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INSTORE Design Awards- 2022 Competition Open for Entries

INSTORE Design Awards- 2022 Competition Open for Entries
INSTORE Design Awards- 2022 Competition Open for Entries


FINAL EXTENDED DEADLINE TO ENTER THE 2022 INSTORE DESIGN AWARDS!

Final extension! Enter by Feb. 11:
$495 for 1st entry, $395 for each additional entry

IT’S ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS
YOU’LL MAKE IN 2022!

Colored Diamond Jewelry

Diamond Jewelry UNDER $5,000

Diamond Jewelry OVER $5,000

Colored Stone Jewelry UNDER $5,000

Colored Stone Jewelry OVER $5,000

Laboratory-Created Diamond
and/or Gemstone Jewelry

Pearl Jewelry UNDER $5,000

Pearl Jewelry OVER $5,000

Platinum Jewelry

Gold Jewelry UNDER $5,000

Gold Jewelry OVER $5,000

Silver Jewelry UNDER $1,000

Silver Jewelry OVER $1,000

Alternative Materials Jewelry

Men’s Jewelry

Personalized Jewelry

Fashion/Bridge Jewelry

Best Price Point UNDER $500

Best Bracelet UNDER $5,000

Best Bracelet OVER $5,000

Best Earring UNDER $5,000

Best Earring OVER $5,000

Best Engagement/Wedding Jewelry
UNDER $5,000

Best Engagement/Wedding Jewelry
OVER $5,000

Best Necklace UNDER $5,000

Best Necklace OVER $5,000

Best Ring UNDER $5,000

Best Ring OVER $5,000

Best Statement Piece

ELIGIBILITY

1) Businesses and individuals engaged in the design and manufacture of jewelry for retail distribution may enter the contest. Entrants who submit on behalf of a business must be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry and must be properly authorized to enter on the business’s behalf. Individuals must likewise be 18 years of age or older to enter. Employees (and their immediate families and household members) of SmartWork Media, its parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, or any other companies sponsoring the contest are not eligible. Void where prohibited by law.

2) To be eligible for entry, the jewelry piece must be an original design, it must be commercially available, and it must meet the requirements for the category in which it is entered (see below for general and specific category requirements).

GENERAL CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS
  • Jewelry must be commercially available in order to qualify for entry (this includes one-of-a-kind pieces, which may be entered provided that they are commercially available).
  • No CAD drawings or prototypes may be entered. Finished jewelry only may be entered.
  • Entries must be in compliance with the FTC Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries.
  • Semi-mounts should be shown with center stone. Entrant must indicate in the description if the price is for the semi-mount only.
  • Diamond jewelry must comply with the Kimberley Process system of warranties.
  • No piece that has won an INSTORE Design Award before may be entered.
  • Only jewelry created since January 2021 will be eligible for the contest.
  •  
SPECIFIC CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS
  • DIAMOND JEWELRY: Natural diamonds only. All treatments must be disclosed. Laboratory-created stones will not be accepted.
  • COLORED DIAMOND JEWELRY: All treatments must be disclosed. Laboratory-created diamonds will not be accepted.
  • COLORED GEMSTONE JEWELRY: Natural stones only. All treatments must be disclosed. Laboratory-created and synthetic stones will not be accepted.
  • LABORATORY-CREATED DIAMOND AND/OR GEMSTONE JEWELRY: Lab-created and synthetic stones only. All treatments must be disclosed. Please be sure to state “lab-created” or “synthetic” in description.
  • PLATINUM JEWELRY: Must be 100 percent platinum of 850 parts or higher.
  • GOLD JEWELRY: Must be 14K gold or higher. All tones qualify (i.e., yellow, white, rose, multi-tone). Entries should be primarily gold; other materials incorporated into the jewelry should not exceed 33 percent of the design.
  • SILVER JEWELRY: Must be sterling (.925) or fine silver (.999). Entries should be primarily silver; other materials incorporated into the jewelry should not exceed 33 percent of the design.
  • ENGAGEMENT / WEDDING RING JEWELRY: Engagement rings, wedding bands, anniversary bands, commitment rings, and three-ring wedding sets qualify for entry into this category.
  • ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS JEWELRY: Jewelry construction comprising materials other than gold, platinum, or silver, such as ceramic or wood.
  • PEARLS: Designate variety (cultured freshwater, cultured golden South Sea, etc.) of pearl and any treatments.
  • PERSONALIZED JEWELRY: Includes charms as well as jewelry featuring messages, affirmations, birthstones, zodiac signs, and/or symbols of protection or religion.
  • FASHION/BRIDGE JEWELRY: Jewelry designed with price point and trend appeal, composed of gold plated silver, base metals and other non-precious materials. Can feature crystals or semi-precious stones.
 
