BCU students produce wedding designs for Weston Beamor

Weston Beamor has announced the four Birmingham City University (BCU), School of Jewellery, students short-listed to win the company’s annual design competition. The ultimate winner will be revealed in a prize-giving ceremony on Weston Beamor’s stand at the Jewellery & Watch exhibition in Birmingham.

The four students in the running for the prize are Aaron Cumbers, Suzannah Key, Milena Vizuete-Courtes and Lucy Whitehouse.  All of which are in their second year of study for a Higher National Diploma in Jewellery & Silversmithing.

The brief for this year’s candidates was to design a solitaire engagement ring with a matching wedding band in platinum or 18ct gold, and to include a 1ct diamond and embellished with smaller precious stones.

Glen Day, head of business development at Weston Beamor, said: “We were absolutely knocked out by the standard of the entries we received – so much so that we have decided to make four awards this year rather than three; not only are the winning designs highly original in their concepts they are also strongly commercial.”

In addition to work experience at Weston Beamor, the winner will receive a £500 prize with £250 for the student who comes second and £100 for third place.

Jo Pond, HND course director at the School of Jewellery, said: “This competition provides a fantastic opportunity for our second year students. The ‘Live Project’ enables them to work alongside a commercial enterprise and teaches them a great deal about jewellery design and production.

“It also offers the lucky winner the chance to do a week of work experience with Weston Beamor which is an invaluable experience.”