The 'Real Ring'

Jens Hansen 40th Anniversary Collection Released

2008-11-21T06:59:00.004+13:00

TV3 Nightline News

Four decades ago Danish gold and silversmith Jens Hansen set up a Nelson workshop.

Now nine years after his death his sons are continuing the legacy.

"I’d like to think he'd be proud that we're keeping it going," says Halfdan Hansen. "We've got apprentices working for us now so we're keeping it alive for the future."

To celebrate the 40th anniversary a collection of designs - which have not been made or sold since Jens Hansen originally designed them - has been re-launched.

Watch video or read rest of news story here TV3 Nightline News Story

JENS HANSEN TO SPONSOR EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR NMIT ARTS STUDENT

2008-11-13T12:04:00.002+13:00

The Motueka-Golden Bay News November 13, 2008

Renowned local jewellers Jens Hansen Gold
& Silversmith will sponsor an 'Award of
Excellence' for the top NMIT arts student
this year. The award winner for 2008 will
be announced at the opening of the NMIT
student art exhibition at the Suter Art Gallery
on November 14.

For the past 40 years Jens Hansen has been
synonymous with Nelson's creative industry
and NMIT. Creatively Jens was regarded as a
genius. He was an acclaimed painter, sculptor,
and gold and silversmith, bringing. a unique
style of artistry to Nelson's creative core.

Over the past four decades, Jens Hansen has
become recognised the world over for classically
designed jewellery with true spirit and timeless
style, with works celebrated in the Museum of
New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa's permanent
collection and in literature showcasing New
Zealand art and design. As with all that is
excellent, his designs continue to endure over
the years and defy fashion, as seen in the
recently released 40th Anniversary Collection
of legacy jewellery pieces.

Jens Hansen was eternally passionate about
his craft and was keen to ensure its survival,
both as a hobby for some and as a commercial
reality for others. He ran summer art and
metal work classes at NMIT for many years in
the 1970s and 1980s, and with fellow jeweller
Gavin Hitchings helped to establish NMIT's
jewellery classes which remain popular today.

NMIT head of school for arts and media Suzie
Peacock said the institute was honoured that
Jens Hansen was sponsoring the excellence
award.

"We've had along association with the Hansen
family and Jens Hansen is seen as an icon of
quality design in Nelson. It's a brand that
stands for good design, beautiful handcrafting
and the Nelson region. We are very proud to
have their company sponsoring this award."

Nelson's world of sustainable arts

2008-11-11T15:28:00.004+13:00

Here's an excerpt and photo of a nice article about Nelson which featured in today's Dominion Post newspaper. Please click the link to read the full story.

Nelson's world of sustainable arts

The once-wacky art scene in the sun-drenched South Island town of Nelson is not only alive and well, it's getting stronger

ELLEN BROOK - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 11 November 2008

ROBERT KITCHIN/The Dominion Post

HOME AND AWAY: Nelson artist Anna Leary and Phillip Thomas in a Wellington Airport artists' studio, built to show off Nelson Arts. The Ring in the foreground is a full size replica of the big Jens Hansen One Ring used in the Lord of the Ring's movies.

Nelson has its fingers in a lot of pies. It wants to be the sustainable city, the solar city, the heritage city and the arts city, says the mayor.

The area is becoming known for its woodworking, as well as ceramics and jewellery, including the studio of Jens Hansen jewellers, which helped put Nelson on the map as the place where a certain gold ring that featured in a certain movie was made.

Yes, I know you thought it was forged in the mines of Mordor, but it was actually in a little workshop just by the cathedral.

.....

please click link to read the full story

Original Treasures Revisited

2008-11-05T13:29:00.003+13:00

Our local Nelson paper did a great article today on the launch of the 40th Anniversary Collection.

Please check it out at http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelsonmail/4750994a19257.html

Photo with a poster of Jens in the background shows Halfdan with one of the rings from the collection, and its original workshop production card.

The Sitting Room Sells Out

2008-11-01T22:34:00.002+13:00

Jens Hansen Gold & Silversmith was very proud to be co-sponsor of 'The Sitting Room' at the Nelson Arts Festival for the 3rd year running.

