PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES

• Do not list your name, company name, logo or other identifying information in your description or photo.

• Use a high-quality image with a plain background and good lighting. Details of the piece should be clearly visible. For guidance on shooting and lighting, consider checking out these tips from professional jewelry photographer Jim Lawson and the Rio Grande Photo Studio team. Alternatively, seek guidance from commercial printing outlets (examples may include but aren’t limited to: Staples®, Kinko’s® or FedEx Business®).

• Only one photograph or rendering may be entered per registration. To show different angles or design elements of the piece, multiple photo images can be compiled into one 300dpi JPEG or one-page PDF file no larger than 10 megabytes (MB).

• Photograph must show all pieces submitted for judging within a single category; for example, the photo for Collection entries must include all the pieces of your collection.

• Pieces should be photographed on their own, without props, added design elements or showcased on a model. This allows judges to focus on the design and the quality of your work.

RENDERINGS

• Renderings should be clean and details easy to interpret as a finished piece.

• Do not add a personal name, watermark or other identifying information to the rendering.

INFORMATION AND DESCRIPTION

Each submission must include the following information:

• Name of piece. Please note that this is how your title will appear in all publications and communications.

• Number and type(s) of jewelry pieces.

• Materials used, including:

  • Metal(s) type, karat.

  • Stone(s) type, size/carat weight, shape.

  • Other material(s).

  • Bead(s) quantity, type, size.

• Description in English, limited to 800 characters or less (counting spaces and punctuation), including:

  • Concept/design development.

  • Techniques used.

  • Steps taken to complete the piece (cast, fabricated, forged, assembled, etc.).

  • Inspiration behind the piece.

PLEASE NOTE: Photos or illustrations cannot be accepted as part of the description. The entrant's personal name or other identifying information cannot be included in the title or description.

• Jewelry Collection
(Fashion/Bridge or Couture/Fine)

• Gold/Platinum

• Silver/Argentium® Silver

• Enamel

• Alternative Metals/Materials

• Hollowware/Art Objects

• Emerging Jewelry Artist 18 Years Of Age Or Younger

• Emerging Jewelry Artist 22 Years Of Age Or Younger

SUBMISSIONS MUST

• Include one high-resolution photograph or rendering: 300dpi JPEG or one-page PDF; 10-megabyte (MB) maximum.

• Include the name and description of the piece (limited to 800 characters, counting spaces and punctuation) in English; descriptions must NOT include a personal name, company name, or other identifying information on its artist.

• Include payment of registration fee for each entry.

FINAL DESIGNS MUST

• Consist of one item or one related set of items per entry.

• Be composed predominantly of the material specified in the chosen category.

• Be the artist's original design.

• Not have won an award in any other competition prior to October 25, 2019.

• Not contain any material from animals that are considered endangered or threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service including—but not limited to—ivory and fossilized ivory.

ENTRIES WILL BE JUDGED ON

• Innovation and originality.

• Successful incorporation of materials.

• Wearability (except for hollowware entries).

• Quality of workmanship.

JULY 8, 2019

Registration opens for all entries.

OCTOBER 25, 2019

Registration closes for all entries (entry must be submitted to Rio Grande by midnight MST).

NOVEMBER 2019

First round of judging is held to select finalists in each category; all entrants (finalists and non-finalists) in each category are notified.

JANUARY 24, 2020

Finished finalist pieces must be received by Rio for all categories.

FEBRUARY 2020

Final round of judging is held for all categories; winners are notified.

APRIL 2020

All non-winning pieces are returned by the end of the month.

MAY 17, 2020

Due to worldwide travel complications and health concerns surrounding the Covid-19 virus, the date of the Saul Bell Design Award ceremony is to be determined.

JUNE 2020

All winning pieces are returned by the end of the month.

• The piece must be the entrant's original design. Artistic integrity is of the utmost importance to Rio Grande, the Saul Bell Design Award competition and the jewelers both institutions serve. As a SBDA entrant, your commitment to artistic integrity shows respect for your own work and for the work of other jewelers. Entrants are proud of the tremendous skill and imagination that they have put into their original designs, and they are honored to have these pieces rigorously judged against the work of their peers. Work that derives or copies its central ideas from another artist's work is not considered an "original design" and has no place in the Saul Bell Design Award.

• The piece (or any pieces within a collection) cannot have won an award in any other competition prior to the October 25, 2019, entry deadline. Artists may enter their design in other competitions, but they must alert Saul Bell Design Award organizers if the design wins an award prior to the date of our first judging in November 2019. In that event, the design will be removed from this competition and the entry fee refunded (whether it be an individual piece, or a piece or pieces within the Collection category). Award-winning pieces included in a Collection category must be substituted and/or removed.

• Entries in the Jewelry Collection categories should consist of more than one piece of wearable jewelry that work together as a cohesive collection. We suggest (but do not require) that two to five pieces constitute a collection. Note that a pair of earrings counts as one piece of jewelry. The collection should comprise a matching set of different types of jewelry.

• Final design entry must be one piece or a set (wearable together) of jewelry or ornamentation (tiara, hairpiece, cane, etc.), unless the piece is entered in the Hollowware/Art Objects category. Entries in in the Hollowware/Art Objects category need not be wearable jewelry. 

• Designs must be predominantly composed of the material specified in a chosen category.

• Only one photograph or one-page rendering may be entered per registration. The photo or rendering may show multiple views in one 300dpi .jpg file or one-page .pdf file no larger than 10 megabytes (MB). Image file names must not include any special characters or punctuation.

• The description is limited to 800 characters (including spaces and punctuation) with no additional photos or sketches, names of artists, artist's company name or other identifying information. Entries must be written in English.

• Unfortunately, we're unable to accept entries from certain countries due to any U.S. sanctions in place, difficulty getting goods in/out of certain countries, and difficulty insuring deliveries to certain countries. If you have any questions about this restriction, please email us at events@riogrande.com or call us at 800.952.6222.

• Registrations must be completed and submitted online by midnight Mountain Time on October 25, 2019. Paper submissions are not accepted, and entries cannot be submitted via mobile device.

• The registration fee may be paid by credit card or PayPal. A confirmation email will be sent upon completion of the registration.

• Decision of the judges is final.

• Each artist is allowed only one finalist piece per category. Although the same piece may be entered in more than one competition category (as appropriate), the piece can become a finalist in only one category.

• Rio Grande takes the highest amount of care and every reasonable precaution to ensure the safety and security of jewelry or hollowware pieces submitted for judging. While in Rio Grande's possession and during any handling or transit by Rio Grande, our insurance provider will cover each entry against the event of loss, theft or damage to the full declared wholesale value stated by each entrant. If an insurance claim is filed, the entrant will be required to support their wholesale valuation to the insurer. Because Rio Grande's insurance does not cover any loss or damage while in transit to Rio Grande, shipping of pieces to Rio Grande is the responsibility of the entrant. We strongly encourage entrants to insure their piece(s) when sending to Rio Grande.

• Entrants must agree to consign entries to Rio Grande for the purpose of photography, display and promotions.

• Due to U.S. tax guidelines, awards cannot be distributed without a valid tax identification number provided by award recipient.

• Rio Grande, Inc., its directors, its associates, its advertising and publicity agency, and its members shall be held harmless from any and all claims, litigation or other legal proceeding.

• Employees of Rio Grande or of any affiliate company and their immediate family members may not participate.