Since the third edition, it is not the audience that selects the winners of this competition, but a professional international jury, personally selecting the best works in the offer of the exhibitors. „We have heard many times in the previous competition format that really valuable works are overlooked, which for various reasons were not submitted to the competition. Therefore, we decided to take a risk and change the format. After two editions, we have found that there are many very modest and very talented jewellers and silversmiths who might not have decided to submit their works and compete for the prize themselves,” claims Ewa Rachoń.
The jury, composed of Suzanne Eid – editor-in-chief of the Beirut magazine “Collection”; Petra Hölscher – art historian, curator of the International Museum of Design in Munich Die Neue Sammlung; Krzysztof Jacobson – jewelry expert; Anna Klucznik – art historian; Marek Mikicki – master of goldsmithing – evaluated 24 works selected from the jewelry presented at the International Amber Mart 2017.
The jury awarded a prize to A2 Studio Biżuterii for the ring Beijing designed by Miron Kutarba. It was awarded for its innovative form and the display of the beauty of amber. „The work combines lightness, modern technology, traditional metal, and a clean execution.”.
The work is characterized by a multitude of meanings at different levels. From an aesthetic point of view, it is a modern Art Deco object, and at the same time a ring that is easy to wear; it demonstrates technical qualities in terms of production, color, and the use of 3D printing technology, while at the same time showing how new technologies can be used to perfect the finishing of jewelry. It is an example of how much progress has been made in the production of jewelry, even using old materials, and how technology helps bring amber out of the typical frame in which we typically see it. It is, in fact, a vision of the future that presents amber from a different perspective, giving a deep insight into the diverse possibilities that this wonderful gift of nature offers.”