Sarah Walker-Holt from Papakura took home the top prize in the contemporary category for her piece titled ‘Timekeeping’, a pendant made using wooden kitchen utensils, firewood, garden twine and nuts and bolts.
The judges were looking for a piece with x-factor and found it in Sarah’s piece of jewellery.
“We were looking for individualism confidently expresses through media, that is – a unique piece that has conceptual and aesthetic resolve.”
Timekeeping excited the judges with the way in which Walker-Holt treated the recycled household materials the same way precious metals and stones are treated in the best of fine jewellery.
“The solutions Walker-Holt used to construct her piece are not accidental, but in fact are the result of careful decision making. The aesthetic seems to come out of a DIY vernacular, and assemblage of parts reflects a resourceful keen eye and hand.”
In the fine category Lucas Ebbeke from Auckland stole the show with his flower ring titled ‘Primavera’ (Spanish for Spring) which transforms at the flick of a hidden mechanism into a pendant studded with almost $30,000 worth of sapphires and diamonds.
Judges were simply dazzled by Lucas’ ring made with platinum, 18ct pink gold, white and yellow diamonds, and Ceylonese sapphires.
“The design, finish and technical skills involved in the piece were some of the best we have seen. He is surely a master jeweller” they said.
