In the realm of Australian excellence in diamonds, The Diamond Guild Australia stands as a paragon of commitment to the unparalleled beauty and authenticity of natural diamonds. Founded in 2005 by a collective of industry leaders to establish and preserve a benchmark of excellence, committed to quality and ethics in the sale of natural diamonds throughout Australia. This esteemed organisation is poised to continue its legacy of excellence under the stewardship of its dedicated board members.
One of the hallmarks of The Diamond Guild Australia is its steadfast commitment to using only natural diamonds. The guild firmly believes that the beauty and authenticity of natural diamonds cannot be replicated. Their unwavering stance against synthetic diamonds reinforces their dedication to preserving the allure of nature’s creations. This ensures that consumers can trust DGA members to provide them with the highest quality and most genuine gemstones, allowing them to cherish their jewellery for generations to come.
On the topic of natural diamonds, J Farren-Price a DGA member emphasised that they do not support the sale of lab grown diamonds to our high-end customer base. We have seen how their value keeps falling and do not believe we are doing our clients a favour by promoting them. For sure there is a market and client for lab grown, it is just not a sector we focus on.
Membership in The Diamond Guild Australia is an exclusive privilege, and the selection process is nothing short of meticulous. Potential members are evaluated not only on their technical expertise but also on their commitment to ethical and sustainable practices, use of only natural diamonds as well as their contribution to the industry. The guild’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards ensures that its members are a select group of reputable jewellers who uphold the legacy of Australian jewelry craftsmanship.
Berj Ohannessian confirms that being a member of the Guild has helped enhance customer confidence even further in their brand, BERJANI!
J Farren-Price second that and mentions Members of the guild have a reputation for integrity and have set a benchmark for quality and ethics in the sale of diamonds. J Farren- Price have and always will, stand by these values and our loyal clientele who have supported us for decades is a testament to how we are perceived in this competitive local market. Through our exceptional attention to detail and unwavering commitment to providing quality jewellery to last a lifetime, this is the reputation that we have built over 80 years as a family-owned business.
The guild boasts a stellar roster of current members, each representing the pinnacle of jewelry craftsmanship in Australia. These members are the driving force behind the guild’s mission to elevate the Australian jewelry industry on the global stage. Their commitment to excellence is evident in the exquisite pieces they create. Here is a complete list of Diamond Guild Australia:
BERJANI | BRETT’S JEWELLERS | CALLEIJA | CREATIONS JEWELLERS | HOGANS FAMILY JEWELLERS | HOLDWOTH BROS JEWELLERS | J FARREN -PRICE | JAMES THREDGOLD JEWELLER | JEFF EINSTEIN | LINNEYS | MONDIAL PINK DIAMOND ATELIER | MUSSON JEWELLERS| MATTHEW ELY | PERCY MARKS | ROHAN JEWELLERS | STEPHEN DIBB JEWELLERY | TREWARNE FINE JEWELLERY |
Celebrating Excellence: Jewelry Awards
One of the most anticipated events in the world of Australian jewelry is the biannual Jewelry Awards hosted by The Diamond Guild Australia. These awards celebrate the creativity, innovation, and technical skill of jewellers who create stunning pieces using natural diamonds. Winning a Diamond Guild award is a mark of distinction and a testament to an artisan’s dedication to their craft. The DGA’s jewellery awards not only celebrate the talent within the Australian jewellery industry but also serve as a platform to promote the beauty and value of natural diamonds. By exclusively recognizing pieces made with natural diamonds, the DGA reinforces the importance of these precious gemstones and encourages consumers to appreciate their unique qualities. The last Jewellery Award was held in 2018 and after five years of hiatus due to COVID-19 finally the most anticipated Jewellery Awards returned in 2023.
Jeff Einstein was hoping to see a new refreshing style of designs in this year’s DGA awards, as emerging and existing talent possibly didn’t have as many opportunities to enter competitions, and over the past few years have been able to explore new designs and techniques.
Olivar Musson also adds that the excitement surrounding these awards is palpable. Designers all over Australia have been preparing to unleash their creativity in the most prestigious diamond design awards in Australia. I know at Musson, we have been developing concepts for years that we are ready to present in these awards with the goal of winning the Supreme Award for a third time.
The DGA’s jewellery awards are renowned for their rigorous judging process, ensuring that only the most deserving pieces are recognized and celebrated. A panel of esteemed industry experts, including renowned jewellers, gemologists, and designers, carefully evaluate each submission based on criteria such as design, craftsmanship, use of materials, and overall aesthetic appeal. This ensures that the awards maintain a high standard of excellence and provide a platform for exceptional talent to shine. For 2023 Jewellery Awards I was honoured to be part of the judging panel along with Karlie Ungar Creative Director of CARLA ZAMPATTI, Dr Brandon Gien CEO of GOOD DESIGN AUSTRALIA and Lester Brand Managing Director of LESTER BRAND JEWELLERY.
