Stephanie Holt wins Weston Beamor design competition

Stephanie Holt, a mature student at Birmingham City University (BCU), has been named as the winner of Weston Beamor’s annual jewellery design competition.

Holt, who won the award for her “elegant and unusual” matching wedding ring and engagement ring set, received a cash prize of £500 and a week’s worth of work experience with the casting house and 3D printing company.

The judges said Holt’s design – entitled ‘ONE’ – has a “strong, minimalist and highly contemporary feel”, adding it physically joins together the wedding ring and an engagement ring in an “unusual and highly distinctive way”, while still allowing for the two pieces to be worn separately.

Holt, who initially worked for the World Rally Championship before becoming a teacher, said: “Despite doing other jobs I was always making and designing things in my spare time and I am absolutely loving having the chance to do it full time.”

Andrew Morton, managing director of WB The Creative Jewellery Group, the parent company of Weston Beamor, said: “All the designs entered were of a high standard and the winning pieces are very commercial and would not look out of place in any retailer’s window.

“All those who entered, not simply the winners, are to be congratulated they have real talent and are the future of our industry.”