IMAGE SUBMISSION

All images must be submitted with your entry.

  • SUBMIT IMAGES OF FINISHED JEWELRY ONLY ON WHITE BACKGROUND.
    No props, no models. No prototypes or CAD drawings.
       • Accepted file types include: JPG, TIF, and PNG.
       • RGB color profile preferred
       • Files should be 300 dpi for online and print reproduction
       • Image size should be 4 x 6 inches minimum.
  • IMAGES SHOULD BE SUPPLIED ON A WHITE BACKGROUND. We suggest you have professional photographs taken and proof all copy before submission. We cannot change images or copy after receipt.
  • IMAGE SHOULD CONTAIN ONLY ONE PIECE OF JEWELRY: The piece entered. Do not include lines or collections.
  • The image and copy you supply will be used in all INSTORE Design Awards online and print products.
 
WINNER SELECTION

The INSTORE Design Awards are different from most design competitions. We incorporate a blind-judging component—1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each category are chosen by a handpicked group of top retailers and influencers. There’s also a separate voting guide and online voting that decides a “Retailer’s Choice” winner for each category. This allows retailers from across North America to see all of the top designs and put names to each one, leading to new retailer relationships.

Winners will be notified in April 2022 and may be required to submit their entered piece for physical inspection. Jewelry must be sent via insured, registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or insured overnight courier. Failure to submit jewelry may result in disqualification. Any piece that, upon inspection, is determined at SmartWork Media’s sole discretion not to qualify for the category in which it was entered will be disqualified.

Grand Prize Winner will be required to send their winning jewelry to INSTORE at their own expense to be photographed for the cover of the magazine (June issue).

 
EXPOSURE/PRIZES: NEW AND IMPROVED FOR 2022

All entries:

  • Will be featured on INSTORE’s Voting Site during contest voting.
  • Will be featured in INSTORE’s print Voting Guide which will be incorporated into the May issue guaranteeing exposure and readership among the entire retail community for your company and jewelry. And…it’s timed perfectly to reach retailers for pre-Las Vegas planning.
  • The voting guide including all entries will also be posted online as a digital publication for the full year.
  • Will receive a “Vote for Us” marketing package to get retailers involved and to vote for your designs.
 

Plus, Winners and Finalists:

  • Will be featured in the June issue of INSTORE (distributed at Las Vegas Jewelry Week)
  • Will be showcased online at www.instoremag.com
  • Will be featured in a product e-blast promoting winners. Individual categories will be featured daily, leading up to Las Vegas Jewelry Week
  • Will receive an INSTORE Award logo to promote your accolade.
  • Will receive counter card in time to promote win during Las Vegas Jewelry Week and other trade shows.
  • Grand prize winner will be featured on the cover of the June issue of INSTORE.
  • Grand Prize Winner will receive a trophy promoting your award
 
GENERAL RULES

1) Entries that do not comply with any of these rules will be disqualified.

2) By entering the contest, you grant SmartWork Media the right and license to reproduce, publish, distribute, and display your entry materials (and portions thereof) in any of its SmartWork Media publications in all media and/or advertising, and you represent and warrant:

  • that the information provided in your entry form is accurate and complete;
  • that the work depicted in your entry is your own original creation, that SmartWork Media’s use and publication of your entry materials will not infringe upon or otherwise violate any trademark, copyright, trade secret, patent, or other intellectual property right, any right of publicity, privacy, or other personal right or any law, rule, or regulation;
  • That you have obtained all necessary license and releases from persons involved in creating your entry materials (including photographers) so that SmartWork Media will not incur any obligation or liability to them based upon its use or publication of your entry materials.

3) Entries must include an entry fee of $495 for first entry, $395 for additional entries (discounted rates may apply). The entry fee is nonrefundable, regardless of whether or not your entry is determined to be ineligible or disqualified, unless competition is cancelled or postponed by SmartWork Media.

4) SmartWork Media reserves the right to cancel or postpone all or portions of the competition for any or no reason. If you have submitted an entry for a cancelled or postponed portion of the competition, SmartWork Media will refund your entry fee for that entry within 30 days of the decision to cancel or postpone, and the licenses granted by you to SmartWork Media under these rules for the affected entries will terminate. In addition, SmartWork Media reserves the right to combine categories.

5) ENTRANTS MUST NOT PROMOTE THE ONLINE VOTING PORTION OF THE COMPETITION TO THE PUBLIC. They may only promote the competition to jewelry retailers. Any entrant found to have promoted the voting to the public may be disqualified.

6) Any company caught voting for their own entries may be disqualified.

By entering, you accept and agree to be bound by these rules and by the decisions of SmartWork Media regarding the same. SmartWork Media’s decisions are final on all matters regarding the Awards.

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 11