Manohar Lal Sarraf & Sons fosters young designers with Aakar jewellery design competition

As per the guidelines of the competition, the theme revolved around ‘eternal masterpieces’, tasking participants with designing a pendant and a pair of earrings. The winning designs were converted into the final product and showcased at the brand’s showroom

Meerut: In the realm of jewellery, the power of innovation lies in design. To promote newer designs in the industry, Manohar Lal Sarraf & Sons Jewellers hosted an online jewellery design competition called Aakar, the entries for which started coming in from November 2023. With an aim to connect with jewellery designers across India, the brand took to social media and announced the competition last year and closed the submissions this month before announcing the winners.

Participants in the online competition were prompted to register on the brand’s website. Upon completion, they received an email confirmation containing the submission link, deadline and competition guidelines, for seamless engagement with the requirements. Thus, the brand could ensure a structured participation process for the 100+ entries.

Aarti Shekhar, Director, Manohar Lal Sarraf & Sons Jewellers, said, “There are several jewellery institutes and also youngsters who are keen to pursue jewellery designing. After completing their formal education in this field, they are often confused about how they can make this skill useful and create high-value and precious jewellery. So, Aakar intends to create a community for them.”

After the results were announced, apart from the top three winners who received cash prizes, the next 15 designs also received prizes for their endeavours. The primary base of participants were Indians as the brand retails its products within the country. However, people from other countries were also encouraged to participate. The theme revolved around ‘eternal masterpieces’, tasking participants with designing a pendant and a pair of earrings. The designs were required to incorporate gemstones and diamonds, emphasizing the craftsmanship. Entrants submitted their CAD designs or hand-drawn sketches through the brand’s website. The final design and the product had to be practical, usable and timeless, some of the main traits of precious jewellery.

Beyond the boundaries of the competition, the brand has been focusing on boosting the community of new designers by enabling them to showcase their work in the brand’s showroom, where other retail stores and manufacturers are invited to see and buy these innovative designs.

“We chose to take the online route for the competition since it is easier to get the word out and invite designers to participate. The aim of this platform is to have them channel their creativity and come up with designs that are classic. Our specifications help them work in a more focused manner since jewellery designing has no finite scope,” added Shekhar.

Beyond design, the brand’s unique platform for jewellery designers extends support for career development. It reaches out to the participants and actively assists them in exploring industry opportunities, fostering valuable experiences and facilitating pathways to a rewarding career, to ensure holistic advancement for aspiring designers.

Written by Aparna Bhowmick

Retail Jeweller India Exclusive