In mid 2008, the two-year first edition of Pearl Essence was launched and it saw an overwhelming response with 644 entries received in total from jewellery design students in 46 institutes across Australia China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Lebanon, South Africa, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Turkey.
The designs were judged by an international jury, chaired by DMCC and comprising trade journalists and professional jewellery designers. They were evaluated for commercial design, wearability, theme-based creativity and the use of pearls as the main design feature.
A shortlist of 11 student finalists used pearls provided by exclusive pearl sponsors – Paspaley Pearling Co., Robert Wan Tahiti and Euro Pearls to fabricate their designs into finished jewellery exclusively by leading international manufacturers including ARY Jewelers, Damas, Dhamani, Gellner, Hof & Co, Liali Jewellery, Mahallati Jewellery, Mikura Pearls, Pinctada, Taiba and Universal Pearls.
| Pearl Essence 2010 – Shortlisted Finalists (in no particular order) | ||||
| Student Name | Name of the Design | Institute | Country | Pearl Category |
| Belinda Koopman | Dubai Night Sky | Enmore Design Centre Tafe NSW | Australia | Combination |
| Joanne Piper | Past & Present | Design Centre Enmore | Australia | Combination |
| Yuki Shizuno | Metropolis In Desert | Hiko Mizund College Of Jewellery | Japan | South Sea |
| Feng Feng | No Ending | Raffles Design Institute Singapore | Singapore | South Sea |
| Reinhardt Van Zyl | Curvature | Tshwane University Of Technology | South Africa | Fresh Water |
| Dao Ying | Memory Of Sea | School Of Art And Design Tsinghua University | China | Fresh Water |
| Asako Oshima | The Sea | Japan Jewelry Craft School | Japan | Akoya |
| Yang Xing | Ark | Vacation School In China Academy Of Art | China | Akoya |
| Ho Cheuk Fung | Marvelous Journey | Hong Kong Institute Of Vocational Education | Hong Kong | Tahitian |
| Catherine Buman | The life line | Enmore Design Centre Tafe NSW | Australia | Akoya |
| Hong Wangke | Dance Of Amirah | Vocational School In China Academy Of Art | China | Tahitian |
Pearl Essence is also supported by Bonnington Hotel and International Diamond Laboratories (IDL).
Entries were judged by an international jury, chaired by Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, DMCC and comprising of trade experts, industry journalists and professional jewellery designers including: Paul Boots, Associate Director, Precious Gems, DMCC; Tawfique Abdullah, Chairman, Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group; Stephen Webster, Designer and Director, Stephen Webster Ltd; Jorg Gellner, Managing Director, Gellner GmbH & Co; Julia Goh, Managing Editor, Solitaire Magazine; and Melissa Wong, Editor, Jewellery News Asia. Pieces were evaluated for commercial design, wearability, usage of unconventional designs with non-traditional material usage and theme-based creativity with pearls as the main design feature.
A group photo of the finalist student designers with Mr. Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of DMCC at the Pearl Essence Gala and Awards Ceremony held on May 2nd 2010.
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