PlatAfrica, South Africa’s premier platinum jewellery design and manufacturing competition, is celebrating a quarter-century of unearthing homegrown talent. With two categories for professional jewellery designers and students or apprentices, PlatAfrica plays an important role in both pushing design boundaries driven by annual themes, as well as placing local talent on the global stage.
“Over the years, PlatAfrica has been a platform for professional and emerging designers to showcase the beauty and versatility of platinum in jewellery craftsmanship,” said Fahmida Smith, Anglo American Platinum’s principal for market development.
PlatAfrica is hosted annually by Anglo American Platinum in partnership with Platinum Guild International and Metal Concentrators. The competition is adjudicated according to innovative design and demonstrated technical expertise in working with platinum.
Ahead of the event, the public also has the opportunity to vote for their favourite piece in the People’s Choice award. In addition to prize money, the top two finalists in each category also travel for a working trip to make valuable professional connections and discover new trends in one of the world’s largest platinum jewellery markets.
This year’s theme, ‘Legacy and Beyond’, speaks to PlatAfrica’s 25th year coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Merensky Reef – the platinum group metals deposit that changed South African mining forever and contains 70% of the world’s known reserves of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium.
In the runup to the finals, 79 jewellery pieces demonstrating PlatAfrica’s heritage of design excellence are being taken on a roadshow by the PlatAfrica team, including judges and previous winners, to the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem World 2024.
“The winners will be exposed to a wide variety of industry trends and players during their time in the exhibition booth. Our Capsule Collections, which catalogue the evolution of design trends, will be on display,” said Smith.
“This is an important annual event on our calendar because it showcases platinum’s history, as well as innovation in finding new ways to use it as a jewellery material. The last 25 years have consistently impressed the judges and the public, where we have collectively borne witness to the beginnings of exciting careers. We have also seen many of the pieces entered into the competition eagerly snapped up by those who recognise the quality on display. We are eagerly anticipating this year's final event,” said Craig Miller, Anglo American Platinum CEO.
The top 10 finalists in each category in alphabetical order are:
Professional
Esther Boshoff and team (Beaudell Design)
Ulandie Booysens (Van Deijl Jewellery)
Osmond Davies (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)
Milodri Dickens (Van Deijl Jewellery)
Tanja du Plessis (Tangerine Jewellery)
Ronel Jordaan (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)
Heidi Marais (Soul Inspiration)
Vuyisani Mavengna (Bellagio Jewellers)
Koketso Mohlala (The Platinum Incubator)
Kim Nel (Van Deijl Jewellery)
Nihal Shah (Vijay Shah Concepts)
Student/Apprentice
Vuyani Gumede (Prins and Prins Diamonds / Aurum Art)
Lebogang Ledwaba (Mmako Designs)
Emmah Mahlatsi (The Platinum Incubator)
Elena Masinga (The Platinum Incubator)
Kwanele Mbatha (Durban University of Technology)
Bongumenzi Wenzile Nguse (Pneuma Jewellers)
Thabisile Nkosi (The Platinum Incubator)
Julia Sithole (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)
Mongameli Obed Thafeni (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)
Ndzalama Timbane (The Platinum Incubator)
Ameer Toefy (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)