The show was a sellout and more than 450 people had a fantastic time dancing to the eclectic musical picks of award winner music journalist Grant Smithies.

Check out these Two Different Reviews From The Nelson mail
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelsonmail/4746807a27875.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelsonmail/blogs/artofnelson/2008/10/26/just-the-music/

See photos from the night at our sponsorship partner's blog
http://netmaestro.co.nz/blog/mid/103/full/blog/28/the-sitting-room--sellout.aspx

The Sitting Room

With Grant Smithies

Sunday Star Times music writer Grant Smithies has been collecting rare and unusual dance records from around the world for over 20 years, and he selects the absolute pearlers, just for you. Don’t come along expecting to hear familiar office party anthems or just one musical style. The Sitting Room is diverse and surprising - samba and bossa nova classics from Brazil, hi-life music from Nigeria, Puerto Rican boogaloo, dancehall reggae from Jamaica, calypso from Trinidad, plus a scorching selection of soul, funk, disco and house music. The Sitting Room has sold out for the last two years, so get your tickets early.

Venue:	Granary Festival Cafe, Founders Heritage Park, 87 Atawhai Drive
Dates:	Sat 25 Oct 9pm

Jens Hansen 40th Anniversary Collection Released

2008-10-31T22:00:00.001+13:00

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Jens Hansen 40th Anniversary Collection Released

The Jens Hansen 40th Anniversary Collection is being released today, to mark the Nelson jeweller's 40 years of Scandinavian-inspired design.

The anniversary collection is made up of classic experimental Jens pieces with the constant undercurrent of Danish architectural simplicity. They are outstanding designs that have both endured the decades, and defy fashion.

Each collection piece will be made-to-order using Jens' original goldsmithing techniques. Each piece will also come with a replica of its original workshop production card, and will bear a special edition hallmark, authenticating it as a 40th anniversary collectable.

The exclusive collection is available for viewing at our Selwyn Place workshop in Nelson, or on our website. 40th Anniversary Collection

Anniversary Background

Jens Hansen, his wife Gurli and son Halfdan moved from Auckland to Nelson in August 1968 and opened their first workshop in November the same year. Son Thorkild was born the following year.

Word of Jens' unique style soon spread. He was gregarious and outspoken and people loved his edgy, experimental work. As his works' popularity increased, both locally and nationally, the workshop was moved to Hardy St, where Jens started to take on apprentices in the traditional goldsmith manner. The jewellers had moved to the current Selwyn Place/Trafalgar Square workshop in Nelson by 1971.

Over the past four decades, Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold & Silversmith has become recognised the world over for classically designed jewellery with true spirit and timeless style, with works celebrated in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa's permanent collection and in literature showcasing New Zealand art and design.

Jens' legacy includes his reputation as one of the founders of New Zealand contemporary jewelley design and his celebrity as the designer of the Lord of the Rings One Ring. He received a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council travel grant to work at the Goldsmiths High School, Copenhagen in 1975, was the founding member of Details - the Jewellers, Bone and Stone Carvers of New Zealand, and helped establish Nelson Polytechnic jewellery classes. He passed away in 1999 leaving Thorkild Hansen as the Chief Jeweller.

Today, under the management of Jens' son Halfdan Hansen, Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold & Silversmith continues to offer a beautiful range of diamonds and gems set in contemporary and classic gold, silver and platinum rings, necklaces, brooches, cufflinks, earrings and bracelets.

Klustre 2008

2008-10-22T14:18:00.002+13:00

Juliette Fox, designer for Jens Hansen Gold & Silversmith, is one of 15 contemporary jewellers showing at this year's Klustre exhibition.

Showcasing new work from the Nelson region's contemporary jewellers, the exhibition runs from October 22nd to November 18th 2008 at the Reflections Art Gallery at the World of WearableArt & Classic Cars in Nelson.

It's Leap Day - will you marry me?

2008-03-10T12:11:00.004+13:00

We were recently honored to help a local woman to take advantage of the fact it is Leap Day to propose to the man of her dreams.

