Swiss Goldsmith Championship 2022
The Swiss Goldsmith Championship awards ceremony took place at the Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne on 16 May 2022. Once again this year, Andreas Kobler was invited to serve as an expert on the jury and accompany the young talents throughout the evening. A total of 31 pieces of jewellery were evaluated in the categories of design and technique. All the creative works from the Design Championship will be on display in our three spacious shop windows from 3 to 24 September, where they can be admired alongside our masterpieces.
The Swiss Goldsmith Championship offers apprentices the opportunity to compete against each other before their final exams. This year’s competition theme, ‘My Circle’, asked participants to identify with a tribe or circle. They were asked to choose a circle that was meaningful to them and create a wearable piece of jewellery using freshwater cultured pearls. The three winning entries were created within this framework. The main prizes are worth between 1,000 and 4,000 Swiss francs.
Rose Ebel from the Ecole d’Arts Appliqués in La Chaux-de-Fonds secured first prize. The five multi-layered and beautifully designed brooches poetically represent the designer’s treasure trove of memories. Each brooch stands for a nature experience shared with her family. ‘Le cercle de mes souvenirs’ impresses with the diverse design of the individual elements, the masterful craftsmanship and the delicate movement of the jewellery pieces.
The concept prize went to the ring object ‘Zwischen den Stühlen’ (Between the Chairs) by Muriel Regenhart from Atelier Aline Senn in Basel. The question of belonging to a circle can also be answered with a bold ‘no.’ The proverbial ‘sitting between two chairs’ became the starting point for the work. The two-finger ring consists of two chairs whose backrests hold the loose pearl. The strong statement that the position between the chairs does not necessarily have to be uncomfortable, but can empower those who occupy it to mediate between circles that are turned away from each other, is particularly valuable in the current times.
‘Détournement’ by Juliette Durgnat, Ecole Technique de la Vallée de Joux, wins the jury prize. The circle that is the subject of this work touches on history on various levels. As a triangle with the point facing downwards, it was sewn onto the prison uniforms of homosexuals in concentration camps. In the 1980s, it was appropriated by the gay community with the tip pointing upwards as a symbol. The back of the brooch is made of copper and has been lovingly crafted in a fabric look as a tribute to the prisoners’ clothing. The front, made of bright pink Plexiglas, has been riveted on. The brooch is held in place by an oversized pin, the head of which forms the pearl.
Highlights from our treasure trove
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to present some unique creations that we have had the privilege of creating together with our customers. The focus is always on extremely rare and precious gemstones, such as this cushion-cut, natural-coloured Kashmir sapphire weighing 4.23 carats. This one-of-a-kind piece is accompanied by two brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 1.0 carat each. We are delighted that our valued customers share our enthusiasm and expertise for high-quality and rare gemstones.
Every creation begins with the gemstone. Our philosophy is to keep it at the centre of attention.
We hope you enjoy admiring the following selection of other precious, handcrafted jewellery pieces.
We would be delighted to create such a rare piece for you too! Visit us at our studio at Rigistrasse 4 in Zug. To make an appointment, please call us on 041 885 00 88 or email us at info@goldschmied-uhrmacher.ch.
We would like to once again congratulate all participants in the Swiss Goldsmith Championship and wish them a successful start to their professional careers!
Sincerely,
Andreas and Bruno Kobler