The hidden beauty of gemstones comes to life through photography. “Diamond and Colored Stones: National Conference of Gemmology - Seventh Edition” will host the first edition of the photography contest “The Soul of Precious Stones: From Earth to Light”, organized by IGR – Italian Gemological Review. Both professional and amateur photographers are invited to capture the various stages of a gemstone’s life cycle, from mining and cutting to the microscopic details of internal inclusions.

Update: The competition deadline has been extended to May 30, 2025.

1. CONTEST THEME

Submitted photographs must represent at least one of the following categories:

• Mining stages: Images depicting gemstone extraction and processing in mines around the world.
• Gems: Photographs showcasing the beauty and allure of gemstones.
• Gems within gems: Photomicrographs of inclusions and microscopic images revealing the hidden wonders inside gemstones.

2. ELIGIBILITY

The contest is open to professional and amateur photographers of any nationality, who are at least 14 years old at the time of registration.

3. HOW TO PARTICIPATE

• Each participant may submit up to 3 photographs.
• Images must be in JPEG or TIFF format, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and at least 2000 pixels per side.
• Photos may be in color or black and white.
• Photo montages or excessive digital alterations are not allowed.
• AI-generated images are strictly prohibited.
• File names must follow this format: FirstNameLastName_Number.jpg (e.g., MarioRossi_01.jpg).
• Photos must be sent to napoli2025@rivistaitalianadigemmologia.com by May 30, 2025, using file-sharing services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or SwissTransfer, ensuring that no expiration date is set for the download.

4. JURY AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

A panel of experts from the gemology and photography fields will evaluate the photographs. The names of the jury members will be announced before the awards ceremony.

5. PRIZES AND RECOGNITION

A sole winning photograph will be selected from the three categories, plus one Honorable Mention.

• The winning photos will be published in a dedicated article in a printed issue of IGR – Italian Gemological Review.
• The winner will receive the complete collection of IGR – Italian Gemological Review (Issues 1 to 20) plus 10 copies of the issue featuring their winning photo.
• All submitted photographs will be showcased on the IGR – Italian Gemological Review website and promoted on social media.
• Honorable Mention: One photograph will be selected by the jury to be featured as the cover of an issue of IGR – Italian Gemological Review. Vertical-format images will be given preference. The Honorable Mention winner will also receive the complete IGR collection (Issues 1 to 20) plus 10 copies of the issue featuring their cover photo.

All participants will receive a digital certificate of participation, while the winner will receive a digital award certificate. The winning photograph will also gain international visibility through media partners covering the event.

6. TIMELINE

• Contest opens: March 26th, 2025
• Submission deadline: May 20th, 2025
• Evaluation period: May 21–31, 2025
• Winners announced: June 2025

7. RIGHTS, IMAGE USAGE, AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Participants retain the intellectual property rights of their images. However, by submitting their photographs, they grant IGR – Italian Gemological Review the non-exclusive, royalty-free right to use, publish, distribute, and modify the selected images for editorial, promotional, and exhibition purposes related to the contest, always crediting the photographer.

Furthermore, the intellectual property of the contest format, concept, and branding belongs exclusively to IGR – Italian Gemological Review. IGR reserves the right to use the contest name, theme, and structure for future editions and initiatives, without requiring additional permissions from participants.

8. HOW TO APPLY

To enter the contest, send your photographs following the guidelines in section 3 to napoli2025@rivistaitalianadigemmologia.com.

For any inquiries, please contact us at napoli2025@rivistaitalianadigemmologia.com.

MEDIA PARTNER