First Runner-Up From IIG South – The Artisan Jewellery Design Award 2022 organized by GJEPC
BLOG August 22, 2022 Share
Proud moment for IIG South and celebrations all over. Ms. Pooja Mohnani, a student of IIG South bags the title of 1st Runner-Up in the Barbara Hutton Category of the prestigious The Artisan Jewellery Design Award 2022 organized by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the pinnacle body for Gem & Jewellery trade in India.
The Artisan Jewellery Design Award 2022
The Artisan Jewellery Design Awards is a grand initiative by the GJEPC that rewards the beautiful essence of artistry, innovation and uniqueness. The prestigious honour of excellence, the Artisan Award introduced the theme for 2022 – ‘The Collectors’. The theme had three categories that encouraged the Jewellery designers to get inspired by the three influential Jewellery connoisseurs- Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Hutton and Wallis Simpson.
The Artisan Jewellery Design Award 2022 had 570 entries from all over India and 32 finalists were selected by the jury members from the Jewellery, fashion, design, photography, and architecture fraternity. The challenging theme encouraged many young talents to gain recognition and credibility for their talent.
Ms. Pooja Mohnani, an extremely talented Jewellery designer, and student of IIG South has made us proud with her remarkable achievement of getting an award in The Artisan Jewellery Design Awards 2022. Ms. Pooja designed the ring with a beautiful thought process and is manufactured by the International Institute of Gemology with ultimate quality.
The beautiful ring manufactured by IIG is crafted in gold with emerald as the centre stone. The emerald stone is framed with sparkling diamonds and abstract lotus petals are set with rubies and fringed with black enamel and diamonds.
Every design has a story behind it. The design of the ring by Ms. Pooja originated from the life journey of Barbara Hutton. Barbara Hutton was one of the wealthiest women in the world. Despite being financially strong, her love life was not that great.
The designer Ms. Pooja shares her design journey
“I wanted to design a piece that would give her the WARMTH she longed for. After brainstorming, I decided to take the LOTUS temple as my inspiration because similar to BARBARA HUTTON even the lotus blooms into a beautiful ower despite being born in a MUD. The lotus symbolizes love, purity, & peace. Barbara Hutton fancied the HEXAGON shape which is why I fused it with the Lotus design to make an asymmetrical ring. Hutton was always in search of her true love which is why I chose EMERALDS as they symbolize the same. I drew different models of the ring to try and capture the perfect essence of everything she would want in her LIFE. The Lotus for STRENGTH and the emeralds for LOVE. So, I designed a stackable ring to show modernity with the fusion of Barbara Hutton’s jewel collection”.
We are extremely happy and proud of our student Ms. Pooja Mohnani and wish her all the best in future endeavours.
About IIG – South:
The International Institute of Gemology (IIG) South, launched in August 2021 in collaboration with Laxmi Diamonds is one of the leading and fastest-growing Gems and Jewellery institutes in India. It offers practical, market-oriented training in various courses on gems, diamonds, Jewellery designing and merchandising. Also, IIG is one of the few institutes in India to offer training in the rough diamond assortment. It is also the sole tutor of the Venus Grading System, an exact system of diamond grading devised by leading diamond manufacturers Venus Jewels.
The Artisan Jewellery Design Award 2022
The Artisan Jewellery Design Awards is a grand initiative by the GJEPC that rewards the beautiful essence of artistry, innovation and uniqueness. The prestigious honour of excellence, the Artisan Award introduced the theme for 2022 – ‘The Collectors’. The theme had three categories that encouraged the Jewellery designers to get inspired by the three influential Jewellery connoisseurs- Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Hutton and Wallis Simpson.
The Artisan Jewellery Design Award 2022 had 570 entries from all over India and 32 finalists were selected by the jury members from the Jewellery, fashion, design, photography, and architecture fraternity. The challenging theme encouraged many young talents to gain recognition and credibility for their talent.
Ms. Pooja Mohnani, an extremely talented Jewellery designer, and student of IIG South has made us proud with her remarkable achievement of getting an award in The Artisan Jewellery Design Awards 2022. Ms. Pooja designed the ring with a beautiful thought process and is manufactured by the International Institute of Gemology with ultimate quality.
The beautiful ring manufactured by IIG is crafted in gold with emerald as the centre stone. The emerald stone is framed with sparkling diamonds and abstract lotus petals are set with rubies and fringed with black enamel and diamonds.
Every design has a story behind it. The design of the ring by Ms. Pooja originated from the life journey of Barbara Hutton. Barbara Hutton was one of the wealthiest women in the world. Despite being financially strong, her love life was not that great.
The designer Ms. Pooja shares her design journey
“I wanted to design a piece that would give her the WARMTH she longed for. After brainstorming, I decided to take the LOTUS temple as my inspiration because similar to BARBARA HUTTON even the lotus blooms into a beautiful ower despite being born in a MUD. The lotus symbolizes love, purity, & peace. Barbara Hutton fancied the HEXAGON shape which is why I fused it with the Lotus design to make an asymmetrical ring. Hutton was always in search of her true love which is why I chose EMERALDS as they symbolize the same. I drew different models of the ring to try and capture the perfect essence of everything she would want in her LIFE. The Lotus for STRENGTH and the emeralds for LOVE. So, I designed a stackable ring to show modernity with the fusion of Barbara Hutton’s jewel collection”.
