DPE honoured the eleven student finalists of Pearl Essence in a special Gala and Awards Ceremony held in May 2nd 2010, before awarding the top three talented winners. They were:
| 1st place – Reinhardt Van Zyl | |
| From Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa who created ‘Curvature,’ a unique, edgy piece created using Fresh Water pearls.
Award: A month-long internship with Stephen Webster in London. |
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| 2nd place – Catherine Buman | |
| From Enmore Design Centre Tafe NSW, Australia, who crafted “The Life Lineâ€, a piece inspired by dhows and pearl divers, created from Mahogany wood, white gold and Akoya pearls, reflecting a refreshingly zen approach.
Award: A week-long trip to the pearling operations and pearl farms of Paspaley Pearling Co. in Western Australia. |
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| 3rd place – Belinda Koopman | |
| “Dubai Night Sky†is an avant-garde piece with a beguiling story created in the Combination category from South Sea and Fresh Water pearls. Belinda is is also fFrom Enmore Design Centre Tafe NSW, Australia.
Award: A pearl course at the Gemmological Institute of America’s (GIA’s) New York campus, followed by exclusive meetings with GIA’s experts and trade visits for a total of five days. |
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All finalists received access to an online pearl course sponsored by GIA.
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