Applications open April 2025
Now entering its 20th year, the Bright New Gems initiative was founded in 2005 at International Jewellery London (IJL). It has gone on to become the foremost industry mentoring programme and showcase in the UK and Scotland, for new, emerging talent.
OUR STORY
Originally launched at IJL 2005, the Bright New Gems stand quickly became the ‘must visit’ exhibit for visitors and exhibitors alike.
Now celebrating our 20th year in 2025 we will building a new platform for our community and applicants.
OUR TEAM & JUDGES
The team leads this ‘not for profit’ mentoring programme – liaising with universities, colleges, and judges, as well as industry supporters such as The National Association of Jewellers, The Benevolent Society, The Retail Jeweller and sponsors including The Rockhound, Fuli Gemstones and Jewel Ads.
OUR WINNERS
To date the BNGs programme has enabled eighty-five BNG designers to showcase their work to the industry, to retailers and opinion formers. Designers such as Pippa Small, Fernando Jorge, Ruth Tomlinson, Tomasz Donocik, and, most recently, Zeemou Zeng, all started their journey as a Bright New Gem and have gone on to carve out very successful award-winning careers.
“Think of emerging jewellery talent and it is almost impossible not to immediately Think of Bright New Gems. For nearly two decades, this pioneering platform has championed a new way to identify, mentor and promote the next generation of young stars, poised to dazzle the international jewellery market with their innovative creativity and 21st-century mindsets.”
Hilary Alexander – the late fashion commentator, and one of the leading forces behind Graduate Fashion Week, was a BNG judge for 16 years.