Designing cutting-edge jewellery Besides winning multiple awards as a bespoke jewellery designer and manufacturer, talented Nihal Shah (27) was one of the first jewellers in Durban to implement 3D jewellery printing.
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anaging Director at family-owned Vijay Shah Concepts, Shah was humble and unassuming as he cited his top career highlights: Top 10 finalist in the PlatAfrica competition in 2013 while still a student; finalist in the De Beers Shining Light Awards in 2015; second in the Anglo Platinum competition in 2017; winner of the Anglo-American People's Choice Award
nihal shah Jewellery Design and Manufacture graduate (BTech)
in 2019; and most recently, Finalist in the 2020 Anglo Platinum competition. His late grandfather, Kishore Shah, was one of the pioneers of the Durban jewellery industry during apartheid, and his role model father,Vijay, opened Vijay Shah Concepts in 2002 and is a multi-award-winner as well. The eldest of two children (he has a sister), Shah spent his childhood watching both his grandfather and father at work.“I would watch my Dad work for hours in awe, totally fascinated at how a piece of metal would be transformed into a beautiful item of jewellery,� he enthused. After he matriculated with top marks from Northwood High School in 2010, both his parents supported his decision to study Jewellery Design and Manufacture at DUT. The highlight was his exhibition at the NSA Gallery.
Right: Shah's winning submission to the Anglo-American People's Choice Awards in 2019. Below: The Uni-Tie (Unity) accessory Shah submitted for the Anglo-American PlatAfrica 2020 competition.
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