MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday February 8, 2006

Jens Hansen Handcrafts Sterling Silver Super 14 Trophy

Nelson's celebrated jeweller and silversmith, Jens Hansen Contemporary Gold & Silversmith, has proudly designed and handcrafted the new Rebel Sport Super 14 Trophy, unveiled in Wellington this week.

Since 1968, Jens Hansen has impressed its New Zealand and international customers with its leading edge Scandinavian designs. The bespoke jewellers are also famed for creating the Ring for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy (www.jenshansen.com).

Chief Jeweller Thorkild Hansen worked continuously over two months to handcraft the stunning half metre tall Super 14 trophy out of 2.5 kg of solid sterling silver.

"We were thrilled that a New Zealand design team was involved in the creation of the new trophy," says Hansen. "We aimed to create a quality trophy of simple beauty that represented the high standard of the Super 14 competition."

Hansen notes that it was a challenging but rewarding project, with many technical obstacles to be overcome.

"The dynamic twist in the trophy's base gives the work a sense of motion without compromising its appearance of strength," says Hansen. "Achieving the smooth lines and perfect meeting joints in the base was especially challenging, but we are very pleased with the end result."

The globe was created from two flat circles of silver, individually and gradually hammered by hand until each was raised into an exact hemisphere. The two pieces were then joined and polished until they formed a perfectly round globe. It features raised map pieces representing New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The work's detail includes the miniature rugby ball's laces, which appears with the Super 14 emblazoned comet flare encircling the globe.

The Super 14 lettering was pierced and cut by hand and black resin used to create the lettering with maximum impact.

For Media Enquiries Contact:

Halfdan Hansen

03 548 0640

021 299 3380

www.jenshansen.com