AuDITIONS Arabia is set to debut fresh jewellery design talents in the Middle East.

The World Gold Council, in partnership with international industry player Hammer Group and AngloGold Ashanti, has recently launched AuDITIONS Arabia, the only gold jewellery design contest of its kind in the Arab World, the council said in a statement.

AuDITIONS Arabia will be a platform for showcasing new talents in gold jewellery design across the region. The Contest, considered as the Oscars of Gold Jewellery Design has been initiated to inspire unrestricted creativity, reward winners, and ultimately expand the horizons of gold jewellery, it added.

AuDITIONS Arabia is part of AuDITIONS Global platform which is a gold jewellery design competition launched across the globe in South Africa, Brazil, China and India in partnership with AngloGold Ashanti, one of the world's largest producers of gold, with 20 operations in 10 countries on four continents.

For the Indian edition of AuDITIONS, the same global theme of Ethno Contemporary Jewellery was followed, a concept that borrows ideas from culture-specific design traditions and incorporates modern inspiration to create a fresh new design aesthetic. Every jewellery design entry must be in 22kt gold and limit the use of materials other than gold to 10 per cent of the entry piece, the organisers said.

With the availability of a huge databank of traditional motifs and cultural references, Indian artisans and jewellery designers offered a plethora of designs that are inspired from ideas from the past, and amalgamating modern nuances to give a refreshed graphical identity. AuDITIONS India has stimulated design practice by giving a rare opportunity for aspiring and practicing designers to launch their careers and get international exposure through the competition, they added.

Meanwhile, Auditions Arabia - the Pan-Arab design competition has recently been launched in Dubai. Interested parties may submit original, show-stopping designs until end of March 2008. The competition which rewards winners with unprecedented career advancement is open to Arabs and Non-Arabs alike who are residents of the Arab Region.

“We are confident that we will achieve the same level of success as other AuDITIONS worldwide. The Middle East has an immense talent base and we aim to tap on this important human resource to further enhance the quality of the region’s gold jewellery offerings. This is also our way of encouraging aspiring designers in the region – Arabs and non-Arabs alike – to realise their dreams and pursue a rewarding career in the gold jewellery industry,” said Public Relations and Project Manager Lama Al Saheb. – TradeArabia News Service