British Academy of Jewellery announces winners of competition with Theo Fennell

The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) has announced Blaise Zunter, a Diploma in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing student, as the winner of its Circle of Life Live Project competition with London-based jeweller Theo Fennell.

The Circle of Life Live Project was launched so that students could showcase their technical jewellery-making skills by working on a real-life professional jewellery brief set by Theo Fennell.

A group of Diploma in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing students took part in the competition where they had to create a piece of jewellery that told a story, with the mentorship of the London-based jeweller.

Zunter was selected as the winner due to the evocative and skillfully executed ring he created. Students Georgi Tanev and Stacey Price were also praised for their work.

Theo Fennell said in a statement: “It’s been wonderful to see the creativity and skill of the BAJ’s students reflected in these beautiful, high-quality pieces.

“Everybody interpreted the brief in different and imaginative ways, which resulted in a fabulous variety of unique artistic visions. Choosing only three winners has been very challenging.”

Fennell chose eight students in total to display their work at the jeweller’s premises in Chelsea, where they were given the opportunity to sell their jewellery. Students Anara Pearce, Duke Birt, Edward Haire, Inti Yeung, and Mollie Horrox were also asked to showcase their designs.

The pieces will be presented to the public from July 29 to 30 as part of BAJ’s Final Show 2022 exhibition in London.