Would he say yes or would he run for the hills?

New Zealand's Television 3 Campbell Live show was there to witness the romance and drama of leap day.

A woman has to look her best on the day she is going to seize the day and ask the man of her dreams to marry her.

So she is decided to propose to Dean on national television - which is very love struck and very bold.

Hannah was organised, and asked Jens Hansen to make a fitting wedding band to propose with.

Hannah's been with Dean for eight years, but he has been too slow to propose.

So she is reaching back to Irish folklore which says a woman can propose on a Leap Day February 29.

It is living breathing romantic proof that every so often a woman needs to take a leap of faith.

Clayton & Christine's engagement trip to Jens Hansen in Nelson

2007-10-31T11:39:00.000+13:00

Clayton and Christine who got engaged in our store a few weeks back have posted a youtube video capturing some of this emotional event. Enjoy.

Dark Lord's Ring #89 Auctioned for Charity

2007-10-31T10:52:00.000+13:00

Last month I had the pleasure of attending a charity fund raising dinner for Nelson's Suter Art Gallery. The banquet was hosted on September 22, 2007 by his excellency, Anand Satyanand, Governor General of New Zealand at his official residence, Government House, in the capital Wellington.

Artists from the Nelson region donated works and we were please to offer #89 in the Limited Edition of 100 Dark Lord Ring replicas. Originally made as Sauron's ring in the movie the ring measures almost 2 inches in diameter, and is made of close to 3 oz. of solid 925 Sterling Silver and is richly plated in 18ct Yellow Gold. Individually stamped with our Jens Hansen hallmarks and edition number #89, the Ring had its own Matching Numbered Certificate of Authenticity, and the numbered rimu presentation box was autographed by Academy Award winning Art Director Dan Hennah

The auction went very well and Ring #89 sold for $1700-. Overall the auction raised around $50,000 for the Suter Gallery.

PS: The set menu prepared by the Governor General's personal chef was delicious - see below..

Nelson trip leads down the aisle

2007-10-15T21:53:00.000+13:00

Article from Nelson Mail newspaper, Nelson, October 15th, 2007

Christine Speed thought a trip to Nelson would be just another weekend away - until her boyfriend led her over a carpet of rose petals and into a jeweller's shop.

Clayton Edge's surprise proposal to his girlfriend of four years was as carefully orchestrated as her response was spontaneous.

He said he wanted to show Miss Speed that he would go to the ends of the earth for her, and had picked Nelson as the spot where he would ask her to marry him.

Mr Edge arranged for a florist to fill the Jens Hansen jewellery shop with roses, and liaised with staff to close the shop to other shoppers so the proposal could be private.

Before he had a chance to drop down on one knee, Miss Speed gave him the smile and the hug which signalled the answer he had nervously been hoping for.

"I had been walking around town for half an hour with butterflies in my stomach," he said.

Miss Speed said the couple, from Christchurch, were looking for somewhere to get a coffee, and she could not understand why her boyfriend seemed to be leading her away from town.

She had no idea the proposal was coming, although she said Mr Edge was good at romantic surprises. On Valentine's Day, he arranged for a barbershop quartet to surprise her at work.

The couple discussed designs for a ring with Jens Hansen staff, and returned home Sunday.

images/nelson_mail_oct_15_07_333588.jpg

BlogRush - the New way of telling people about your Blog

2007-09-18T08:28:00.000+12:00

BlogRush is a free service that was created to help bloggers solve their #1 need:
More Readers For Their Blog.

By adding the BlogRush Widget to a blog, a blogger can get instant distribution for their latest blog post titles across a network of related blogs.

BlogRush users earn "syndication credits" (the right to have their blog post titles shown inside a widget on another related blog) based on their own traffic (loads of the widget) as well as the traffic of other users they refer to BlogRush. Users can automatically refer others to BlogRush via special links on the widget, as well as through the promotion of a special referral URL they are given.

BlogRush is a "Cooperative Syndication Network" that rewards its users for their contributions to the network -- from the impressions they provide of the BlogRush Widget to the referral of other users through 10 'generations' of activity and the impressions of the widget that they provide. BlogRush was designed to be incredibly viral and to provide its users with tremendous distribution leverage to receive exposure for their blog content (onto related content blogs) that they could never achieve on their own; at least without a massive advertising budget.