We are extremely happy and proud of our student Ms. Pooja Mohnani and wish her all the best in future endeavours.
About IIG – South:
The International Institute of Gemology (IIG) South, launched in August 2021 in collaboration with Laxmi Diamonds is one of the leading and fastest-growing Gems and Jewellery institutes in India. It offers practical, market-oriented training in various courses on gems, diamonds, Jewellery designing and merchandising. Also, IIG is one of the few institutes in India to offer training in the rough diamond assortment. It is also the sole tutor of the Venus Grading System, an exact system of diamond grading devised by leading diamond manufacturers Venus Jewels.
A moment of immense pride and recognition for the International Institute of Gemology, as its student talent shines on one of the most prestigious global platforms in jewellery design, the Artisan Jewellery Design Awards 2022, hosted by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council.
Held on 13th April at the iconic The St. Regis Mumbai, the awards gala was a grand celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation. Powered by the Gemological Institute of America, the evening brought together leading jewellery designers, global industry stalwarts, and an esteemed jury to honour excellence in design.
The awards were presented by renowned jewellery expert David Bennett, alongside key dignitaries including Colin Shah and Vipul Shah, reinforcing the global stature of the platform.
The Artisan Awards have, over the years, established themselves as a benchmark for creativity and innovation in the jewellery industry. Conceptualised by Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, the initiative aims to provide a powerful platform for emerging designers and artisans to push boundaries and showcase world class design thinking.
The 2022 edition revolved around the theme “The Collectors”, drawing inspiration from three legendary women known for their extraordinary jewellery collections and distinct personal styles, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Hutton, and Wallis Simpson.
Designers were challenged to not only create visually striking pieces but to deeply interpret the personalities, aesthetics, and emotional narratives of these iconic collectors, making the competition as intellectual as it was creative.
The response was overwhelming, with over 570 entries received from across India and international markets including the UK, UAE, Egypt, Turkey, and Russia. After multiple rounds of rigorous evaluation spanning conceptual sketches to final manufactured pieces, the jury shortlisted only the finest creations, ultimately selecting 9 winners across categories.
Standing tall among this global pool of talent was Ms. Pooja Mohnani, a student of IIG South – Bengaluru franchisee, who secured the First Runner Up position in the Barbara Hutton category, a remarkable achievement that reflects both creative brilliance and technical mastery.
Her award-winning creation was a thoughtfully designed statement ring, crafted in gold and centred around a vivid emerald, surrounded by brilliant diamonds. The design featured abstract lotus petals set with rubies, accentuated with black enamel, creating a striking balance between tradition and contemporary aesthetics.
But beyond its visual appeal, what truly set the piece apart was its storytelling depth.
Inspired by the life of Barbara Hutton, one of the wealthiest women in the world, yet someone who experienced emotional voids in her personal life, the design sought to capture a narrative of resilience, love, and inner strength.
The lotus motif symbolised purity and the ability to rise above adversity, while the emerald represented love and emotional fulfilment. The incorporation of geometric elements, including Hutton’s affinity for hexagonal forms, added a layer of personalisation and historical reference, making the piece both meaningful and modern.
What further elevates this achievement is that the jewellery piece was manufactured by IIG, showcasing not only design excellence but also the institute’s strong capabilities in technical execution, craftsmanship, and finishing.
This seamless integration of design thinking and manufacturing precision highlights IIG’s approach to education, where creativity is backed by real world application and industry relevance.
Sharing her design journey, Ms. Pooja Mohnani said
“I wanted to create something that would give Barbara Hutton the warmth she longed for. The lotus became a powerful symbol for me, representing strength and beauty despite adversity. Combining it with emeralds and geometric elements helped me express both her elegance and her emotional journey.”
The Artisan Awards are not just about winning, they are about redefining the future of jewellery design.
As David Bennett noted, the journey from concept sketches to fully realised pieces showcased the incredible potential of emerging designers.
Colin Shah emphasised that India continues to gain global recognition for its exceptional design and manufacturing talent, while Milan Chokshi highlighted how themes like “The Collectors” challenge designers to think beyond conventional boundaries and develop deeper design empathy.
Reflecting on this milestone, Mr. Rahul Desai, CEO and MD of IIG, shared
“At IIG, we believe jewellery is not just a product, it is an expression of thought, emotion, and identity. This recognition at The Artisan Awards reinforces our commitment to nurturing designers who can think globally and create with purpose. Pooja’s achievement is a reflection of what happens when creativity meets the right mentorship and technical foundation. This is the direction in which the future of jewellery design is moving.”
The Artisan Awards continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the jewellery industry by offering winners opportunities such as internships with leading brands and international exposure through global trade shows.
For IIG, this recognition is more than just an accolade, it is a validation of its vision to bridge education with industry, creativity with craftsmanship, and talent with global opportunity.
This isn’t just a win for IIG.
It’s a statement, India’s next generation of jewellery designers is ready to lead the global stage. 💎
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