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700 designers

participate in

WGC jewellery

contest

KARACHI: The gold jewellery design contest Ñ Zargalli 2000 of World Gold Council (WGC) Ñ has received an outstanding response from participants in Pakistan.

A total of 700 designers have participated in this year's contest and submitted more than 5,500 design sketches Ñ an increase of more than 233 percent over last year.

Designs have been received from all over the country, even from remote areas like Turbat in Balochistan and Skardu in the Northern Areas. The designs have been sent for initial sorting, after which selected ones will be sent for second phase of judging, a WGC press release said in Karachi on Saturday.

Designs which pass this phase, will then be fabricated into made up pieces, and forwarded for final inspection by a panel of judges. Initial sorting in this year's contest is being done by Ms Uzma Durrani, Pakistan's well-know and internationally qualified jewellery designer and expert.

One of the major attraction of Zargalli Design Contest is that not only does it carry fabulous cash prizes for three best designs in each category, but also nationwide and international fame. Already the six winners from Zargalli 1999 have been selected for final judging in Gold Virtuosi, an international gold jewellery design contest being held in Vicenza, Italy.

Manager WGC Egypt and Pakistan Yousuf Akhtar Hussain said "The phenomenal increase in participation witnessed this year, is a clear indicator of increasing consumer interest in this design contest. Furthermore, the quality of designs submitted this year is also very high and we are having a hard time selecting best ones, as each one is a unique price".ÑPPI