Students at Georgian College will not only get a chance to work with a new metal, but one of them will win an award for the best design using it.
The Umicore Arctic Fox Anti-tarnish Silver Award will be given to a student in the school’s jewellery and metals program for the top design of a piece of wearable jewellery. The winner receives $927—a nod to the material’s 92.7 per cent anti-tarnish silver content—as a credit toward a future purchase at Imperial Smelting and Refining. Belgium-based Umicore is parent company of Imperial, which is located in Markham, Ont.
“We are excited to have a Canadian source for this kind of material,” said Greg Merrall, co-ordinator of Georgian’s jewellery and metals programs. “The award is a good opportunity for our students to try this out and we have therefore made it part of our curriculum.”
Developed by Imperial in response to high gold prices, the new material is available in casting grain, wire, sheet, and ring tube.
“With the Arctic Fox Anti-tarnish Silver products, jewellers in Canada can now explore the pristine elegance of silver in various, creative manners,’ said Thomas Jansseune, the company’s managing director.
The winning design will be announced on April 20.
