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Gemports Award 2026
Theme: “The Vivid Legacy”
Talent (not over 30 years old)   |   Professional (Hand-Drawn)  |   Professional (Digital Drawing)

Gemports is an international gemstones platform offering value-added services that make gemstone transactions more transparent, easier, and safer across B2B, B2C, and C2C markets. Convened in 2019, Gemports was launched as a collaborative initiative by the Gems & Jewelry Trade Association of China (GAC), the National Gemstone Testing Center (NGTC), China, the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA), and the Gems, Jewelry and Precious Metal Confederation of Thailand (GJPCT). Gemports activities include Gemports Information Services providing Gemports Report for gemstones, as well as research, analysis, and news; GemportsEdu, the world's first-class gemstone trade education and membership services, and Gemports Trading and Auction Services.

In accordance with Gemports’s ambition to elevate both the cultural and economic value of gemstones, the Gemports created in 2025 the ‘Gemports Award’, an annual international award which celebrates excellence shaped by genuine market understanding and forward-looking creativity.

Artists, designers, and creators who leave their individual imprint on gemstones touch time itself and claim the chance to renew their journey from the earth into human hands, carrying the stories that endure.

Gemports believes that the artistic vision describes the gemstones that will make a better future.

Rules of Entry Gemports Award 2026

The Gemports, under an international organization the World Gems Trade Association (WGT), based in Bangkok, Thailand, with registered ID Number: 0109568000134 is launching, in collaboration with GAC, NGTC, TGJTA, and GJPCT, an open call for the first Gemports Award 2026, hereafter referred to as ‘Award’.

Aim

The aim of this Award is to disseminate and raise awareness of the work of talented gemstone designers, artist, and creators, sharing their greatest achievements.  The Gemports aims to recognize outstanding works that demonstrate artistic vision, a nuanced understanding of gemstones and their market realities, and innovation that reflects the personal language and creative integrity of their creators. The Gemports seeks to support artistic excellence and acknowledge leading designers, creators, and artisans from around the world who stand at the forefront of contemporary gemstone practice. The winning work should reinterpret tradition in a way that speaks to the present, and demonstrate the enduring cultural and creative value that gemstones contribute to our time.

Each participant must submit their Work to one of the 3 competition categories

Hand-Drawn

  • Talent (not over 30 years old)
  • Professional (No age limit)

Digital Drawing

  • Professional (No age limit)

Award

The awards granted in each of the 3 categories of the Gemports Award 2026 are detailed below. The winning entry can be made up of either a single piece of work or one series of works.

Awards will be subject to the withholding of the corresponding Thailand personal income tax in accordance with current legislation in Thailand.

The works created by the Winners and Finalists will be included in the exhibition ‘Gemports Award 2026’ (herein after ‘the Exhibition’) and its accompanying catalogue, on view in Beijing in the autumn of 2026 or any other location that WGT may deem appropriate.

Category

Excellence Award

Distinction Award

Merit Award

Public Appreciation Award

Honorable Mention

Talent
(Hand-Drawn)

10,000 THB

& Trophy of Honor

6,000 THB

4,000 THB

4,000 THB

Certificates for all semi-finalists

Professional

(Hand-Drawn)

50,000 THB

& Trophy of Honor

15,000 THB

5,000 THB

5,000 THB

Professional

(Digital Drawing)

50,000 THB

& Trophy of Honor

15,000 THB

5,000 THB

5,000 THB

 

Conditions of Entry

All participants shall meet the eligibility requirements of their respective categories as defined in Submission of Entries. All nationalities are welcome.

Each participant must present either one single piece of work or one series of works, understood as drawings that together form a single artistic creation (hereafter, ‘the Work’). The Work must be presented as a hand-drawn design on paper or as a digital drawing created through computer software or tablet, according to the category entered. It must fall within the field of wearable objects—such as jewelry, watches, belts, or glasses—and shall incorporate Ruby and/or Blue Sapphire according to category requirements: Talent and Professional categories shall use Ruby and/or Blue Sapphire and calculate its value through Gemports Information Services within the designated budget.

 

All Works should follow the annual theme, The Vivid Legacy, interpreted as an international and contemporary style that enhances the prominence of gemstones. “The Vivid Legacy”: Nature’s greatest gift is the vibrant, colorful gemstone. The theme represents the intersection of rarity and beauty—enduring qualities that hold deep value in both our economy and our culture. This legacy is reimagined for the modern era, translating timeless natural wonders into sleek, elegant, and contemporary jewelry designs.

Materials outside the examples listed above are not excluded and may be accepted by the Experts Panel if they comply with the aim and requirements of the Award.

*Dangerous, prohibited, or alive materials are excluded.

All Works must:

  • Be owned by the participant, at all times, since its creation until the end of the License period,
  • Be an original one-off drawing, hand-drawn or digitally drawn by the participant according to the submission format of the category entered,
  • Not include any elements created by artificial intelligence (AI), whether partially or fully,
  • Have been recently created (in the last five years) and not published, exhibited publicly, or submitted to any other competition prior to this Award,
  • Reflect an understanding of gemstones and their value,
  • Demonstrate artistic intent and creative integrity,
  • Be able to be posted on internet and exhibited public by WGT and/or the GAC, NGTC, TGJTA, and GJPCT.

These conditions are essential for the Works to be admitted as finalists.

