Apprentices win pearl jewellery awards

Two apprentice jewellers from Umina have received awards for their entries in the 2018 Australian Pearl and Jewellery Design Master Awards.

Ms Danielle Shay was the winner of the Australian Akoya Award, while Ms Madeleine McDonald received a Highly Commended award.

Ms Shay was the winner of the Australian Akoya Award for her piece, Siren's Helm.

Ms Shay's handmade ring was inspired by the various myths of mermaids, luring ships and their crews to their doom and the ability of mermaids to cry tears of pearls.

The nine and 18 carat gold ring features a spinning ship's wheel set with a Broken Bay Akoya pearl and one shoulder of the ring is fashioned as a mermaid's tail with scales and fin.

Ms McDonald received a Highly Commended Award for her piece, Pearls in Full Bloom.

Ms McDonald brought her vision to life of flowers blooming to reveal their pearls in her necklet creation.

Ms McDonald's piece features a centrepiece bloom of 18 carat yellow and rose gold and presents a South Sea Cygnet Bay pearl, extending via white gold branches to two matching smaller flowers bursting with Broken Bay Akoya pearls.

The girls' pieces were selected from a record 60 entries, all of extremely high calibre, received from across the globe.

The pieces were judged by a panel of technical and fashion experts including Jewellery Training Solutions director Mr Peter Keep, Jimmy Choo corporate adviser Ms Catherine Birch and Pallion senior creative designer Ms Kate Hwang.

Each piece was scored for its creativity, technical skill and the strength of featuring the Australian South Sea pearl of Cygnet Bay in WA, and Australian Akoya pearl of Broken Bay in NSW.

Seaspray Jewellery owner Ms Julie Mitcheson said she couldn't be prouder of her girls.

"With Seaspray Jewellery being the home of Broken Bay pearls, both Danielle and Madeleine were motivated to design unique creations using these beautiful, locally grown pearls and David and I couldn't be happier for them," Ms Mitcheson said.

"We here at Seaspray Jewellery are extraordinarily proud of Danielle and Madeleine and their commitment to excellence and creativity.

"It is yet another indication of the abundance of young talent to be found right here on the Central Coast," she said.

SOURCE:

Media release, 30 Aug 2018

Julie Mitcheson, Seaspray Jewellery