Birmingham, UK - Birmingham’s School of Jewellery has been located in the heart of the city’s famous Jewellery Quarter since 1890. Staff at the school are recognized as experts in their field and support award-winning students through their chosen courses and into professional life.
While today’s students must still practice and acquire the intricate skills that are traditionally associated with the jewelry industry, the enthusiasm for supplementing this knowledge with the experience of using the latest technology has led the School of Jewellery to invest in another laser welding system from Rofin-Baasel.
The jewelry industry is often perceived as being built solely upon a detailed knowledge of precious metals and gems coupled with intricate manual skills and techniques, which have been used for generations. In reality, however, the situation is quite different within many jewelry workshops, where laser technology rubs shoulders with traditional skills and craftsmanship.
“Ensuring that all students have a good grasp of both traditional techniques and those offered by technology has been a priority for some time here, with the school investing in their first laser system some 12 years ago,” said Jo Pond, lecturer/artist in residence coordinator at the School of Jewellery. “The ongoing uptake of laser technology within the industry combined with increasing student numbers means that the School of Jewellery and the Jewellery Industry Innovation Centre now have a combined total of four laser systems, which have become a key part of all courses.”
The latest laser is a Rofin Desktop model, a compact table-top laser system for manual welding. The Desktop has been designed specifically for use within teaching environments, laboratories, and workshops, and is a good entry level into laser technology.
Courses offered by the school cover a wide range of types and levels of experience from introductory classes for secondary schools through to PhD research degrees.
For further information, contact: Dave MacLellan, [email protected] or [email protected]
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Photo of exhibit hall courtesy of the School of Jewellery