Each artist, designer, or creator may participate with only one Work or one series as an individual in each call. Works previously selected as finalists in any past Gemports Award will not be admitted.

  • If a participant submits the Work to another competition and wins a prize, or
  • if the Work ceases to be in the possession of the participant or
  • if, for any reason whatsoever, ownership of the Work is transferred to a third party, or
  • if the file of the Work is damaged once it has been submitted, the participant shall urgently notify the WGT of such occurrence by email so that the work may be removed from the Award.

Once a Work has been submitted to the Award, it may not be altered in any sense.

Participants under the age of 18 shall provide written consent from a parent or legal guardian, submitted together with their application.

In case of detection of any irregularity in the conditions of entry, the participant may be disqualified, and his/her application may not be considered.

Submission of Entries

Entries must be submitted by email to [email protected] from May 1, 2026, to June 30, 2026, inclusive, on which date the period for entry will be deemed closed at 23.59 (UTC+7, Bangkok Time). Email Subject Line: "Category Name: Gemports Award 2026" (e.g., Talent Category: Gemports Award 2026").

All documents must be submitted in English, and incomplete submissions may not be considered.

Each participant must submit their Work to one of the 3 competition categories: Talent (not over 30), Professional (Hand-Drawn), or Professional (Digital Drawing)—determined by age or professional experience as of the final submission date (verified by an official ID).

Works in Talent and Professional (Hand-Drawn) Categories must be created entirely by hand on paper; Works in the Professional (Digital Drawing) Category must be created using digital drawing software or a tablet. Participants must specify the software or application used for the submitted works.  AI-generated content is strictly prohibited in all categories.

Participant information required:

  • Full name, country/region of entry, date and place of birth, contact telephone number, email, and postal address,
  • A short biographical note,
  • A copy of a valid passport or official ID document,
  • Parental/guardian consent for participants under 18,
  • For participants in the Professional Categories, a portfolio of up to five highlighted works from their career.

Work information required:

  • The title of the Work, the category in which it is entered, story or inspiration behind, and material (Platinum, Gold, Silver, name of gemstones used in the works)
  • High-quality images of the Work, understood as the participant’s original hand-drawn or digital-drawn wearable object design, submitted in JPG or PNG format. Minimum image size is 1024x768 pixels, showing a clear front view.
  • The approximate value of the ruby and/or blue sapphire used in the submitted work must range from a minimum of USD 2,000,000 to a maximum of USD 3,000,000, calculated based on the Gemports Report, Quarter 1/2026, from www.gemports.com


    For Talent and Professional Categories, the approximate value of the ruby and/or sapphire used in the Work (in USD) shall be calculated according to Gemports Information Services.

All participants must take care of the accuracy of the information provided because it will be used in the Exhibition and the catalogue.

All entries presented through the email  [email protected] will be confidential. Only WGT, the GAC, NGTC, TGJTA, and GJPCT, the Experts Panel and the Jury will have access to them.

Judging Criteria

The Jury will evaluate all eligible Works based on the criteria below.
Each Work is assessed holistically, considering creativity, gemstone understanding, and alignment with the Award theme, The Vivid Legacy.

Talent & Professional Categories

  • Valuation of gemstones used in the design: 20%
  • Creativity and uniqueness: 20%
  • Feasibility for production: 15%
  • Drawing skill: 10%
  • Overall beauty of the design: 10%
  • Interpretation of the theme The Vivid Legacy: 15%
  • Contemporary appeal: 10%

 

Public Appreciation Award
Calculated from the total number of likes and shares on the official TGJTA Facebook Page for all entries submitted to the competition.
**Each social media account will be counted only once.

Competition Process

The Gemports Award 2026 consists of three stages. All eligible submissions received within the application period will be reviewed by the Experts Panel, the Jury, and the organizing institutions.

1. Qualification Round

All entries across the five categories will be evaluated in the first round. Shortlisted participants will be notified and invited to advance to the next stage.

2. Quarter-Final Round

Talent & Professional Categories

Shortlisted participants shall create, post to public, and submit a video presentation of their Work, up to one minute in length. This video may be used on social media by WGT, GAC, NGTC, TGJTA, and GJPCT as part of the Award process.

3. Semi-Final and Final Round

The Semi-Final and Final Round will be held on the same day in Bangkok, Thailand. Semi-finalists in each category will complete a live sketch within a 3-hour time limit and may reinterpret their original submission or create a new design.

Finalists in each category will then present their work and design concept within a maximum of 3 minutes before the Jury and the audience. This public session, including presentations and Jury feedback, aims to encourage learning, transparency, and community engagement.

The winner of each category will be announced at the Award Ceremony. The Works of all Winners and Finalists will be included in the Exhibition, to be shown in Beijing in the autumn of 2026 or any other location that WGT may deem appropriate.

Schedule

Dates and times may be adjusted as appropriate. Any changes will be communicated in advance by the organizers.

Talent Category & Professional Categories

 

Date

Activity

May 1 – June 30, 2026

Application period

July 10, 2026

Announcement of Qualification Round Shortlists

July 11-18, 2026

Video submission (Quarter-Final requirement)

August 3, 2026

Announcement of Semi-Finalists

August 15, 2026

Semi-Final, Final Round, and Award Ceremony

October 2026

Exhibition ‘Gemports Award 2026’ (Beijing)

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