|
October 2025
Guest writer: Michael Robinson, David Michael Jewels and 2025 JAA Australasian Jewellery Awards
As a teenager, I vividly remember seeing all the Australian award pieces in the trade magazines. I was blown away back then by the swooping, extravagant forms and the more exaggerated use of coloured stones than I was used to seeing in New Zealand, where I grew up. I also remember aspiring to one day have the skills to enter a piece that I had made, so I was honoured when I was asked to be one of the three judges for this year’s awards.
I loved looking at the works as an outsider. I think my perspective, as someone who hasn’t been involved in the Australian jewellery environment for many years, gave my opinions an unbiased, fresh feel.
Of course, today I look at the designs from a different perspective. I’ve been at the bench hand making jewellery for over thirty years now, and I’ve been living in the United States for a while, so I’ve become much more accustomed to flamboyance and extravagance.
I really enjoyed spending quality time with all of the entrants’ work and having the opportunity to view what creativity looks like in Australasia at the moment. The works were varied, and we were allowed time to study and give feedback on each piece, which I was personally very happy about, because that way the Awards can also be a learning opportunity for everyone.
I got the feeling that the entrants reflected the slightly fragile and conservative personality of the jewellery industry at the moment. In general, the pieces didn’t sparkle the same way they did to me as a kid back in the 90s, and I’m sure it’s not just because of my more mature perspective. Many factors could be contributing, including the slumping diamond market, the debate over natural versus lab-grown stones, and the proliferation of computer programs and 3D printers, which are stripping the human element from the craft. With this in mind, I hope these words can be an inspiration to young people out there, and to us more seasoned professionals, to really push hard on award pieces in the future.
The Diamond award always seemed like the prize everyone wanted to win. It was the award that could skyrocket engagement ring sales within your company. Now that lab-grown diamonds are eligible to enter the category, there really is no barrier to entry anymore due to their low value. I remember this segment being dominated by large brands, but with the low cost and availability of synthetics, this category especially is begging for super creative boundary pushers to become the next stars of the industry and create original works like never before. I guess this abundance of low cost material might have kept out those, like me, who do not use lab-grown goods.
In the end, what makes jewellery truly memorable is its ability to tell a story of time, place, craftsmanship, and emotion. Awards like these are more than just accolades, they are moments where the industry pauses to reflect on its identity and imagine its future.
My hope is that next Awards’ entries rise with creative confidence, imagination, and heart, reminding us all that this craft at its best is not only about precision and polish, but about soul. Let the next wave of jewellers create not just pieces, but poetry in metal and stone that will inspire kids and give them inspiration to do more, just as I was once inspired by these awards.
Michael Robinson
David Michael Jewels
.png)
JAA Directors and staff - JIF Sydney and Melbourne (2025, 2025 and 2024)
Images not for reproduction without permission