JEWELLERY AWARDS

When you think about it, that jewellery box of ours is like a precious and sparkling “Scrapbook.” In Royalty for instance, jewellery is a symbolism for family and tradition at its maximum splendour.

Who can forget Princess Diana’s blue sapphire and diamond engagement ring, that now belongs to Kate, Duchess of Cambridge?

Or Diana herself, wearing a stunning diamond tiara on her wedding day to Charles, known as “The Spencer Tiara,” from her own family tradition.

From Royalty to Celebrities to our own families, it is astonishing how much history these pieces carry.

The Power of Jewellery

With that said, I remember the precise moment I fell in love with jewellery within my own family. My youngest brother had just been born and my father surprised my mom with a celebratory ring: five diamonds to represent the four children and himself. It gives me goosebumps just to remember it. This was such a big deal because these diamonds represented so much for them. I remember the joy and the celebration; my mom’s pride on receiving the jewellery and my father’s pride in having worked hard to be able to afford it, captured in the moment, and recorded in the piece.

This memory has stayed with me and had such great impact in my life, so much so that it is one of the main reasons I got into the diamond industry and became a jewellery designer. I am sure many of you reading this right now have at least one family jewellery memory that comes to mind and remains in your hearts.

What special memory do you have when it comes to family treasures?

For that and much more, all of us at some point, have or will experience the power of jewellery.

TORONTO DESIGN COLLABORATION WINS THREE PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY DESIGN AWARDS

Anita Agrawal of Jewels 4 Ever (Aka Best Bargains Jewellery) and Anita Bhandari of Aarkish Diamonds win three international jewellery design awards, INSTORE magazine’s 2021 annual design contest. The duo won the following awards: Second place by the judges’ selection and also won the Retailer's Choice Award in the Best Earring Over $5,000 Category for their “Spring Goddess Earrings” and the Retailer's Choice Award in the Colored Stone Jewelry Over $5,000 Category for their “Blue Flame Pendant”, in the 2021 INSTORE Design Awards.

Both second-generation jewelers and daughters of immigrant parents, Agrawal and Bhandari have a combined experience of 72 years in the jewellery industry. Their contrasting specialties, allowed for the duo to take bold steps in the design process. Jewels 4 Ever (Agrawal) specializes in affordable fine coloured stone jewellery and Aarkish Diamonds (Bhandari) specializes in high-end custom diamond jewellery.

Spring Goddess

Earrings: 14kt Green Gold Earrings set with 84 rare colour graduating alexandrite stones approximately 7.5cts, 2 large green Afghan Aquamarines, weighing 30.96cts, and several diamonds. Total Weight 30.96gms. Evaluated at $50,000 CDN The duo has tangentially known of each other for over 20 years, but this was their first collaboration. Their friendship and partnership were expedited by the global pandemic, when Bhandari, a board member of Fashion Group International Toronto (FGI Toronto), asked Agrawal to participate in an Instagram live session to discuss jewellery trends.

Of the recognition, Agrawal says “it’s an honour to be recognized as a small business owner and Canadian manufacturer. I’ve worked in this industry for so long, and both of us have made 1000’s of pieces, but it feels far more significant an achievement when other industry retailers select your designs.” Bhandari adds “We were up against legendary designers and multi-million-dollar businesses in this competition, such as Gabriel & Co, and Erica Courtney. So, there were a lot of very strong submissions.”

Agrawal and Bhandari are also grateful to the several local goldsmiths, artisans, CAD designer and stone setters that helped bring their creations to life. Agrawal says “This pandemic really highlighted the necessity of small businesses to come together and collaborate.” Bhandari adds “There is so much talent in this city.”

Blue Flame Pendant: 14kt White and Yellow Gold Pendant with over 18cts of natural sapphires and 0.73cts of natural yellow fancy diamonds. Total weight 35.7grams. Evaluated at $26,000 CDN