The upcoming 2025 award promises to be an exciting event for designers around the world.
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2025 ENTRY FORMS
This is an excellent opportunity for jewellery designers to showcase their talent and creativity in the world of opal jewellery design
Entries in and posted by 20th June 2025
Winners Announced on Saturday 12th July 2025 Cash Bar and Canapes 5.30 to 7.30pm
@Waltzing Matilda Centre Art Gallery ,Winton
Prize Money over $12 000
The “Queen of Gems” Boulder Opal Jewellery Design Awards celebrate the unique beauty of opal gemstones from Queensland.
This event highlights the exquisite craftsmanship and creativity that goes into designing jewellery pieces that showcase the mesmerizing colors and patterns of boulder opals. It is a wonderful way to honor the rich heritage and natural wonders of this precious gemstone, providing a platform for talented designers to showcase their artistry and celebrate the opal’s allure.
The QBOA offers a forum for talented jewellery designers, creators of apparell and other objects, with a view to stimulating the creativity of the contemporary Queensland boulder opal.
The competition aims at showcasing the modern opal jewel through the limitless creative energies of our designers/jewellers; avant-garde ideas and exclusive designs are a must. It promotes boulder opals in general and the The Queensland Boulder Opal Association Inc. (QBOA) as a “centre of excellence” in particular.
The competition is open to professional and non-professional designers, students, graduates, teachers, jewellers, goldsmiths, etc.
The judges for the awards are chosen from various disciplines to each bring different expertise to the panel and vary year to year. Apart from our opal and jewellery industry experts, a third judge brings design skills from a background specifically not from jewellery, to give a fresh eye. Our judging is done “blind”, with no identifying marks, etc., and no discussion is entered into while the judging is proceeding. The design committee enters all scores given by the individual judges, and the winner is announced at the evening event of the The Queensland Boulder Opal Association Inc. (QBOA) Opal Trade Fair.
Our past awards have focused on handmade jewellery, matching the artisan jeweller to the artisan opal cutter.
New techniques in manufacturing clears the way for new styles in the design, of both jewellery and objects, with the use of CAD or casting techniques allowed.
2025 will have the pleasure of exhibiting the entries at the spectacular world class Waltzing Matilda Centre Art Gallery in Winton, Queensland from 9th July to 23rd July. Please join in the fun and spectacular array of entries with this world class gem as the shining light.
Categories for the Jewellery Design section are as follows: Select entry packs below
Please read the Terms and Conditions for each category carefully.
Judging criteria varies in each category.
A short technical description, and the source of inspiration, is to accompany each piece. The technical description should include the materials used to complete the piece. Please attach to the entry pack.
The source of inspiration should include the concept/idea the piece conveys to the maker and their audience. Please attach to the entry pack..
Please read the Judging Criteria below
Judges use the following criteria for assessing the Entries:
Originality is defined as having a quality of being novel or unusual.
- Does the design surprise or engage
- Does the design inspire
- Recognisable design theme
Craftsmanship is defined as the quality of workmanship.
- Quality of design
- Quality of work made by hand
- Quality of finish / polish
- Design and materials used are compatible
Wearability is defined as being capable of being worn on the body.
- Design shows interesting use of wearability
- Design is comfortable when worn
Aesthetic appeal is defined as being the relation of all parts to each other.
- Design is interesting and attractive
- Form, material, texture are in relative proportion
Creative use of opals is defined as showing good imagination and/or original ideas
- Design is imaginative
- Ideas are original in their execution
- Routine design: Fair
- Innovative design: Good
- Creative design: Excellent
3 Classes of Design
as described by Gerhard Schmidt
Routine Design
The design problem is well understood and it is only required that a prototypical model be refined rather than radically altered. An example of this might be a solitaire diamond engagement ring for mass production and consumption. An existing design is simply reworked.
Innovative Design
Requires that various prototypical designs be combined and/or modified to provide a new prototype. An example of this might lie in the task of having to design a new range of engagement rings around a specific theme.
Creative Design
Opens up the possibility of entirely new solutions to entirely new designs, or at least, novel reworking or rethinking of previous design ideas. This would include the use of new materials and/or techniques as a focus for the design.
Sponsorship for the generous prizes has come from QBOA membership
Winton Shire Council, True Blue Opals, Australian Outback Opals, Road King Caravans and Clifton Opals.
