Celebrating Australia’s National Gemstone
Since 2000, the Australian Opal Awards have showcased the creativity and skill of jewelry designers and gemstone artisans who work with opal in all its forms. Now held annually, the event draws entries from around the world—proof that Australian opal continues to inspire gem lovers and jewellers everywhere.
Exhibition 23rd – 26th July 2025
Australian Opal Awards Gala night 25th July 2025
Gala Night ticket sales close Friday, July 4th, 2025
Jewellery award entries must be submitted by Friday, July 4th, 2025.
The Australian Opal Awards
The Australian Opal Awards (AOA) is a non-profit group dedicated to celebrating Australia’s national gemstone. It began in 2000 as the Opal Jewellery Design Awards Association (OJDAA), later becoming the International Opal Jewellery Design Awards Association (IOJDAA). Over the years, it’s grown into a stage for designers and artisans to show how they work with opal in all its forms—freeform, undulating, carved, or set into a particular design. The goal has always been the same: to honor the beauty of Australian opal and share it with an international audience.
Now held every year, the Awards draw entries from around the globe, bringing together people who share a passion for Australian opal. It’s a chance to see the creativity, skill, and fresh ideas that keep opal front and center in the jewelry world. More than just a competition, it’s a reminder of why Australian opal continues to inspire gem lovers and jewelers around the world.
Here are this year’s winners!
The winners of the Australian Opal Awards were announced Friday July 25th, 2025 at the sold out Gala Dinner held in Lightning Ridge, NSW, Australia which was attended by over 260 people, dressed in Roaring Twenties themed attire.
The $15,000 Open Prestige Jewellery Award
The winning piece seen here, “The Celestine,” captured multiple elements of craftsmanship favors, with a stunning double sided crystal opal from Andamooka, which sits in a gold bezel that turns within a frame of diamonds, to the gold chained tassel with bezel set crystal opals. It’s a show stopping piece that the judges couldn’t look past.
Cody Opals (Australia) Pty Ltd, Iris Opal Pty Ltd and True Blue Opals Pty Ltd,
was won by Nadia Neuman of Mondial, with her piece ‘The Celestine’
“The calibre of work submitted in 2025 has truly raised the bar,” one judge remarked. “A significant number of entries would not only hold their own, but excel on the international stage.”
Highly Commended for the Open Prestige Award
The judges ended up selecting two Highly Commended Awards for each of the Prestige Jewellery categories, due to the overwhelming impressiveness of entries.
Taking the Highly Commended for Open Prestige Award were 1.) John Li (Jia Ling Li) from Otto Jewellery with Ripple of a Dream, and 2.) Cheal Opal with Electra Ring.
The $7,500 Freeform Prestige Jewellery Award
The Freeform Prestige Jewellery Award went to Symphony” by Andrew Mitchell of Martin Rogers Jewellery.
the Lahoud Opals and Melonas Mining, went to “Symphony”
by Andrew Mitchell of Martin Rogers Jewellery.
The $2,500 Designer Menswear Award
Designer Menswear, becoming one the quickest growing markets was sponsored by Black Opal Direct with $2,500 awarded to Carmen Hui of Hang Fong Opal Company with ‘Timeless Uluru’.
Highly Commended for the Designer Menswear Award
Highly Commended was awarded to Adrian Hogan from Matchmaker Opals with “Promethus”
The $2,500 Figurative and Freeform Opal Carving Awards
The $2,500 Figurative and Freeform Opal Carving, sponsored by Giulians was taken out by Jenny Summerville, with her pieces ‘Koi’ for Figurative and ‘Icefire’ for Freeform.
Carving Encouragement Award
Down to Earth Opals sponsored a free carving workshop as a Carving Encouragement Award which went to Trudy Stahmer, who entered 3 carvings, ‘Sunbaker’, Lucky Koi’ and ‘Cold Flame’
The $1,000 Jewellery Hand Sketches Award
The $1,000 Jewellery Hand Sketches Award sponsored by Absolute Opals & Gems Pty Ltd was won by Kuo Lai, Hsiu-Chu of Yu Hsiang Jewellery Ltd with ‘Echoes in the Spiral’. This was a truly exceptional sketch, due to the inclusion of last years Highly Commended Carving winner being the opal the design was created around.
The $1,000 People’s Choice Award
Then followed up by the overall People’s Choice winner was Corey Gibson’s ‘The African Queen’, which was sponsored by Black Opal Direct for $1,000.
The $1,000 2nd People’s Choice Award
Austgems Pty Ltd usually sponsor the Digital Design Award, however this year due to the judges not awarding a winner for this category, the sponsorship was transferred to a 2nd People’s Choice Award for $1,000, which was gladly taken out by Kayt Primmer from Valued Possessions with ‘Mantra of the Ridge’.
The Awards and Gala night attendees were entertained with local models showcasing the entries from the year along with an on theme dance, inspired by Roaring Twenties. The crowd was superbly impressed by the models’ entertainment and enjoyed the theme related inclusions. Then wrapped up with a local band ‘Just Us’ who got everyone up and enjoying themselves on the dance floor until the end of the night.
Tap here to find out more about the Australia Opal Awards
