BAJ hosts Graff for collaborative exhibition
As part of the collaboration, Graff provided each student with a 3D printed resin of a pear shaped diamond from Graff as the centrepiece for their creative exploration
The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) community and representatives from luxury jewellery house Graff, came together to host the BAJ X Graff Fine Jewellery Project.
According to BAJ, the exhibition and awards evening marked an important collaboration between industry and education, highlighting the shared commitment to “nurturing aspiring creatives on their jewellery journey”.
Designed for the BA (Hons) Jewellery Design and Production first-year students and validated by Kingston University, the degree combines technical skills with creative development in design, theory and innovation.
Taught through practical training, BA students explore creative and sustainable applications of both traditional and new materials and technologies.
Founded by Laurence Graff OBE in 1960, the company remains a family business with Francois Graff as CEO. As part of the collaboration, Graff provided each student with a 3D printed resin of a pear shaped diamond from Graff as the centrepiece for their creative exploration.
The Graff pear shape 18.38 carat diamond, from which the resin print was created, is a satellite stone from the “record-breaking” 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona rough diamond; the largest, highest colour, highest clarity diamond ever certified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the world’s largest square emerald cut diamond, at 302.37 carats.
The task assigned to the students was to design a Graff-inspired piece of jewellery with an imagined client in mind that would showcase the “inherent beauty” and “brilliance” of the diamond.
After extensive design development, each student hand-illustrated and rendered their final design using gouache paint, then created it digitally using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Once finalised, they submitted their CAD creations to Graff for 3D printing. Meanwhile, in the workshop at BAJ Camden, the students manufactured the metal collet in which the 18.38-carat pear-shaped diamond would sit.
Sam Sherry, workshop general manager at Graff, judged the students’ work on their adherence to the brief and the technical quality of their renders, paint-ups, CAD and collets.
Abbi Walker, who secured first place, said: “My design draws inspiration from the grand arches found within Monaco’s architecture. This Statement, unisex necklace is also infused with the vibrant hues of a Monaco sunset.”
Hollie Paxton, Year 1 lead for BA (Hons) Jewellery Design and Production, added: “The cohort has risen to the challenge set to them, dedicating themselves to learning new skills such as Gouache rendering and advanced CAD work. We’re incredibly proud of the work they have produced and look forward to seeing their continued growth as they progress into the second year of their degree. We extend a huge thank you to Graff for their support of the next generation of jewellers and look forward to maintaining this high-quality collaborative relationship.”
