Communique by Couture

Edition: May 21, 2009

The Top 10 Reasons to Love/Hate Las Vegas During Jewelry Market Week (see article)

And the Award Goes to...
By Victoria Gomelsky, Executive Editor of Nielsen Jewelry Group

After reviewing hundreds of submissions for the Couture Design Awards last week, I got to thinking about the history of design competitions in the jewelry business. It got me thinking about all the industry awards program throughout the times.

De Beers sponsored the hugely popular Diamonds International Awards from 1953 until 2000, when organizers realized the energy they put towards the event (three regional judging sessions with up to 2,000 designs from each region, 100 of which were sent on to final judging) was better directed elsewhere. In the years since, various industry groups—the Tanzanite Foundation, the Platinum Guild and recently, Rio Tinto Diamonds—have stepped in to sponsor competitions of their own but those efforts have always been targeted to a specific precious material, reflecting the organizational biases of our industry. In short, the only people with the money and desire to sponsor a big-name design contest are the ones who stand to profit from the promotion of the gem or metal in question.

Couture Design Awards 2009 are the sole exception. The awards are unique in honoring every major category known to high-end jewelry designers, from diamonds and gemstones to platinum and gold, and even though they are restricted to participants who exhibit at the Couture show, entrants include esteemed designers from around the globe.

Many world-famous jewelers began their careers with the awards. Judging by this year’s entries, their ranks will soon grow. The jewels that have been submitted to the competition are, on the whole, superb. We’ve got 13 categories and each one contains numerous pieces that I covet for their innovation, stylishness and straight-up good looks. I expect that once the awards are over, even those designers who weren’t nominated will see a boost in buyer and media interest based on the sheer fact that their creations have been seen and admired by a cross-section of the world’s most discerning jewelry lovers.

The Couture 2009 Opening Night Reception on May 27th will see the unveiling of three nominees in each category, while final winners will be announced during the Couture Design Awards event on May 30 at the Encore Ballroom. It promises to be a thrilling night and I can't wait to see who the winners will be.

The Top 10 Reasons to Love/Hate Las Vegas During Jewelry Market Week

If you’re anything like me, Las Vegas leaves you feeling deeply ambivalent. On the one hand, the celebratory atmosphere and general sense of conviviality that define Sin City help make market week the biggest and best party of the year. On the other hand, the place exhausts me on every level—physical, emotional, psychological. Rather than fight the contradictions, I’ve decided to embrace them. In that spirit, I submit my top 10 reasons to love/hate Vegas. How many of you can relate?

1. Slipping through a parallel universe where I eat, breathe and sleep fine jewelry all day, every day
2. Concocting entire meals out of cocktail parties
3. Reaching a point at which champagne actually becomes tasteless
4. Mastering the art of small talk
5. Suffering red, itchy eyes as a result of many late nights and blaming it on the air-conditioning
6. Not flinching when the hostess at the casino restaurant asks “Inside or out?”—then answering, “Outside, please”
7. Juggling more party invites than the average person receives in a whole year
8. Running into so many familiar faces on the show floor which always make me late for my next appointment
9. Ditching all obligations for an afternoon (morning, night) to: play Blackjack/sunbathe/sleep
10. Re-enacting the rituals of my own private Vegas, all the while wondering where on earth the year went

For those of you who are on Twitter, the micro-blogging site that allows users to follow one another through updates of 140 characters or less, I’ll be “tweeting” my way through this year’s Vegas gathering so please sign in and either search my full name or look me up under the user name @vika22. My goal? To lead you to some interesting insights about the high-end jewelry business and enjoy the experience with you along the way.