Anglo American Platinum announces PlatAfrica 2019 winners
Anglo American Platinum announced the winners of the 20th annual PlatAfrica jewellery design and manufacturing competition last night during a prestigious awards ceremony at the Inanda Club in Johannesburg. The competition was presented in association with Platinum Guild International (PGI) India and Metal Concentrators.
PlatAfrica has long been one of Anglo American Platinum’s flagship market development initiatives. The competition aims to promote innovation and technical expertise in platinum jewellery design and manufacturing in South Africa. Platinum is the rarest, purest and strongest jewellery metal and requires greater craftmanship to work with than other precious metals such as gold and silver.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Chris Griffith, CEO of Anglo American Platinum, said: “Over the past 20 years, the PlatAfrica awards have enabled hundreds of jewellers in South Africa to work with platinum and develop their skills for the local and international markets. This has created local beneficiation and job creation, and for some, served as a launch platform to enter the international market. Today, a PlatAfrica award is considered the ultimate accolade in platinum jewellery design on the continent.”
This year, 153 entries were received, and the judges selected 16 finalists across the professional and student / apprentice categories. The theme was “Your love has gone platinum – celebrate the milestones in this journey of love”. Entrants had to design a statement piece for an urban customer of between 20 and 40 years of age, celebrating a milestone occasion.
The winners in the professional category are:
Esther Boshoff & Team from Beaudell Designs were the overall winner in this category for their exquisite neckpiece containing platinum, diamonds in a pavé setting, and four 9ct yellow gold chains.
Aimee Bredenkamp from Prins & Prins Diamonds was the runner-up with a platinum armpiece, while Chris Janse van Rensburg from Studio C Manufacturing Jewellers placed third with a platinum ring featuring tanzanites, rhodolites and diamonds. Mandlenkosi Moses None of Mo Nkosi & Nnete Jewellery Manufacturers placed fourth with a platinum bracelet.
The winners in the student/apprentice category are:
Mfundo Nondyola from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology was the overall winner in this category for his stylish neckpiece of platinum, leather, fine silver and sterling silver.
Christina Toros from Prins & Prins Diamonds was the runner-up for her pair of platinum earrings featuring glass marble. Anke van der Linden of the Durban University of Technology placed third for her platinum brooch. Jane Schoeman, from Stellenbosch University, and The Platinum Incubator’s Nomsa Mpinga were jointly ranked fourth.
In addition to prize money, the winners and runners-up of both categories will be travelling to India to participate in the design sourcing process for the prestigious Evara Platinum brand, which was developed by PGI India for the Indian market, which is the fastest-growing platinum jewellery market in the world.
Nihal Shah & Thembi Maduna won this year’s “People’s Choice” Award with their ring of platinum and cubic zirconia. The award, which is sponsored by Metal Concentrators, goes to the finalist with the highest number of votes from the public on Anglo American’s Facebook page.
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