- IEG’s gold, jewellery and watchmaking trade show initiative focuses on manufacturing expertise, innovation and sustainability.
- Entries open until 30 November for ICON, LOOK and CREATION exhibitors. The awards ceremony will take place at VOJ27.
- The finalist creations, selected by a jury of experts, will be on display at VOJ27; the media, exhibitors and buyers will also cast votes for the winners.
vicenzaoro.com | People Product Places
Vicenzaoro’s official VO Awards will be back for their second edition to celebrate the craftsmanship, manufacturing expertise, drive for innovation and commitment to sustainability of exhibitors at Italian Exhibition Group’s international event, a leading reference for the gold, jewellery and watchmaking sector for over 70 years.
Entries are already open. Bands from the ICON, LOOK and CREATION communities can place their entries up until 30th November by completing the relevant product form and submitting the required materials. The winners will be announced during the awards ceremony on the evening of Sunday 17th January at Vicenzaoro January (15–19 January 2027).
The VO Awards were established with the aim of giving Vicenzaoro exhibitors an exclusive platform at the January edition, the first event on the industry’s global calendar, on which to display their creations: jewellery that embodies excellence and points the way forward for the industry and the market, a factor that sets the offer and spirit of this international benchmark jewellery show apart.
“As part of the Vicenzaoro ecosystem,” says Matteo Farsura, Global Exhibition Manager of IEG’s Jewellery & Fashion division, “the VO Awards enhance manufacturing excellence, the care taken in selecting materials, the capacity for innovation and a sustainable approach. An original initiative designed to strengthen our community and consolidate the trade show’s role as a hub where tradition, innovation, craftsmanship, talent, art and industry converge, creating value through relationships across the entire supply chain.”
THE VO AWARDS CATEGORIES
Ten competition categories represent the various aspects of gold, jewellery and silver manufacturing, in keeping with the Vicenzaoro – The Jewellery Boutique Show format, which divides the exhibition offer into thematic communities based on brand identity, positioning and communication style.
For ICON, the high-end jewellery community: Best in ICON – High End Jewellery awarded to fine jewellery that stands out for the quality of its materials, craftsmanship and complexity of its workmanship; Best in ICON – Fine Jewellery, for luxury brands that produce fine jewellery for everyday wear; and lastly, Best in ICON – One of a Kind Jewellery, awarded to unique and unrepeatable creations, veritable one-off works of art.
Specifically for the CREATION community: Best in CREATION – Gold Manufacturing, Best in CREATION – Silver Manufacturing and Best in CREATION – Gold & Gems Manufacturing, respectively awarded to fine craftsmanship in gold, silver and gold set with precious and semi-precious stones.
Contemporary jewellery from the LOOK community has two categories: Best in LOOK – Semi-Precious Jewellery for affordable precious and semi-precious jewellery with sophisticated designs, and Best in LOOK – Fashion Jewellery for versatile and youthful fashion jewellery crafted from alternative materials.
Lastly, two categories common to all the above communities: Best in SPECIAL – Sustainability Award and Best in SPECIAL – Innovation Award with which Vicenzaoro recognises forward-looking initiatives in terms of sustainability as an integral part of the product from start to finish, and production innovation capable of generating added value.
AN EXPERT JURY
The VO Awards’ technical jury consists of authoritative professionals with the right expertise to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment of the jewellery and its impact across the entire supply chain. Alice Vanni (CSR Director and Member of the Board of Directors at Italpreziosi) and Iris Van Der Veken ( Executive Director and Secretary General, WJI – Watches & Jewellery Initiative 2030. Member of the 100 Women @ Davos Inclusive Leadership Council) will bring their vision and expertise in sustainability, Damiano Zito (CEO and Chairman of Progold S.p.A) in innovation, Nicolò Rapone (Jewellery Chief Operations Officer at Bulgari) in the production process. Tomasz Donocik (Designer) will be entrusted with assessing the design and Rui Galopim de Carvalho (Gem Education Consultant) will focus on gemmology. Carlo Bartorelli (President and Director of Bartorelli Gioiellerie) will provide the retail perspective, whilst Paola De Luca (Founder and Creative Director of TRENDVISION Jewellery + Forecasting) will contribute her forecasting expertise on luxury trends . Media representatives will include Kyle Roderick (Fine jewelry and timepiece journalist for Forbes.com; author and photo editor of Bejeweled: The World of Ethical Jewelry– Rizzoli, 2019, founder and editor of @bijouxreview) and Federica Frosini (Editor-in-Chief of VO+ Jewelry Magazine).
ENTRIES, VOTING AND AWARDS CEREMONY
The selection process will feature several stages. Firstly, the technical jury will examine the entries and deliberate to select 3 finalists for each category. On 14th January, on the eve of Vicenzaoro January 27, the jury will be able to personallyview and reassess the finalist jewellery pieces, which will be on display during the show in a specific area in Hall 7. Between Friday and Sunday morning at the show, buyers, exhibitors, members of the media and visitors will also be able to cast votes which will account for 30% of the final result.
Michela Amenduni, Product Marketing & Communication Manager, explains: “With the VO Awards, Vicenzaoro reaffirms its role as a platform for discussion and knowledge-sharing amongst the sector’s key players: from exhibitors to the professionals who make up the jury, right through to buyers, the media, guests and visitors, everyone will contribute their expertise to a project that encompasses the entire value chain”.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday 17th January at Vicenzaoro January 27 with all the key figures in attendance, as well as trade journalists, influencers and international bloggers. Entries will be available for viewing as of December in the dedicated section on the event’s website. For information and entries: www.vicenzaoro.com/it/vo-awards.
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