We are delighted to announce the launch of “Adaptability, Versatility, Longevity,” an exciting collaboration with iconic London-based jewellery brand Alex Monroe. 

Aiming to raise awareness about sustainability in the jewellery industry, the project challenges BAJ students to design and make an original wearable jewellery piece, each incorporating a 5mm sapphire generously donated by the Alex Monroe brand.

The starting point of the design brief is the theme of transformation: taking inspiration from the natural world, students will use their own interpretations on the theme to create a versatile piece that can be transformed and adapted to suit different situations. In order to challenge the throwaway fast fashion culture often seen in today’s society, pieces should be designed responsibly, with durability in mind.

18 students from our London campus and 10 from our Birmingham campus will take part in the project, all from the first year of our Jewellery Design & Manufacturing Diploma. 

BAJ students will be challenged to design their pieces with both a 2D rendering and 3D computer-aided design, and will receive feedback from brand founder Alex Monroe before manufacturing them, benefitting from a unique opportunity to gain personalised guidance from a leading jewellery designer. 

The pieces produced as part of the project will be exhibited and judged at an awards ceremony. Winning students will receive work experience at the Alex Monroe brand in a specialist area of their choice, as part of our commitment to preparing students with the transferrable, up-to-date skills necessary for success in the contemporary jewellery industry. 

Students will also have the opportunity to create their own social media portfolios and be featured on the official Alex Monroe social channels by documenting the project online using the #bajxalexmonroe hashtag. 

In parallel with the collaborative project, we will be releasing a series of engaging and informative blogs on topics ranging from sapphires to sustainability and transforming jewellery, which we will publish over the coming months. What’s more, Alex Monroe himself will be joining BAJ’s own Sofie Boons for an insightful podcast discussing the designer’s inspirations and the jewellery industry. 

Having founded his namesake brand in 1987, Monroe quickly established himself as a critically acclaimed and distinctive jewellery industry voice and has since gained fans around the world. Perhaps best known for his instantly recognisable bumblebee pendant, the designer takes inspiration from nature to create long-lasting and sustainable handmade pieces that combine delicate beauty with a quirky twist.