BlogRush is the brainchild of Internet entrepreneur, John Reese. Mr. Reese is the founder and CEO of Income.com, a soon to be launched social network and media company for entrepreneurs. BlogRush is the first Web property of the Income.com Network, a network of sites and services to help entrepreneurs and business owners succeed. Income.com is based in Orlando, Florida.

Click here to make your own free BlogRush account

Ring Masters Special Gift to Pippa's Baby

2007-08-17T12:32:00.000+12:00

Birthday bash: Thu Aug 16 - Nelson
Breakfast came to you on Thursday from the Nelson Yacht Club - the oldest yacht club in the country, celebrating its 150th birthday this year.

Presenter Pippa interviewed Halfdan Hansen of Jens Hansen Gold & Silversmith - Creators of the World's Most Famous Ring - the One Ring for the Lord of the Rings movies. Pippa recently had a baby and Halfdan had a surprise gift for them.

Nice shot of the Ring and a Ring Bearer

2007-07-25T11:49:00.000+12:00

We were fortunate to have a visit from professional photographer Ralph Talmont recently. Here's a snap he took of Halfdan holding the master prototype One Ring and a 6" scale prop replica.

image copyright Ralph Talmont

Air New Zealand Cup 2007 Season Begins

2007-07-25T11:27:00.000+12:00

The Air New Zealand Cup 2007 Season has just begun. Jens Hansen is proud to have created the Sterling Silver trophy for the competition.

Steven Bates poses with the Air New Zealand Cup after Waikato beat Wellington 37-31 Photo:NZPA/Wayne Drought

Brides dazzle at second big day

2007-07-19T15:42:00.000+12:00

BEST BRIDES: Second placed Simone Jarmai-Gill, left, winner Kelly Win, third placed Katie Harrhy, and fourth placed Zoe Allen after Saturday evening's event in the Rutherford Hotel.

Photo & Story copyright Nelson Mail, July 16th, 2007

Three months after her big day, new Nelson bride Kelly Win slipped on her
wedding dress again - but this time for charity.

On Saturday Mrs Win beat 17 other Nelson-region brides to became First National
Real Estate Bride of the Year at a Nelson Hospice fundraising event in Nelson's
Rutherford Hotel.

"I was quite surprised," she said, after having her name read out as winner following the day-long event.

She said she hadn't been overly nervous on her wedding day but there had
been a few nerves getting up on stage.

Organiser Heather Harley said Mrs Win won a prize package valued at about
$1000, which was made up by retailers around Nelson.

It was too early to say how much money was raised through ticket sales but
about 200 people crowded the event.

Most of the audience were family members of the brides and there were a surprising
number of men present, she said.

This was the second year she had run the show but she was undecided if it
would be an annual event.

Second place went to Richmond's Simone Jarmai-Gill, Nelson's Katie Harrhy
was third, and Nelson's Zoe Allen was fourth. They all won prize packs.

Halfdan interviewed on SBS Australia Danish Radio

2007-05-02T12:01:00.000+12:00

We were recently visited by the Danish language correspondent for Australian SBS Radio. Here is the link to the interview she recorded with us.

arts & culture

HALFDAN HANSEN from New Zealand: 28.4.2007

In the town of Nelson on the south island of New Zealand, Vibeke Sybrandt found Halfdan Hansen, son of the goldsmith Jens Hansen, who made the famous ring for the film LORD OF THE RINGS

Play MP3 | Play Real

How much does a One Ring weigh?

2007-03-13T15:23:00.000+13:00

Short video I shot in our workshop - shows two Newline Cinema authorized movie merchandise One Rings (one from South Africa and one from Australia) compared to the original Jens Hansen Movie Ring. As they say a picture paints a 1000 words!

Blogged by a Happy Customer

2007-03-02T14:41:00.000+13:00

Just received a note to check out a great blog by a delighted Movie Ring customer who recently added a custom version of our 'ring for Viggo' to their growing Jens Hansen collection

Click here to read the full posting

Want to see where we are in the world?

