The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) hosted its London Final Show at its Camden campus on Wednesday 25 September.
The event highlighted the exceptional work of students from both further education and higher education courses, providing a platform for these emerging talents to display the skills they have honed throughout their studies.
Under spotlights throughout the campus, nearly 200 pieces were displayed, alongside design journals and insights into the creation process.
As well as being a celebration of the graduates’ hard work and talent, this event reflected the strong relationships that BAJ fosters with the wider industry, with over 30 industry connections in attendance.
Ioanna Kefalogianni, careers and industry engagement manager, commented: “We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for their continued support in nurturing the next generation of jewellers through these prestigious awards.
“Opportunities like The Betts Group Craftsmanship Award, The NAJ’s One to Watch Award, The Sierra 3DESIGN Creative Achievement Award, The Martin’s Gems Award for Statement Jewellery, and The Queensmith Rising Star Award provide our graduates with invaluable recognition and resources to propel their careers forward.
“We are thrilled to see so many of our students being celebrated for their creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation, and we look forward to supporting their journeys as they make their mark in the jewellery world as proud BAJ alumni.”
Awards
Further Education
The Betts Group Craftsmanship Award
Prize: A silver ingot in a presentation box
Presented by: David Hendley
Winner: Aneta Wojszko
The NAJ’s One to Watch Award
Prize: Free access to NAJ’s foundation programme
Presented by: Belinda Morris
Winner: Olumide Badejo
The Sierra Consultancy 3DESIGN Creative Achievement Award
Prize: One-year practice license
Presented by: Pooja Sahny
Winner: Olumide Badejo
The Martin’s Gems Award for Statement Jewellery
Prize: A precious gem from Martin’s collection
Presented by: Martin Prinsloo
Winner: Isabelle Gearing
The Queensmith Rising Star Award
Prize: A day at the Queensmith workshop, mounting or setting
Presented by: Brett Afshar
Winner: Konrad Gergely
Award for the Use of Colour & Texture
Prize: Signed copy of Rebecca Cheeseman’s book
Presented by: BAJ’s Academic Team
Winner: Marko Jakovics
BAJ Award for Most Improved Student Level 3
Prize: Place on a short course
Presented by: BAJ’s Academic Team
Winner: Abeyola During
BAJ Award for Most Improved Student Level 5
Prize: Place on a short course
Presented by: BAJ’s Academic Team
Winner: Olumide Badejo
Higher Education
Best CAD Design
Prize: Advanced Jewellery CAD Modelling in Rhino (book)
Presented by: Jack Meyer
Winners: Rommy Georgiou and Veronika Dika
Liz Olver x BAJ Live Project Award
Prize: The New Jewelers: Desirable – Collectable – Contemporary (book)
Presented by: Liz Olver
Winners: Pasquale Rossi and Anastasiia Riabokon
Excellent Performance During the Course
Prize: Art in the Making (book)
Presented by: BAJ Academic Team
Winners: Saffron Gomes and Razia Nazir
Most Impressive Development During the Course Award
Prize: Signed copy of Rebecca Cheeseman’s book
Presented by: BAJ’s Academic Team
Winners: Zaida Cruttenden and Saoirse Long
Olumide Badejo (Thirty One Grams) cemented himself as a jeweller to watch after taking home three awards.
Of his experience, Badejo said: “Thank you to all the staff that supported me while I was at BAJ, including with my own projects that I was working on outside of coursework.
“I just really like seeing people’s ideas come to life in jewellery, and I never expected to get one award, talk less of three, and thank you to everyone who liked my designs and jewellery.”
Head of curriculum, higher education vice principal, Graham Wills added: “We are immensely proud of the incredible talent displayed at this year’s London Final Show.
“These graduates are the future of the jewellery industry, and we are confident they will leave a lasting mark with their skills and vision.
“At BAJ, we are committed to fostering the next generation of jewellers, and it is inspiring to see them take their first steps into the professional world.”