The award ceremony was held on October 24th at The Langham Gold Coast, an invigorating and glamorous evening that brought together industry leaders to celebrate their craft and most exceptional creations. The winners of each category were announced, and their exceptional pieces were showcased, allowing attendees to appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship up close.
Here are the categories including finalists and winners:
“WINNER OF EVERYDAY DIAMONDS CATEGORY”
TROIS by Robert Musson of Musson Jewellers
-FINALIST OF EVERYDAY DIAMOND CATEGORY-
GLISTENING LAGOON by Natalie Alegria of Creations Jewellers Canberra
“WINNER OF DIAMONDS FOR MEN CATEGORY”
VELOCITA by Chantelle Green & Andrew Want of Calleija
-FINALIST OF DIAMONDS FOR MEN CATEGORY-
DIAMOND METROPOLIS by Cassandra Nitschke of Bell And Brunt Jewellers
“WINNER OF RED CARPET CATEGORY”
BLOOM by Robert Musson of Musson Jewellers
Olivar Musson, Creative Director of Musson Jewellers explains on the creative process of designing a piece: I believe a winning design must be striking and challenging on first impression. I achieve this by striving for innovation in setting. Creating a new technique to secure the diamond to enhance its brilliance and shape is my starting point. I then sculpt the rest of the piece around that. This process ensures the design is both innovative and unique. Robert Musson, founder of Musson Jewellers, and Olivar’s father won two categories at the Jewellery Awards 2023.
-FINALIST FOR RED CARPET CATEGORY-
CALLISTEMON by Berj Ohanessian of Berjani Jewellers
-FINALIST FOR RED CARPET CATEGORY-
PEACOCK by Jeff Einstein of Jeff Einstein Jewellery
“WINNER OF DESIGN FOR DIAMOND”
ORIONID by Alain Anson of Stephen Dibb Jewellery
-FINALIST FOR DESIGN FOR DIAMONDS CATEGORY-
LE RUBAN D’OR by Louis Dauxais of Matthew Ely Jewellery
“WINNER FANCY COLOURED DIAMONDS CATEGORY”
THE KALEIDOSCOPE by Nadia Neuman and Burt Muller of Mondial Pink Diamond Atelier
Nadia Neuman, founder of Mondial by Nadia and winner of Fancy Colour Diamond category as well as the winner of Supreme Award mentions that her inspiration always comes from the gemstone itself and then it’s the story I want to tell through the creation we make. Its finding a uniquely beautiful stone and figuring out how best to convey what makes it so special. It’s the unique colour or shape or feeling of a particular stone that inspires the theme of the piece. If were using a selection of stones, its what those stones say as a collection; the variety, the rarity and what they create together that sparks an idea. When entering a competition, I’ve never considered what’s traditional. There are certain rules that we know work through experience, there are tones and hues when combined that bring out the best in gemstones or add contrast. There are certain styles of setting and textures of gold that make a piece look contemporary or of an era but other than those things the most exciting part about entering a competition is that there are very few boundaries. The creation process is all consuming and very exciting. Once we’ve decided on the stone and I have a clearer idea of what we want to say, there is inspiration everywhere and that’s how the creation evolves. With regards to creating something unique, it’s a moment when I get to create something that I personally love. That’s what makes it unique. It’s a particular style and taste and combination of stones, metals and ideas that make sense to me personally.
-FINALIST FOR FANCY COLOURED DIAMONDS CATEGORY-
ECLOSION by Ben Preston Black and Rowan Thin-Smith of Creations Jewellers Canberra
-FINALIST FOR FANCY COLOURED DIAMONDS CATEGORY-
SUMMERTIME SUNSET by Travis Terwarne of Trewarne Fine Diamonds
“WINNER OF SOLITAIRE DIAMONDS CATEGORY”
ORSAY by Benjamin Tracy of Finelines Jewellers
-FINALIST OF SOLITAIRE DIAMOND CATEGORY-
TEARS OF JOY by Travis Terwarne of Trewarne Fine Diamonds
“WINNER OF SUPREME AWARD”
THE KALEIDOSCOPE by Nadia Neuman and Burt Muller of Mondial Pink Diamond Atelier
“WINNER OF PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD”
ORIONID by Alain Anson of Stephen Dibb Jewellery
It was a privilege to be part of sponsors of the event along with following brands and being on the esteemed judging panel of Jewellery Awards 2023, I am grateful to The Diamond Guild Australia for their trust in me and my social media platforms. Congratulations to all the entrants, each submitted piece was beyond expectations and displayed pure talent and strong craftmanship.
