JSE-listed Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has chosen 16 finalists for its prestigious jewellery design and manufacturing competition PlatAfrica.

Amplats, in partnership with Metal Concentrators and Platinum Guild International (PGI) India, says the competition is a market development initiative aimed at promoting innovation and technical expertise in platinum jewellery.

“While South Africa is the world’s largest producer of platinum, it only contributes a small portion to global platinum jewellery production,” the company notes.

“PlatAfrica is one of the company’s flagship initiatives to position platinum as the jewellery metal of choice, which has helped to grow platinum jewellery demand in countries including China and India, which have become two key global platinum jewellery markets,” says Amplats CEO Chris Griffith.

The professional and student and apprentice categories were adjudicated by two separate panels of judges. The finalists were selected based on the quality and aesthetics of their design and manufacturing skills with the metal, which requires greater craftmanship than gold and silver.

The theme for this year’s competition is “Your love has gone platinum – celebrate the milestones in this journey of love”.

PGI India strategic design and development head Pallavi Sharma says platinum has been symbolic of love owing to its intrinsic qualities of being precious, eternal, pure and rare.

Sharma adds that entrants were tasked with designing a statement piece for an urban customer of between 20 and 40 years of age, male or female, celebrating a milestone occasion.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held at the Inanda Club, in Johannesburg, on October 23.

The finalists in the professional category are: Esther Boshoff and her team, Aimee Bredenkamp, Chris Janse van Rensburg, Mandlenkosi Moses None, Michelle Fang-Yu Liao, Nihal Shah and Thembi Maduna.

The finalists in the student and apprentice category are: Reply Baloyi, Kgomotso Mashego, Nomsa Mpinga, Mandisa Zinhle Nkabinde, Mfundo Nondyola, Jane Schoeman, Christina Toros, Joanne van den Berg, Anke van der Linden and Marinus Verster.