Amber as a medium of relationships
Baltic amber, the main protagonist of the competition, has served for centuries as a link between cultures and generations. It was an object of trade, a symbol of prestige, and a protective amulet. Today, in the era of globalisation and dynamic technological changes, it remains a carrier of values, traditions, and emotions. In the context of the theme „Relationships,” designers were invited to explore its meaning and function in modern jewellery.
Record interest
The 2025 edition attracted a record number of entries, with over 400 works submitted to the competition from artists around the world. The creators undertook diverse interpretations of the theme, using amber in innovative ways and combining it with other materials such as silver, wood, ceramics, and titanium. The jury, composed of renowned experts in the fields of design, jewellery making, and art, faced the difficult task of choosing the best projects.
Recommended: AMBERIF DESIGN AWARD 2025 „Relationships”
Laureates and commended works
The international jury for this year's competition comprised: Malte Guttek – Director of the Society for Goldsmith Art (Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst e.V.) and Head of Goldschmiedehaus in Hanau; Yutaka Minegishi – Artist, jewellery maker, recipient of the Munich Art Prize (2017) and Herbert Hoffman Award (2019); Bryna Pomp – Curator and collector of contemporary jewellery, Director/Curator of the MAD About Jewelry exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York (since 2011); Magdalena Szadkowska – Interdisciplinary artist (sculpture, jewellery, textiles), lecturer at the Institute of Sculpture of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, and Olga Zobel – Art historian, collector, founder and owner of Galerie Biró Munich.
It awarded the following statutory prizes:
Grand Prix – Prize of the President of the City of Gdańsk: Fumiko Gotô (Switzerland) for the brooch „From the Shadows”
Silver Award – prize of the Gdańsk International Fair: Karol Zagórowski (Poland) for the ring „Good Joke”
Amber Award – The Amber Association Award: Gabriela Kozłowska (Poland) for the ear jewellery „My Deepest Voice”
The Yes Gallery Awards were presented to:
Julita Dąbrowska & Duchna Łosiak (Poland) for the earring „Vulcano”.”
Emilia Kohut (Poland) for the object „I LUV Y”
The winning entry for the Amberif Design Award 2025 is an example of an exceptional fusion of concept and aesthetics. The jury appreciated its symbolic reference to the theme „Relationships,” as well as its innovative approach to jewellery design. Entries that surprised with their fresh perspective, precision of execution, and bold approach to form were also recognised.
Presentation of awarded projects
The best works were presented – as finished pieces, unlike previous iterations which featured designs – during the AMBERIF Spring 2025 International Amber and Jewellery Fair in Gdańsk. The exhibition showcased how contemporary design interprets amber and how it can function as an element of artistic and functional jewellery.
Amberif Design Award – tradition and future
The Amberif Design Award competition has long served as an important platform for promoting jewellery design. The theme „Relationships” in the context of the 2025 edition is not only an inspiration for creation but also an encouragement to reflect on the modern world, its dynamic changes, and the role of applied art in building dialogue between people, cultures, and eras.
More information about the competition and its previous editions: Amberif Design Award