CONTEST DEADLINES

• Entries are due by May 8 for the Fourth Annual Vision Award Pearl Jewelry Design Competition, sponsored by American Pearl Company. Awards include cash prizes and gift certificates. Judging and award presentations will take place at The JCK Show in Las Vegas in June. Call (615) 350-6600.

• Platinum Guild International USA Jewelry Inc. mailed entry forms in March for its first-ever all-platinum design competition. The contest has three categories:

Category I: Everyday Platinum – sportier styles for work and play, including necklaces, pendants with chains, bracelets, earrings, rings, pins and coin jewelry.

Category II: Precious Commitments – original designs in engagement rings, wedding and anniversary bands.

Category III: Statement Makers – dramatic, wearable art.

Retail price points are up to $700; $701 to $1,500; $1,501 to $3,000 and $3,001 to $6,000. Category III has an additional price group of $6,001 or more.

AWARD WINNERS

• The Rosen Group, Baltimore, Md., announced winners of the 1998 NICHE Awards during the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft. The awards recognize U.S. and Canadian craft artists who produce work for craft galleries and retail stores.

Winners included Keith Lambertson and Cat Glazer of Double Space for gold jewelry; Anthony Vela of A. James Ltd. for gold jewelry with stones; Jayne Redman of Jayne Redman Jewelry for silver jewelry; Suzanne B. Stern for silver jewelry with stones; and Abrasha of Abrasha Design for fashion jewelry.

Rosen also presented NICHE Student Awards. Jewelry winners included Jill Goodson, University of Kansas, for fashion jewelry; Mi-Sook Hur, University of Wisconsin, for fine jewelry; and Debbie Lafara, Craft Alliance, Center for the Visual Arts, for fine jewelry with stones.

• Ulysse Nardin announced that Carole Forestier, its chief engineer-watchmaker, was awarded first prize in the Breguet Foundation competition for innovation in mechanical watchmaking. The contest commemorated the 250th anniversary of Abraham-Louis Breguet.

Her design was a Center Tourbillon-Carrousel. The entire movement of this watch is encircled by the mainspring, like a carrousel. The complete movement and escapement revolve inside the case once every hour. Forestier received the first prize of $35,000 in a ceremony in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.