THE GOLDEN NOVA 2024

GOLD

Vanessa Tschentke | LOFTWERK Wiesbaden

Waves tumble over one another in the roaring sea of the senses. A ‘waveplay’ of feelings.
My bracelet symbolises the special moment of becoming one with the seawater. It calls up memories of maritime experiences. It radiates the cool colours of the ocean. Roaring waves gently flatter the sense of hearing. Salt sea air fills the room. The raw structures of the bracelet flatter the skin. The sea is palpably close.

Waveplay | Bracelet
925 silver | Perspex and ball bearings

SILVER

Maria Giegerich | Atelier Stoess

Smell is very abstract and difficult to reproduce consciously, so I have tried to capture the smell of the sea in this jewellery piece. I found a way in the form of a pomander. What I found persuasive was the combination of the typical fish smell, salt and freshness. The design of the ball is inspired by the skeletons of sea-urchins and I have stylised it to form a modern pomander that offers up to my senses bitter-sweet memories of the sea.

RÁN | Necklace
925 silver | Cultured freshwater pearls

BRONZE

Chiara Czerner | Pforzheim School of Design (Hochschule für Gestaltung Pforzheim)

The bubble-k ring took its inspiration from a particular variety of seagrass (bubble kelp seaweed). From a piece of sheet metal was crafted a ring that nestles itself onto the hand and finger. As a highlight the crafted metal holds two blue-green Tahiti pearls reflecting the sea and also the ‘bubbles’. The pearls have a degree of play that produces an attractive sound, thereby bringing the sense of hearing in as well.

bubble-k | Ring
925 silver | Tahiti pearls

BRONZE

Lissy Sophie Ossig | Pforzheim School of Design (Hochschule für Gestaltung Pforzheim)

Under the sea are hidden breathtaking ecosystems of incomparable beauty. Since the beginning of time, people have shared their fascination for the wonderful shapes in this world of water, and have crafted elements of it into jewellery. Corals are frequently used, for example, although sadly excessive exploitation has put a huge strain on nature. I wanted to grasp the beauty of the coral in a different manner and transform it into an item of jewellery. 

Coral dance | Necklace
925 silver

SPECIAL MENTION

Liv Grundorf | Schönke Atelier Gold & Platinum

For this piece of jewellery, flotsam and jetsam (collected treasures) were applied to the body in an unconventional way: upcycling. Shells, pearls and mica symbolise sea spray, sugar becomes sand and agate beads represent drops of water. Coral branches, glass beads and small fish (silver & silver-gilt) and silica beads reflecting the water are combined in a transparent rubber tube – the aquarium.

Sea to go | Necklace
925 silver, blue agate beads and cultured pearls

1st place
1.600 € | Carl Schaefer Gold- und Silberscheideanstalt

The first place of the GOLDEN NOVA is awarded by the “Carl Schaefer Gold- und Silberscheideanstalt” with high-quality Argentium – THE FINEST SILVER. Argentium is a special silver alloy that offers many other processing advantages in addition to its hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties.

In addition, the winner of the GOLDEN NOVA can look forward to a workshop with Argentium expert Mrs Christine Zock, a trained Argentium instructor, in Munich to learn the basics and techniques for working with Argentium.

2nd place
1,200 € | RUDOLF FLUME TECHNIK

The winner of second place can look forward to a shopping voucher from RUDOLF FLUME Technik worth €1,200. As a wholesaler for watch and jewellery technology, RUDOLF FLUME Technik offers a broad portfolio of equipment and machines, watch and jewellery spare parts, tools, care and cleaning supplies, and much more.

In addition, FLUME will enable the runner-up to take part in a 2- to 4-hour electroplating workshop in Essen free of charge.

3rd place
900 € | DAHLINGER & STUDEX GERMANY

The third place winner of the GOLDEN NOVA will receive an attractive prize package worth a total of € 900:

450 € shopping voucher from STUDEX Germany – the leading international manufacturer of precision instruments, anti-allergic ear studs and care products for pierced ears.

450 € shopping voucher from DAHLINGER – the international supplier of packaging and displays for luxury and lifestyle products and market leader in the traditional specialist retail trade for watches and jewellery.

Michael Jahr | Head of Gold- und Silberschmied-Innung und Juweliere Frankfurt

Michael Jahr completed his training as a goldsmith with Uhren Weiss in Rüsselsheim. After three years, he decided to further his education by training to become a state-certified jewellery designer in Idar-Oberstein. During his training, he also became a master goldsmith at the Chamber of Crafts in Koblenz. In July 1992, Michael Jahr turned to self-employment running his own goldsmith’s studio in Rüsselsheim. He is head of the guild Gold- und Silberschmiede-Innung sowie Juweliere in Frankfurt am Main. He has won the FBZ Ahlen international design competition and sat on the jury of the 16^th Hessian Design Prize.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Hensel | University of Pforzheim

Prof. Dr. Thomas Hensel studied philosophy, art history, classical archaeology and business management in Hamburg, Munich and Vallendar. He is a winner of the Aby M. Warburg Prize awarded by the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg. In 2013, he was appointed Professor of Art and Design Theory at the School of Design at the University of Pforzheim. He is also a member of the Faculty of Danube University Krems, Director of the Institute for Human Engineering & Empathic Design in Pforzheim (HEED) and exhibition curator. His main research areas are media history and the history of knowledge and science in art science (especially Aby Warburg), game studies, Old German painting and drawing (esp. Albrecht Dürer and the Danube School) and design history and theory (esp. Bauhaus and Ulm School of Design).

Dr. Christianne Weber-Stöber | Head of Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus a. D.

Dr. Christianne Weber-Stöber, art historian and jewellery scientist, numerous publications to contemporary jewellery and hollow- and flatware design. Publications to jewellery, fashion, silverware, focal point  20^th/21^st century. Since 1989-2023 general manager of the Association for Goldsmiths’ Art in Hanau, a non-profit association promoting gold- and silverware design on national and international rank. 2006-2023 director of the German Goldsmiths’ House.

Axel Henselder | Editor-in-chief of the goldsmiths’ newspaper, GZ Goldschmiede Zeitung

Axel Henselder is a qualified publisher and graduate in business administration who has been editor-in-chief of the leading industry journal, GZ Goldschmiede Zeitung, since 2004. As such, he has been a member of the jury panel or assessor for several well-known awards, including selections for the Talents Area at the Tendence trade fair in Frankfurt, the German Jewellery and Gemstone Prize in Idar-Oberstein and the Tahitian Pearl Trophy. He was previously responsible for special interest and trade titles at Frankfurt-based publishers Umschau Zeitschriftenverlag and for the corporate communication publications service at Hoechst AG.