The winning entries for this year’s World Titanium Council Titanium Jewelry Design Competition show continued innovation in the use of fine-jewelry’s hottest new metal.

The annual competition drew unique designs from around the world, from both professional jewelers and students of design. This year’s entries were judged on originality, artistic merit, and for demonstrating the positive attributes of titanium in the design. Entrants were allowed to submit either design drawings or fabricated pieces.

Walter Adler Chefitz, a design student from Manhattan Beach, Calif., captured top honors and the Outstanding Design in Titanium Award with his winning entry titled “Infinity Ring.” The ring’s design features an ultra-contemporary, almost “Esscher-like” form that captures the appeal of titanium. The strength of the titanium allowed the designer to float a diamond above the finger in the most delicate of settings. A thin anodized edging of light golden brown along the beveled interior of the shank emphasized the spiral infinity design.

Other winners included Benita Edwards of Adelaide, South Australia, for her anodized titanium necklace design titled “Joyful Harmony.” The piece featured layers of teardrop-shaped titanium with bead-set diamonds and natural hot pink sapphires. Third place went to Pallavi Dudeja Foley of Bangalore, India, who created a titanium necklace of colorful drops titled “The Chameleon.”

Spectore Corporation, co-sponsor of the event, presented a special TIA (Titanium Innovative Artist) award for the most innovative use of titanium in a finished piece. The award, along with a $500 prize, went to Kristi Carson Obenauf of Radcliff, Ky., for her titanium fairy pin entry titled “Spread Your Wings and Fly.”