The Dubai Pearl Exchange announced Tuesday the winners of its Pearl Essence program.

Three winners were awarded from eleven finalists during the Gala and Awards Ceremony on May 2nd, held alongside the 7th Dubai City of Gold Conference.

Reinhardt Van Zyl from Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa was named the Pearl Essence winner for ‘Curvature,’ a unique, edgy piece created using Fresh Water pearls.

In second place was Catherine Buman’s “The Life Line”, a piece inspired by dhows and pearl divers, created from Mahogany wood, white gold and Akoya pearls, reflecting a refreshingly zen approach .

The third prize was awarded to Belinda Koopman for “Dubai Night Sky,” an avant-garde piece with a beguiling story created in the Combination category from South Sea and Fresh Water pearls.

Van Zyl will be awarded a month-long internship with Stephen Webster in London, Buman will be awarded a week-long trip to the pearling operations and pearl farms of Paspaley Pearling Co. in Western Australia and Koopman will be awarded a pearl course at the Gemmological Institute of America’s New York campus.

JCK