mineralART
mineralART – From regional design contest to international prize for innovative gemstone design
The mineralART competition – organised by the Kreissparkasse bank in Idar-Oberstein since 1995 – has undergone dynamic development over the last decade: What began as more of a mineralogy-oriented event for those working with minerals found in the Idar-Oberstein region has since turned into a celebrated and internationally-followed contest for innovative gemstone design.
The requirement to only use minerals found in the region was lifted in two steps taken in 2006 and 2012 and the focus of the contest turned toward innovative, artistic design.
The contest is not limited to jewellery pieces. Sculptures, objets d’art etc. may also be submitted.
The awards ceremony has also found an interesting platform since 2006 at the Inhorgenta Munich trade fair
“between layers – worlds within agate”
Theme of the competition
The focus of the competition is on producing an innovative piece of jewellery or an object from, or in connection with, an agate. For the purposes of the competition, a cut agate, revealing its inner world
through concentric or irregular strata can as well provide inspiration as an agate with two or more horizontallayers, which would traditionally have been used to create cameos or intaglios.
In using banded agate, care must be taken that the object or piece of jewellery steps away from classical gem-cutting tradition and demonstrates a unique, innovative approach to this traditional stone. There are
no restrictions with regards to the origin or variety of agate. The competition is organised by the German Gemstone Museum in Idar-Oberstein.
Participants
The competition is particularly aimed at jewellery and gemstone designers, apprentices and school, college, university and academy students from Germany and abroad.
Submission deadline
Important: registration is available online only at: www.mineralart.de
After sending the online form the participant will receive an email containing an automatically generated code allocated per individual piece to be submitted.
Pieces must be sent by 15th January 2014 along with this confirmation of registration and clearly marked with the reference “mineralART”,
to the following address:
Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum
“mineralART” + sender’s name
Hauptstrasse 118,
D-55743 Idar-Oberstein
Germany
All pieces must be received by 15th January 2014
Jury members:
Jiro Kamata (JP), Helena Lehtinen (FIN), Estela Saez Vilanova (E), Gerhard Schmidt (D) und Dr. Marjan Unger (NL)
Prize-giving
The prize-giving will take place on Thursday 13th March as part of a celebratory event inside the State Collection of Antiques in Munich. The competition winners and other outstanding pieces will be displayed here during SCHMUCK 2014 and until 11th May 2014 during museum opening hours. This will be followed by a further exhibition in the German Gemstone Museum in Idar-Oberstein until October 2014.
Enregistrer
Isabelle Busnel developed jewellery around ideas of concavity and unusual forms of attachment using magnets and tension. Her work is whimsical and innocent but has the ability to be very provocative if used properly (Sir John Cass School of Art Media and Design MA Degree Show 2010) 
Isabelle Busnel - FRANCE/UK « Isabelle developed jewellery around ideas of concavity and unusual forms of attachment using magnets and tension. Her work is whimsical and innocent but has the ability to be very provocative if used properly. A playful poke at two ways jewellery can function. She mostly works in enameled copper and steel but there were two fascinating brooches with wonderful play of inside and outside made of silver. I just love them particularly — that little peek inside…« 
Claudia Adam (Idar Oberstein) chat, Silber, Edelstahl – 2006
‘Artis Causa’ (Gabri Schumacher ) magnet brooch (JOYA 2012)
Galit Barak Brooches Brass, nickel silver, silver plating – 2013
Galit Barak brooches 2013
Amparo (Fernández Amparo, Arg.) joyeria textil 
