*Open to all VJA members and their employees with at least one year tenure.*There is a $25.00 fee per entry for COMPLETED applications. Entries not in compliance to the rules herein will be disqualified, with no refund given.
*The entry descriptions, photos and/or sketches will be forwarded to Design Committee so that description cards can be made up for each piece prior to the convention. Please also plan to bring a white display element for each entry.
*Each entry must be original, the designers own concept, manufactured within the last eighteen (18) months, and never before entered in competition. Each entry must be produced by the member store, though one or more persons may be involved in the work. The entry must have been produced while the entrant was employed, and is still employed, at the member store.
*The Design Contest Committee reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not meet the guidelines of the entered category or may have the option to re-enter the design in the appropriate category.
*Each piece entered must be insured by the entrant. VJA accepts no liability and will not provide any insurance for entries. Reasonable precautions for security are provided, and the design contest pieces will be overseen by a VJA member not in the contest.
*There will be no lingering, hovering, or otherwise overt actions, around the design contest table indicting who’s is who’s. All pieces will be numbered, put into categories, and have description cards made by the design committee, and displayed on white display elements.No other indication of the identity of the entrant will be tolerated. Immediate disqualification will occur.
*Each store sponsoring a contest entry must be a current VJA member in good standing and must have a store representative present and registered at the convention.
*Sets will be entered as individual items in appropriate categories and charged per category.
*Maximum two entries per category per store.
QUALIFYING MATERIALS
All entries must be made from precious metals (silver, gold, platinum) and genuine stones. It may include commercial findings, such as heads, but may not include any prefabricated ornamental elements. Any enhanced or treated stones must be fully disclosed on the entry form.
DEADLINE
Each entry form and fee must be submitted in its’ entirety no later than one week prior to the convention. Actual pieces must be delivered prior to the commencement of the convention. The VJA Design Contest Committee needs ample time to take pictures and review entries for qualification. Actual pieces must be picked up immediately from the design contest table after the contest judging.
ENTRY CATEGORIES
CATEGORY 1- $3000.00 AND UP-cost of materials only
CATEGORY 2- $1000.00 to $3000.00-cost of materials only
CATEGORY 3- $1000.00 or less-cost of materials only
JUDGING and AWARDS
Pieces are judged on the basis of overall design, craftsmanship, practicality/ wearable nature of the piece, and marketability. A panel of judges are selected to judge each piece and pick a “Best in Show” piece from one of the categories. The “Best in Show” entry piece will be entered in the Jewelers of America National Competition in New York.All registered VJA attendees will vote on Jewelers Choice Awards, 1st place for each category. Award announcements will be made Sunday morning.
