Every two years the Diamonds-International Awards are presented to the most original and trend setting designs in fine diamond jewelry. Of the 2,137 entries submitted from 41 countries this year, 30 designers from 13 countries were award winners.

            The Italians, the world’s largest jewelry manufacturers, swept the board with 10 award winners, while a fresh, vibrant showing from a pack of Asian designers lent an eastern-style twist to the contest. In addition to Italy, this year’s award winning designers were from Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Sweden, the UK and the US.

            This year the awards program, established to encourage designers to push the barriers of designs forward, witnessed exciting designs using a number of unusual materials alongside the more traditional metals. A move toward softer lines and less ostentatious jewelry was indicative of the 1990s.