56th German Award for Jewellery and Precious Stones Idar-Oberstein 2026

 

 

THEME:

„Arabian Nights“ 

Both the gemstone design and the design of a jewellery piece made of precious metal and precious stones were allowed. Thus, unmounted gemstones, the gemstone in the jewellery (here, only precious metals may be used), the gemstone object and the gemstone sculpture were allowed. The use of synthetic gems was not admitted. Pearls were only allowed in combination with gemstones.

 

 

   1st PRICE: NANA PRESTEL 

IDAR-OBERSTEIN, CERTIFICATE AND 4000 EURO

Pendant jewelry made of yellow gold and tiger’s eye

The award winner titled her work “Scheherazade”, which, in the unanimous opinion of the jury, was the outstanding entry in this year’s main competition.

The clever Scheherazade marries the king and tells him a story every night, breaking off at its most suspenseful moment. In this way, the king repeatedly postpones her execution and ultimately abandons his dark intentions.

“Through her intelligence and her storytelling, her inner sun illuminates the night, bringing light into the king’s hardened heart,” explains the award winner. “I made use of the properties of the stone to illustrate this idea. When the stone is moved to the right or left, the young woman’s face lights up. She literally begins to glow, just like her stories.”

Like the other members of the jury, Dr. Heide Rezepa-Zabel was impressed by the way the competition theme was interpreted through the use of tiger’s eye: “The stone is composed of layers, and the award winner has succeeded in using these layers to reveal the contrasts between day and night, as well as light and shadow. Scheherazade’s stories are inspiring and deal with existential themes. The play of color in the expertly crafted and engraved tiger’s eye is wonderful, while the chain itself also has something martial about it. A work of great depth and a fresh interpretation.”

Jury member Scott Wempe added: “A truly compelling piece that wonderfully captures the mystical atmosphere of One Thousand and One Nights. It takes a completely different and original approach, and it is precisely the use of a relatively simple stone that makes the work so extraordinary.”

 

   2nd PRICE: MIRIAM KRASENBRINK

ESSEN, CERTIFICATE AND 2500 EURO 

Silver ring set with blue, yellow, green and orange sapphires and garnets

The award winner titled her competition entry “On a Flying Carpet through One Thousand and One Nights”. Jury member Michael Seubert felt that it “perfectly captured and lovingly visualized the competition theme”, while fellow juror Frank Frühauf also emphasized the outstanding craftsmanship of this “imaginative and enchanting work that transports us into the fairy-tale world of One Thousand and One Nights”.

The award winner describes her prize-winning piece of jewelry as follows: “My competition entry is a ring designed to be worn across two fingers. The ring incorporates two well-known objects from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights: the magic lamp with the jinn,” a supernatural being from Arab and Islamic mythology, “and the flying carpet. With its many differently colored sapphires, each individually set, the carpet hovering above the lamp is intended to evoke an Oriental carpet with its rich variety of colors and ornaments. Garnets are set along the edge of the carpet, forming a frame around the ornaments in the center.”

The jury reached its decision by a large majority.

   3rd PRICE: CHRISTINE CLAUSSEN

 KONSTANZ, CERTIFICATE AND 1500 EURO

Pendant jewelry made of yellow gold, silver, diamonds, tsavorites and sapphires, with UV-curable colors

“Open Sesame!”, the famous magic words from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves that allow the hero to gain access to the hidden treasure, served as the inspiration for this competition entry.

The award winner explains: “Historically, the phrase ‘Open Sesame!’ can be traced back to the sesame plant. Sesame seeds grow inside a seed pod until, once ripe and touched, the pod bursts open and releases its seeds. Unassuming and concealed from the outside, its full splendor is revealed once you look inside – true to the saying ‘true beauty comes from within’.”

Frank Frühauf praised the “creative, elaborate and superbly crafted interpretation of the competition theme”, while fellow juror Scott Wempe emphasized “the uniqueness of the piece’s interior, which is bright, colorful and vibrant, in striking contrast to its highly minimalist exterior. A wonderful and contemporary piece that is also perfectly suited to everyday wear.”