2007-02-23T14:27:00.000+13:00

Click here to view Jens Hansen workshop on Google Maps

or

Click here to view Jens Hansen workshop on Google Earth

Birthplace of the Movie Ring for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy

For over thirty years at 320 Trafalgar Square, Nelson, NEW ZEALAND
www.jenshansen.com

The Ring We Might Have Made for Cate

2007-01-17T10:48:00.002+13:00

It is a statement of record that for the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings movie trilogy we made we made the One Ring in all its appearances and Vilya, ring of Elrond.

However, it is also true that we did not make any of the other rings and jewelery in the movie. For copyright reasons therefore we have no right to sell a replica of Nenya, the Ring of Water, worn by Galadriel, the Queen of the Elves. The role of Galadriel was played in the movie trilogy by actress Cate Blanchett.

I am pleased to announce that we have just finished working on a custom order for a client based on the description of the ring worn by Cate's character as given in the Lord of the Rings books.

Created in 14ct white gold and with a 1 1/4 carat cubic zirconium our client was delighted and had this to say:

"I just got the ring today and was completely blown away! It is exactly what I was looking for and it fits like a glove ^^ You did a fantastic job and I really appreciate it!

Thanks again and I will be sure to advertise my beautiful ring as the work of top notch jewelers ^_^ cheers!"

If you are interested in more information about "Cate's" ring or would like to commission your own then please email me now at cate@jenshansen.com

Handcrafted silver baby's rattle based on famous mathematical theory

2007-01-04T16:42:00.000+13:00

Triumphing where many could not, Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold & Silversmith has handcrafted the famous Klein bottle mathematical theory into a silver baby rattle.

Since 1968, Jens Hansen has impressed its New Zealand and international customers with its leading edge Scandinavian designs. The bespoke jewellers are famed for creating the One Ring for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy, and for handcrafting the Super 14 trophy and Air New Zealand Cup this year.

Wellington couple Lolo and Stephen Pike searched the world for someone to make a silver Klein bottle baby rattle for renowned US physicist Brian Greene's newborn son, as Stephen Pike explains.

"Brian Greene did a very kind and noble thing by speaking and participating in our interdisciplinary conference in 1999 in North Carolina" says Pike, "He was warm and wonderful and we gave all the speakers a glass Klein bottle as a gift.

"We kept in close contact after we met, while Brian's fame as a string theorist grew significantly each year," he says. "I am not a physicist and I am not sure that even if I were I could understand the complex mathematical models Brian is playing with.

"We have a great deal of respect for Brian, as much for his kindness as for his brilliance, and we wanted to do something nice for him. So, when we heard of his son's birth, we thought a silver Klein bottle baby rattle would be a perfect gift, and should be no problem to construct," he explains. "We were very naive and have learned much since."

Stephen Pike explains the long and convoluted journey to Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold & Silversmith in Nelson, who made the complicated baby's rattle.

"Our search for someone to make the rattle started with the gentleman who made glass Klein bottles in Berkeley California, but he said a silver version was beyond his skills and he could not recommend anyone who could do the work," says Pike.

"Our search then took us to Ireland and some Celtic style silver workers who thought it over but then sent us on to someone in Scotland who didn't have any idea how to proceed.

"An artist friend in Massachusetts referred us to two people, one who does complex three dimensional mathematical models and prints them on a three dimensional printer but he couldn't work it out in silver, and a silver worker who declined to take on the project," he continues.

"Then we tried some silver workers in Virginia and North Carolina who declined after thinking it through, as did a woman in Seattle and a woman in Colorado, all of whom concluded it was beyond their skills.

"Some months later, having almost given up, we were in Nelson at Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold & Silversmith, famous for the Lord of the Rings One Ring, and we spoke with Halfdan Hansen.

Hansen said that like the other silversmiths he wasn't optimistic that Jens Hansen could complete the project - at first.

