Messe Munich Presents New Inhorgenta Award in Six Categories

(IDEX Online) – As a highlight of the trade show for jewelry and watches, Inhorgenta Munich 2017 (February 18 to 21), Messe München presented the Inhorgenta Awards.

The jury around the star designer Michael Michalsky and the top models Franziska Knuppe and Shermine Shahrivar conferred the new award in six categories. The winners are: Isabelle Fa, Sif Jacobs, Junghans, Roberto Demeglio, Addore and Liliana Guerreiro, the fair organizers said.

The awards were presented for the first time ever in the presence of around 450 guests at the Postpalast München. This new award is to honor special products and merits of the jewelry and watch industry. The winners were selected in the course of an exclusive gala event.

“It was a successful premiere for the Inhorgenta Award, with worthy prize winners. However, I would like to congratulate not only them, but also the nominees in the respective categories and all those who have participated in this new competition. After this evening, I am more convinced than ever that this award will give a boost to the jewelry and watch industry. Therefore, I can only invite everyone most cordially to apply for the Inhorgenta Award 2018,” says Klaus Dittrich, Chairman and CEO of Messe München.

The jury panel members were: Anja Heiden, Member of the Board of Management of Wempe, Professor Christine Lüdeke from the Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences, the journalist Julia Katharina Hettich, the watch expert Gisbert Brunner, the top models Franziska Knuppe and Shermine Shahrivar as well as the fashion designer Michael Michalsky. The star designer had traveled to Munich directly from Los Angeles where he had completed the shooting for Heidi Klum's “Germany’s Next Top Model”, of which he is also a jury member. Michalsky: “I do not only find this award great, but also long overdue. The industry deserves to be honored by such a prize. It was a genuine honor for me to take part in its very first presentation as a jury member. And I enjoyed it tremendously.”

In the “Fine Jewelry” category, the jewelry label Isabelle Fa prevailed against the other nominees Meister and Yana Nesper. Managing Director Isabelle Mössner: “We did not even dare to dream of winning the award, the more so because we were already happy to be among the nominees. It is incredible that we are now even the winners of the INHORGENTA AWARD. This prize will receive a very special place in our premises—namely in our exhibition room.”

The winner in the “Fashion Jewelry” category was the jewelry brand Sif Jacobs, ahead of Schmuckwerk and Bernd Wolf. In the “Watch” category, the German watch manufactory Junghans triumphed over Casio and Dufa. “We are extremely happy. Receiving this award is a great recognition. It is a heavy burden, which we will carry on”, states Matthias Stotz, Managing Director of the watch manufactory Uhrenfabrik Junghans. In the “Designer” category, Roberto Demeglio won the competition against Bastard Collection and Corinna Heller. In the “Retailer” category, the Munich specialist shop Addore prevailed over Oeding-Erdel and Lorenz.

Top model and jury member Shermine Shahrivar explained: “While making a decision, I paid attention to whether the jewel is wearable and how it can be worn, to its workmanship and whether its design appeals to me.” Star designer Michalsky said: “I decided in favor of pieces that touch me. Jewels that could provide me with an answer to the questions: What was the idea behind it? Which customer would once be able to wear this piece? The choice was not easy.”

The “Best Piece of Jewelry” category was decided on by an online voting—more than 3,000 participants cast their votes. At the end, Liliana Guerreiro, just like the other five winners, could rejoice over receiving the bronze trophy, which weighs about three kilograms and represents a diamond. The Portuguese won over Jennifer Pusenkoff and Schmuckwerk.

Isabelle Fa won the Fine Jewelry award; Sif Jakobs for Fashion Jewelry;

Junghans in the Watch award; Roberto Demeglio in the Designer award; Addore in the Retailer section; and Liliana Guerreiro the Audience Prize.