Here, too, the jury reached its decision by a large majority.

 

   HONOURABLE MENTION: VIOLA BERGMANN

HAMBURG, CERTIFICATE AND 500 EURO

Necklace made of white and yellow gold, set with white and orange moonstones, blue and yellow sapphires, and white and champagne-colored diamonds

The Oriental collection of tales known as One Thousand and One Nights revolves around the fate of the clever Scheherazade, who takes center stage in this competition entry of outstanding craftsmanship.

The award winner describes her work as follows: “On one side, the moon rises in white moonstone, surrounded by deep-blue sapphires reminiscent of the night sky. Night falls, quiet and dark. On the other side, the sun rises, at first softly in orange moonstones, then glowing ever more brightly in yellow sapphires – warm, radiant and certain. The centerpiece consists of stars in white and yellow gold, set with white and yellow diamonds. Tiny sparks of hope that bring the sky to life and show the way. In this way, the necklace tells of night and morning, and of the hope that grows with each new story Scheherazade tells. It represents creativity, courage and the confidence that every night will be followed by a new dawn.”

Jury member Scott Wempe praised the beautiful interpretation of the theme: “This work is particularly impressive for its proportions, the exceptional selection of gemstones and the way it takes up the theme precisely at the point where Scheherazade’s stories in One Thousand and One Nights repeatedly come to a pause.”

The jury reached its decision by a large majority.

     

 

   HONOURABLE MENTION: KENNETH JONES

IDAR-OBERSTEIN, CERTIFICATE AND 500 EURO

Piece of jewelry made of yellow gold, with resin as the base material

“This competition entry takes an exciting, extravagant, creative and refreshing approach to the competition theme and the story behind it, interpreting the theme extremely well. It completely won me over,” said juror Gesa Hufmann.

Like many of the other participants, the award winner was inspired “by the storyteller Scheherazade, who broke the cycle of violence through intelligence, courage and the power of the spoken word. Through her stories, she saved not only her own life but also the lives of many other women. Her story demonstrates the tremendous power of words – their ability to change people and create hope where all hope seems lost. That is why I chose to create dental jewelry in the form of ‘grillz’. The mouth is the source of our words; through it, we share our thoughts, feelings and memories. A smile can bring people together, a sentence can offer comfort, and a story can change lives.”

Here, too, the jury reached its decision by a large majority.

 

   HONOURABLE MENTION: SUSANNE MÜLLER-OSTGEN

SONNENBERG-WINNENBERG, CERTIFICATE AND 500 EURO

Pendant jewelry made of gold, gold-plated silver, lapis lazuli, ruby, rock crystal, mother-of-pearl and hawk’s eye

With great poetic sensitivity, the award winner describes her elaborate and superbly crafted work, which she has titled “Lotus Moon”:

“In the graceful form of an Oriental lamp, a scene of stillness and almost mystical beauty unfolds: a hidden courtyard, far removed from time and noise. At its center lies a pond, its surface gently catching the light. From it rises a lotus flower – a symbol of purity, renewal and spiritual depth. A mosaic of shimmering mother-of-pearl and hawk’s eye elegantly frames the water. Two artfully positioned mirrors adorn the courtyard, poetically multiplying the image of the lotus flower. A window reveals the magic of the night: a deep-blue sky filled with glittering stars. Above it floats a golden moon. Calm and majestic, it watches over the tranquil scene within.”

Dr. Heide Rezepa-Zabel was impressed by the spiritual depth and narrative power of this competition entry, which transports the viewer into an atmospheric visual world infused with Oriental influences. The intricate pendant also impressed the jury with its successful combination of a wide variety of materials and craftsmanship techniques. The precise workmanship, careful choice of materials and consistent execution of the design concept led the jury to honor the work by a large majority.