Monday, September 14 ? Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Durga Chokhani's stunning 1.49 ctw diamond pendant/necklace wowed the judges and received top honours in the 'Diamond' category of the 2009 Excellence in Design Competition.
With hundreds of entries from across Canada to critique, the judges of the 2009 Excellence in Design Competition had incredibly difficult decisions to make. Choosing finalists in the various categories?Diamonds, Canadian Diamonds, Pearls, Platinum and Coloured Gemstones?isn't about eye candy, the designs must be truly original, innovative, creative and WEARABLE. Winners of the competition were announced at an awards reception held during the JCK Toronto trade show.
Londoner, Durga Chokhani, a Certified Gemologist, was the only female finalist to place among the top 3 winners in the Diamond category (the most prestigious category). Chokhani's gender as well as her youth was surprising to many of the guests at the awards banquet. Chokhani says, "champagne, chocolate, and white diamonds?makes every day a beautiful day," was the inspiration for her winning design.
Scrumptious chocolate diamonds, tantalizing champagne diamonds and icy white diamonds are combined into a sparkling and decadent work of wearable art set in 14 karat white gold. The piece is multi-functional, it can be worn as a exotic pendant or extended into a Rivera necklace which sits at the base of the neck. The winning piece will be on display at Karat Fine Jewellery in Cherryhill Village Mall.
