Jeweller - June 2022

News
New Zealand's Floeting Diamond recognised with prestigious design award
The potentially revolutionary work of New Zealand
jeweller Ian Douglas has been acknowledged with
an award for Product Design at the 2022 Red Dot
Design Awards in Germany.
The potentially revolutionary work of New Zealand
jeweller Ian Douglas has been acknowledged with
an award for Product Design at the 2022 Red Dot
Design Awards in Germany.
Douglas is the founder of The Village Goldsmith.
He spent more than two decades developing what’s
known as the ‘Floeting Diamond’ - a diamond-set
jewellery collection without metal clasps or claws.
The Floeting Diamond was launched in 2021 by
VG Jewelers as an innovative approach to solitaire
diamond setting. The design eliminates traditional
claws, clasps and prongs which hold diamonds in
their setting. Prongs impede the light return and
sparkle of the diamond and obstruct the view of the
gemstone.
aesthetics, quality, durability, functionality, and
symbolic and emotional content.
The Floeting Diamond nomination featured
diamond studs, a pendant necklace, and a solitaire
ring.
“Less is more – this formula fully applies to the
jewellery series The Floeting Diamond,” the jury’s
statement reads.
“The focus is on sparkling diamonds, set in a way
that the entire attention is drawn to the brilliance
of the gemstones. Almost invisible, the bezel is
remarkable for more than one reason. It is made
of a special space-age titanium that is combined
with high-quality gold and platinum and provides
particularly long and secure hold for the cut
diamonds.”
The standard six-claw diamond setting technique
has been used since 1886.
New Zealand Jeweller Ian Douglas is the Product Design
award winner at the 2022 Red Dot Design Awards.
The Red Dot Awards feature more than
18,000 design professionals, companies, and
organisations from more than 60 countries each
year. This year’s Red Dot jury comprised 50
international designers, design professors, and
journalists from 23 countries.
Red Dot Product Design awards are judged on
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