Why you should study Jewellery in Birmingham

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[00:00:26] Speaker 1 I chose BCU because it's got the best facilities. My confidence has grown massively, I have learnt so much about different areas, it's not just jewellery that you learn here, you also learn about business and interpersonal skills.

[00:00:38] Speaker 2 I came knowing almost nothing about jewellery, and now I'm starting to make my own pieces in precious metals and getting to that stage of selling.

[00:00:46] Speaker 3 Definitely a lot of opportunity. I'm about to start my Master's degree.

[00:00:57] Unidentified You have got

[00:00:59] Speaker 2 freedom to try anything.

[00:01:01] Speaker 1 The tutors are super helpful, the technicians as well.

[00:01:06] Speaker 4 They all know different techniques. They are always really friendly and will come to help you.

[00:01:18] Speaker 3 School of Jewellery is as a community of jewellers and hydrologists and gemmologists, we offer courses that start at foundation level and progress through to Postgraduate study.

[00:01:32] Speaker 4 So I'm creating my collection on computer aided design, where we can actually build the pieces. You can then take the file that you've built and create different textures. Then we have 3D printing where you can kind of create prototypes, see if it works, see what you like, what you don't like, and then go from there. It's more time efficient and cost efficient because you can create all these prototypes, whereas when you're hand making stuff, if something goes wrong or you don't like it, you're creating excess waste materials.

[00:02:12] Speaker 5 We teach gemmology in custom built facilities within the assay office, it's the only course of its type in the world.

[00:02:19] Speaker 6 I think that so many students, even in our class, already work at jewellery stores, some of us even own jeweller stores. Some people are working for auction houses because there's a lot of paths I think I didn't even realise existed until I started this course, so it's very exciting, there's a lot of doors just opened.

[00:02:40] Speaker 7 It is one of the very few places that you can study horology as a degree and I don't think anywhere has quite the same amount of facilities that BCU does. Thanks to being a BCU student, I was able to reach out to a couple of places to go do work experience and they were happy to have me because they had BCU students before they have hired BCU students and they know the sort of quality that BCU produces.

[00:03:13] Speaker 4 I definitely think I'm industry ready. I feel like this collection is going to be the launch of my business, really show that I can be a designer and a maker.

[00:03:25] Speaker 3 We're renowned for world class facilities and we've been around for over 130 years. And we support students in their creative and their technical developments through traditional jewellery processes as well as the latest digital technical innovations. It's the first stepping stone into their professional career.

Our inspirational, award-winning School of Jewellery is the perfect place to undertake a jewellery related course, but other than that, what makes Birmingham so special, and why should you choose to study your degree here?

You’ll be situated in the historical Jewellery Quarter

Our School of Jewellery is based in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter, a unique and historical area of Birmingham that produces 40 per cent of all jewellery made in the UK. The Jewellery Quarter has a rich history behind it, with gold and silversmiths having worked there for over 200 years.

The area is filled with jewellery shops, museums, and plenty more things to see and do. Some of our top picks are J.W. Evans Silver Factory, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and Jewellery Quarter Heritage Trail.

As well as our state-of-the-art facilities, everything you need to learn your craft is situated right on your doorstep, from 3D print studios, retailers, casting houses, polishers and more. Not to mention our School of Jewellery is the largest in Europe – with all this, you’re sure to be set up for a promising career!

We’ve got impressive industry links and alumni

Being a top producer of jewellery and situated in a prime location, it’s no wonder we have such great links with businesses and individuals, and our alumni go on to work with some well-known brands and individuals. Our alumni have worked with:

  • Cartier
  • Lady Mayoress of London
  • Chatsworth House
  • Topshop
  • Swatch

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Not only have our previous students gone on to work with big brands, but some of them have also started their own businesses, won prestigious awards, and more. For example, Keith Scobie-Youngs set up Cumbria Clock Company, and went on to work on the Big Ben restorations.

The School of Jewellery is home to BBC show ‘All That Glitters’

In 2021, BBC Two released the first season of jewellery making competition, All That Glitters, hosted by Katherine Ryan. You might not know that the show was filmed at our very own School of Jewellery, and it’s no wonder, with it being a multi-award-winning complex that houses state-of-the-art equipment.

With the show now having concluded it's second season, you don’t want to miss your chance to be right in the heart of the action and study in the same location that the show is filmed at!

You can catch up on All That Glitters season 1 on BBC iPlayer.

Participate in and attend industry events

Birmingham is home to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) amongst other venues that host a plethora of unique jewellery events. The Jewellery and Watch show is held at the NEC annually, with an estimated 350 exhibitors and 17,000 visitors each year.

Birmingham also loves showcasing independent makers, with regular events such as Craft and Flea held at The Custard Factory in Digbeth, and Red Brick Market which is open seven days a week and is home to a handful of independent jewellery brands. Other than this, we’ve had plenty of one-off, special events, including a visit from HRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to our School of Jewellery.