"It was certainly one of the most unusual projects we'd been asked to do, but we thought it a fantastic opportunity," says Hansen. "I was touched by the story and believed the challenge of translating the Klein bottle into silver was important to solve for Lolo and Stephen, who had made incredible efforts to find someone to make this special gift."

To make the rattle, the Jens Hansen silversmiths started by using the latest technology to create a 3D computer model of the shape. Typically a wax model maker would be used to 'print' an object in 3D and then the ancient LostWax casting process would be used to make it in silver. However, because the Klein bottle is strictly speaking a 4D object that doubles back on itself, it could not be printed in one piece, so it had to be broken into three separate sections - the bottle body, the curved neck and the neck extension that doubles back inside the bottle body. Each individual piece was then wax printed, cast in silver and joined together. After polishing it was hand engraved with the child's name and date of birth.

"We thoroughly enjoyed the involved process of making the Klein bottle rattle for the Greene family, but we knew it wouldn't be complete unless it actually rattled," says Hansen. "To make the sound, we poured small silver granules in the bottle base, and inserted a tiny perforated plate across the opening, to stop the granules falling out," Hansen says. "It worked really well. So, not only does it look lovely, it makes a sweet rattle sound."

"Brian Greene received the Klein bottle rattle at the end of November, and thinks it is exquisite.

"I am thrilled with the heroic efforts undertaken to make our son this beautiful work," says Greene. "It was incredibly thoughtful of Lolo and Stephen to attempt to translate the Klein bottle into a cherished keepsake for our son.

"I thank my good friends for searching and finding Jens Hansen," he says. "The rattle is just beautiful, and incredibly similar to the Klein bottle. We look forward to traveling to New Zealand in the not so distant future so we can thank everyone involved in person".

About Brian Greene:

Brian Greene (born February 9, 1963), is a physicist and one of the best-known string theorists.

Since 1996 he has been a professor at Columbia University. Born in New York City, Greene was a prodigy in mathematics. His skill in mathematics was such that by the time he was twelve years old, he was being privately tutored in mathematics by a Columbia University professor because he had surpassed the high-school math level. His father, Alan, was a one-time vaudeville performer and high school dropout who later worked as a voice coach and composer.

In 1980, Brian Greene entered Harvard to major in physics, and with his bachelor's degree, Greene went to Oxford University in England, as a Rhodes Scholar.

He is a prolific writer, with his book The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory (1999), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction, and winner of The Aventis Prizes for Science Books in 2000.

Brian Greene also dabbles in acting; he helped John Lithgow with scientific dialogue for the television series 3rd Rock from the Sun, and he had a cameo role in the film Frequency.

About the Klein bottle:

The Klein bottle was first described in 1882 by the German mathematician Felix Klein.

In mathematics, the Klein bottle is a certain non-orientable surface, i.e., a surface (a two-dimensional topological space) with no distinction between the "inside" and "outside" surfaces.

Picture a bottle with a hole in the bottom. Now extend the neck. Curve the neck back on itself, insert it through the side of the bottle without touching the surface (an act which is impossible in three-dimensional space), and extend the neck down inside the bottle until it joins the hole in the bottom. A true Klein bottle in four dimensions does not intersect itself where it crosses the side.

For Media Enquiries Contact:
Halfdan Hansen
03 548 0640
021 299 3380
www.jenshansen.com

The Dominion Post Jan 4th 2007
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/3917517a6479.html

The Press Jan 4th 2007
http://www.stuff.co.nz/3917611a19719.html

Space Station Repaired Above Home of One Ring

2006-12-29T22:26:00.000+13:00

Earlier this month two astronauts carried out a spacewalk to complete repairs on the International Space Station. They just happened to be passing by New Zealand at the time and the city of Nelson, home of Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold & Silversmith and birthplace of the Movie Ring, can clearly be seen. My sincerest apologies to NASA for superimposing the Ring but it can't be made out from space without a little help :-)

Air New Zealand Cup launched

2006-07-14T11:32:00.000+12:00

Click for Video Clip

New Zealand's new domestic rugby showpiece - the Air New Zealand Cup - was officially launched in grand style on Thursday.

