Talented local lass, Phiwokuhle Ngwenya is a jewellery designer on a mission to design perfection.
The study of gemology might not be everyone’s first choice after high school, but for young jeweller, Phiwokuhle Ngwenya (26), the science behind the course fascinated her.
Phiwokuhle was born and bred in Osizweni, and attended Thubelihle High School. She is now a jewellery designer and is currently doing her internship at Akapo Jewels in Johannesburg, while also focusing on her company, P_creations.
She said her fascination for jewellery started in high school:
“I studied geography, and I think that’s how my fascination for gemology grew. First it was geology, which is a study of rocks and which I thought was a broad study. I wanted something specific, so gemology was exactly that for me. The idea of studying gemstones [diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls] was extremely intriguing for me. I was looking for something that I would fully immerse myself in, but something that was also different and most importantly, something which would afford me a stable job.”
Phiwokuhle said after high school, she was set on paving her path to becoming a jeweller:
“I looked at a few institutions to study at but the University of Johannesburg (UJ) was the one that stood out for me. They had Gemology under Jewellery Design and Manufacture, which for me was Godsent! It meant I was going to get the best of both worlds. I was going to study gemstones, draw, design and create all at once. The connection between gemology and jewellery design made so much sense to me, because gemstones are used in jewellery, which meant I was not only going to study them, but was going to design around them and put them in an actual jewellery pieces that I handmade from scratch.”
Phiwokuhle was lucky to have been able to work with well-known industry players:
“In 2017, three students from the University of Johannesburg and international students got the opportunity to partake in an Ukuluka Programme. It was a jewellery learning programme, and I was blessed to be selected. We collaborated with David Tlale, who is a successful South African fashion designer. He was working on his Labyrinth collection for his spring/summer ’16 collection. We were guided by the university’s jewellery department lecturers and David Tlale. We hand make and manufacture the jewellery pieces ourselves.”
A ring from P_Creations.
Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Newcastle Advertiser (January 24).
Competition time!
One lucky reader will win a customised piece of handmade jewellery, designed and crafted by Phiwokuhle. To enter, answer the question below:
Which well-known SA fashion designer has Phiwokuhle collaborated with?
Email your answer, along with your full name, surname and contact details, to reveshni@caxton.co.za before 11am on Monday, January 27.
Terms and conditions:
This competition is open to Newcastle residents only.
The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Entries which do not comply with the requirements will be automatically disqualified.
