpieces, pendants, bracelets, and rings accented with concrete and precious stones. Based on their interpretation of the theme, every designer crafted the jewellery piece themselves that reflected their inspiration in crafting the masterpieces using Platinum.

The judging panel included Kirtikumar Devjee of Kirti Jewellers; Pallavi Sharma of Platinum Guild International, India; Charlotte Crosse of Metal Concentrators; and Thomas Kapo of Akapo Jewels. The jewellery pieces were scored on five criteria – theme, design, originality, wearability and workmanship.

Sharing her views on PlatAfrica 2018, Kleantha Pillay, head of market development, Precious Metals, at Anglo American Platinum Limited, said, “PlatAfrica is in its 19th year and is South Africa’s premier platinum jewellery competition. This year we again saw some exceptional design pieces that highlighted the unique properties of platinum. With PGI’s encouragement and support, the winners got the opportunity to attend design workshops in Mumbai, developing their talent and broadening their horizons to think about designs for the global markets. We truly value this partnership with PGI which is now in its second year.”

It’s a matter of great pride for us at PGI to be associated with PlatAfrica which nurtures and develops talent in the field of platinum jewellery designing. I would like to congratulate all the winners for their creativity and innovative designs in platinum.”

The winning pieces from PlatAfrica 2017:

THE FAMILY BOND BY ULANDIE JONAS ( 1ST IN PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY )

The inspiration of the elegant neckpiece comes from the Indian tradition of the bridal mehendi ceremony that signifies the bond of marriage and family. The piece comes together beautifully to represent the bond of a couple, family, traditions in a simplistic yet subtle way. The structure of the neckpiece displays the strength of platinum in this intricate design.

INDIAN AMULET BY NIHAL SHAH (2ND IN THE PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY)

The bracelet is a modern take on the Indian amulet combining platinum and rudraksha beads, inspired by the modern trend of men accessorising themselves with watches and bracelets. The element in the centre is a contemporary take on Lord Ganesha, who is considered auspicious and symbolic of new beginnings and special occasions like weddings, birth of a new child, etc. Interestingly, the elephant is also an integral part of the South African culture. This piece is a remarkable representation of how two separate continents are bridged by one icon.

UNDULATION BY ANKE VAN DER LINDEN (1ST IN STUDENT & APPRENTICE CATEGORY)

The inspiration for this lightweight, three-dimensional double-coiled ring comes from spiral earrings by Agata Krzyzanowska and the spiral shaped roof of Audemars Piguet’s headquarters in Switzerland.

FORGOTTEN TRIUMPHS BY FRASER SCHENCK (2ND IN THE STUDENT & APPRENTICE CATEGORY)

The inspiration of the neckpiece Forgotten Triumphs comes from The Hall of Nation building that was constructed in 1972 as a part of an exhibition complex at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. It stood as a landmark of Indian triumph and a symbol of India’s independence. The design of the neckpiece incorporates many features that was inspired by the building itself such as the use of triangles, negative spaced triangles and most importantly, the use of concrete that refers to the concrete features of the building.

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