The local jewellery brand spotlights the students of Raffles College of Higher Education with a Singapore-themed design project
Looking to inspire the next generation of jewellers in Singapore, Vihari Jewels has collaborated with Raffles College of Higher Education to shine a spotlight on students.
In April, the homegrown jewellery brand launched a project for the students of Raffles College’s Jewellery Design course, tasking them to create designs inspired by Singapore that expressed what the country means to them. The brief also encouraged students to look to local monuments and history, as well as to feature the colours red and white as a tribute to the national flag.
Besides being included as part of the students’ grades for the term, the project also benefited them outside of the curriculum as Vihari Jewels awarded the creators of the top three designs with prize money. The winning designs were selected by a judging panel that was comprised of Vihari Jewels founder Vihari Sheth-Poddar and two international designers.
Read more: How I’m Making It: Private Jeweller Vihari Poddar on How She Opened Her Own Jewellery Store at 16
On August 2, the winners were celebrated with an award ceremony held at Vihari Jewels’ flagship store in Paragon. The students who were honoured were Teresa Pavita Maharani, whose futuristic In Bloom jewellery was inspired by the ArtScience Museum; Zhou Xin Jie, who came in second place with Flow of Identity, a set that featured national motifs like the lion, the sea and a single round garnet to symbolise “the little red dot”; and Wu Si Qi, who took home the top prize by designing a lapel pin, men’s bracelet and cuff links that were based on the Aranda Lee Kuan Yew orchid flower.
Wu’s designs will be manufactured by Vihari Jewels’ in-house craftsmen with 18K white gold and rose gold, diamonds, and a 0.88-carat Burmese ruby. They will then be sold at the store, with 10 per cent of proceeds going to the Community Chest of Singapore. In the spirit of championing young talents, Vihari Jewels will also showcase all of the handmade prototype jewellery pieces submitted by the students in an in-store exhibition that runs from August 5 to 18.
