Call for Applications: Benchpeg Awards

The Benchpeg Awards are aimed at helping students, fledgling businesses or those emerging to create a new career in jewellery or the allied trades.

The emphasis of the Benchpeg Awards are to provide an opportunity to assist in the trajectory of the winner’s careers and give them a helping leg up on the first rung of the career ladder.

Competition Categories
There are three categories to enter as part of the competition:
Design for Technology: CAD and Manufacture
Design for Commercial Sales: Competitive Retail
Design for Creativity, Innovation or Disruption: Something which hasn’t been seen before

What to Enter
You can enter physical jewellery or silver items.
You can enter 2D designs.
The submissions have to be in a digital image format in the first instance for Round 1.
If selected for the shortlist, Round 2, you will be asked to submit a physical finished piece or your 2D designs for exhibition.
You can submit one entry in one or all theree categories.

Elegibility Criteria
The competition is open to anyone

- currently in full time education or training over the age of 18
- studying in the UK and on a jewellery or allied trades related course
- having graduated from a higher education qualification post 18 in the last four years
- having completed an apprenticeship in the last two years
- or having started a new business within the last year
Entrants must be residing at the time of current study, or permanently living in the UK after study and embarking on their career in the UK jewellery industry to be eligible for entry.
* Please note that physical finished pieces and 2D artwork must be able to be on exhibition on the 1st & 2nd of November 2016.

Competition Category Guidance

Design for Manufacture: CAD or Craft Skills
This category invites entries which have used either technology or hand craft skills to manufacture and create a high quality finished piece taking into account construction processes.
Design for Commercial Sales: Competitive Retail
This category invites entries which have been designed specifically to have price points for commecial markets and be produced in batch production or mass manufacture.
Design for Creativity, Innovation or Disruption: Something which hasn’t been seen before
This category invites entries which display design and or creativity in a disruptive manner to create a piece which is completely unique.

How Selection is Made
There will be three rounds of selection for the competition.
Round 1
Round one is to enter a digital image of your entry.
Once the deadline for entries has expired, a shortlist will be made up by a panel of industry experts.
Round 2
If you have made the shortlist, you will be invited to send your physical finished piece to us for showcasing at the Make Your Mark event at Goldsmiths' Hall in the first week of November 2016.
Round 3
During the event (2nd & 3rd November) the panel of judges foe each category will preside over the selection of winning entries from the finished submitted pieces in Round 2.

How to Enter
To enter the Benchpeg Awards please carry out the following:
First read and confirm that you are eligible to enter
Decide which category/ies you wish to submit your entry to
Each entry should be emailed seperately, NOT in bulk

Email us your submission with the details below:
Your Name:
Your Address:
Your Telephone Number:
Your Email Address:
Your Website:

What category do you wish to submit to:
What is the name of the piece you are submitting:
Please give a description of how it was designed and made:

Are you in full time education?
If so what are you studying?
If so where are you studying?
If not, how long ago did you complete your education?
If not, describe what you are doing now:

If submitting a physical piece, what is the current retail value?
(For insurance purposes)

Please attach a range of images for your single competition entry of the piece.
Please attach your CV to your submission.

Submit Your Entry
Email the details as reqested above to: awards@benchpeg.com
with the category title you are applying to provided in the subject header.

Deadline for Entries
The deadline for competition submissions is: Sunday 16th October 2016.

Awards Schedule
Competition submission deadline: Sunday 16th October 2016
Judging for Round 1 commences: Week commencing 17th October 2016
Notification of shortlist for Round 2: Week commencing 24th October 2016
Deadline for delivery of physical submissions at Golsmiths' Hall: Monday 1st Novemeber 2016
Notification of overall winners of Round 3: Tuesday 2nd November 2016

Prizes
Prizes are aimed at career enhancing opportunities which money can’t buy.
We like the term 'gift of promises'.
We will use the Benchpeg network to provide inspiring introductions, business mentoring, as well as 'vouchers' of pre-paid time to be spent with the crème de la crème of Industry Experts and Professionals for prize winners.

Prize breakdown so far...

Design for Technology: CAD and Manufacture

Announcement of Winner
The announcement of the winner will be given at a VIP reception at Goldsmiths' Hall
Showcase Exhibition
The winner will be showcased as part of the Make Your Mark event at Goldsmiths' Hall, London.
Design Consultancy & Mentoring
One day to be spent with the current Jewellery Designer of the Year, and previous Bridal Jewellery Designer of the Year, Fei Liu, who will offer design consultancy, guidance and mentoring for the winner.
Project Management Consultancy
Miracca London will give project management consultancy to help get the winner from design stage to the manufacture of their range. This will include achieving realistic costing of pieces to fall within the desied RRP. This consultancy voucher will also include introudcing the winner to 'the correct people' at every stage of the manufacturing process in order to create an ongoing production chain for the winner's future growth.
Micro Setting
The winner will get a voucher for 150 pave stone settings set in a piece of their design with one of the UK's best micro setters. (This prize has a monetary value of £525 + VAT.)
PR Guidance & CV Review
This prize will provide the winner with PR advice and a CV review from the Benchpeg team.
Feature in Benchpeg
The winner will get a feature article to be published in Benchpeg.

Design for Commercial Sales: Competitive Retail

Announcement of Winner
The announcement of the winner will be given at a VIP reception at Goldsmiths' Hall.
Showcase Exhibition
The winner will be showcased as part of the Make Your Mark event at Goldsmiths' Hall, London.
Design Consultancy & Mentoring
One day to be spent with the current Jewellery Designer of the Year, and previous Bridal Jewellery Designer of the Year, Fei Liu, who will offer design consultancy, guidance and mentoring for the winner.
Project Management Consultancy
Miracca London will give project management consultancy to help get the winner from design stage to the manufacture of their range. This will include achieving realistic costing of pieces to fall within the desied RRP. This consultancy voucher will also include introudcing the winner to 'the correct people' at every stage of the manufacturing process in order to create an ongoing production chain for the winner's future growth.
Micro Setting
The winner will get a voucher for 150 pave stone settings set in a piece of their design with one of the UK's best micro setters. (This prize has a monetary value of £525 + VAT.)
CAD Modelling
Miracca London will create 1x CAD model of the winner's design ready for casting.
PR Guidance & CV Review
This prize will provide the winner with PR advice and a CV review from the Benchpeg team
Feature in Benchpeg
The winner will get a feature article to be published in Benchpeg.

Design for Creativity, Innovation or Disruption: Something which hasn’t been seen before

Announcement of Winner
The announcement of the winner will be given at a VIP reception at Goldsmiths' Hall.
Showcase Exhibition
The winner will be showcased as part of the Make Your Mark event at Goldsmiths' Hall, London.
Design Consultancy & Mentoring
One day to be spent with the current Jewellery Designer of the Year, and previous Bridal Jewellery Designer of the Year, Fei Liu, who will offer design consultancy, guidance and mentoring for the winner.
Project Management Consultancy
Miracca London will give project management consultancy to help get the winner from design stage to the manufacture of their range. This will include achieving realistic costing of pieces to fall within the desied RRP. This consultancy voucher will also include introudcing the winner to 'the correct people' at every stage of the manufacturing process in order to create an ongoing production chain for the winner's future growth.
Micro Setting
The winner will get a voucher for 150 pave stone settings set in a piece of their design with one of the UK's best micro setters. (This prize has a monetary value of £525 + VAT.)
PR Guidance & CV Review
This prize will provide the winner with PR advice and a CV review from the Benchpeg team
Feature in Benchpeg
The winner will get a feature article to be published in Benchpeg.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions about the competition, please email us here.