A new trophy was unveiled, along with the launch of a comprehensive new advertising campaign and New Zealand rugby's biggest ever press conference.

The launch was held at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium - home this year to the Counties Manukau Steelers. In launching the new competition, New Zealand Rugby Union Deputy Chief Executive Steve Tew told the audience this year would be a very special season of provincial rugby.

"It is a new chapter in the long and colourful history of provincial rugby in New Zealand," said Tew.

"Over the next 13 weeks, we will see well over 300 of New Zealand's best players from the 14 Air New Zealand Cup provinces carry the honour of their provinces out onto the rugby field," he said.

In a New Zealand first, the biggest ever rugby press conference, held at the launch, brought together players and coaches from each of the Air New Zealand Cup provinces - Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Counties Manukau, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, North Harbour, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato and Wellington.

The competition's new sterling silver trophy, the Air New Zealand Cup, made by famed Lord of the Rings 'One Ring' designers, Jens Hansen of Nelson, was also unveiled at the launch. The trophy is modelled on the Air New Zealand Cup logo.

The Air New Zealand Cup competition kicks off on Friday 28 July when Hawke's Bay, making their return to the top-flight domestic competition, hosts Canterbury in Napier.

The first weekend also sees the other three new teams - Counties Manukau, Manawatu and Tasman - in action at home. The final will be played on 21 October.

Click for Video Clip
Source: ONE Sport

Stunning New Air New Zealand Cup Unveiled

2006-07-14T11:22:00.000+12:00

2:24 PM, 13 Jul 2006

New Zealand rugby has its newest trophy and the new symbol of provincial rugby supremacy - the Air New Zealand Cup.

The stunning new trophy was unveiled by New Zealand Rugby Union Deputy Chief Executive Steve Tew and Air New Zealand Chief Executive Rob Fyfe at the official launch of the Air New Zealand Cup competition in Auckland today.

Handcrafted from 2.7 kilograms of sterling silver and sitting on a basalt base, the Air New Zealand Cup is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional rugby trophy and is based on the Air New Zealand Cup logo which represents a winged ball in flight.

The trophy is the second rugby trophy made this year by leading New Zealand gold and silversmith workshop Jens Hansen Gold and Silversmith, from Nelson. The workshop, which made the famous 'One Ring' for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy, also made the Rebel Sport Super 14 trophy.

Mr Fyfe said the new trophy was a testament to local workmanship.

"Once again, Jens Hansen Gold and Silversmith has done an outstanding job in crafting a trophy that any captain would be proud to raise above his head. The artful incorporation of 'wings' into the trophy's handles serves a practical purpose, while figuratively highlighting the winning team's 'flight' and Air New Zealand's sponsorship of the competition," he said.

Mr Tew said the new trophy could proudly stand alongside New Zealand's other coveted trophies and will be fiercely contested by the 14 Provincial Unions in the inaugural year of the Air New Zealand Cup.

"We have a brand new competition and now a striking new Cup to go with it, with the shape suggesting the pace, movement and physical nature of the provincial game. It will be a fantastic addition to the trophy cabinet of one of the 14 Air New Zealand Cup teams," he said.

Jens Hansen silversmith Thorkild Hansen said they had spent three months working on the Cup and had worked in close partnership with the NZRU and Wellington design company DNA Designed Communications who developed the Air New Zealand Cup logo as well as the Cup's shape and detailing.

"Designing a Cup for hand forging rather than casting is not a simple task. So the team in Wellington worked closely with us to make sure the design was do-able using our traditional processes. We thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of taking the concept through to completion," Mr Hansen said.

The Air New Zealand Cup will go on public display for the first time at the opening match of the Air New Zealand Cup competition, when Hawke's Bay hosts Canterbury in Napier on Friday 28 July.

The Air New Zealand Cup - key facts

Standing 45cm tall and weighing 3.9 kilograms, the Air New Zealand Cup was hand forged from 2.7 kilograms of sterling silver by master silversmith Thorkild Hansen. The inside of the cup is gilded with gold. Waihi stone carver Jeff Beckwith handcrafted the polished stone base from black basalt quarried from the Bombay Hills.

ENDS