jens hansen nelson ring nelson jewellery

The Nelson Ring on its way to the United States

jens hansen nelson ring nelson jewellery

A ring made to symbolise the best parts of living in Nelson will be winging its way to the town of Chattanooga, Tennessee, with Gigatown Nelson team co-leader Matt Dodd tomorrow.

Gigatown Porirua competition manager Chris Lipscombe will also be heading along, now that the former rival teams have combined their efforts against the other four Gigatown finalists. Their trip has been organised by Chorus, which runs the Gigatown competition, so that representatives from the teams can see how the community of Chattanooga was transformed through gigabit services.

The winning Nelson Ring was designed by Erika Hansen for a contest run by Nelson’s Jens Hansen jewellery workshop. She is not related to the store’s founders. Her design notes describe the ring she submitted as “a representation of Nelson’s geographic coastline and positive energy" It is shaped like the Top of the South. “Energy bounds through Tasman Bay, past Farewell Spit and the Marlborough Sounds.

Night and day people come to play, on the highest peaks and down the creeks, at the golden beaches which leave us speechless. Feel the energy deep within when you wear the Nelson Ring." Jens Hansen owner and director Halfdan Hansen gave the ring the ultimate compliment upon examining the finished product: “lt looks like a Jens Hansen.” He said the winning Nelson Ring had a nice concept, adding that many of the other submissions were much more literal. Around 38 designers submitted 42 designs during the competition. Halfdan Hansen said he hoped to sell other copies of the ring to visitors so that it would continue to support Nelson in the long term.

The first made-up version of the Nelson Ring went to Erika Hansen as her prize, while the second ring will be gifted to Chattanooga’s mayor, Andy Berke. It has been made up to fit a “standard male finger” and can be adjusted later.




The Nelson Mail
Oct 10 2014
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