Recently out of her apprenticeship with Stephen Dibb jewellers at Cleveland, Angela, 24, even gained the runners-up spot in the sixth category, adding this design accolade to wins in Apprentice of the Year, best folio, best technical aspects, people's choice and the diamond grading course for a paper on good business ethics.

Her wins and ability cut short her apprenticeship by 18 months.

"It is a rare combination to find someone who can communicate and design. A conversation can be brought alive three-dimensionally. She has the ability to draw her designs out of her customers and create their vision," Stephen Dibb said.

"She won these awards across all disciplines, but it is communication that is paramount."

Angela said: "It was thrilling for the first award. I didn't expect anything, but by the end, it was embarrassing. I was going red." .

Having previously worked in a highly-paid position with Qantas, Angela gave it all away to create jewellery, becoming inspired after finding an opal while on holiday.

"I saw the opal and I imagined ways to wear it. I love the endless possibilities and the idea of what you can do," she said.

Her favourites are opals, mostly boulder opals which she describes as "amazing" and up there with diamonds for beauty.

"I don't work with semi precious stones. You can over capitalise because it takes the same effort to set a small piece of concrete as it does to set a stone," she said.

Angela, who wears her own design in an engagement ring ("I begged him to let me make it," she said) said there was nothing better than designing a ring together, the result being something unique and otherwise unseen.

Angela said she enjoyed working at Stephen Dibb.

"He's the best boss and very generous. I'd never work anywhere else - except for myself," she said.

Angela is the third female apprentice to win Jewellery Apprentice of the Year, others being Jody Smith in 2003 and Natalie Preston in 2004. Angela's work remains on show at the Cleveland studio in Bloomfield Street this month before being exhibited at the Holland Park studio in December. The jewellery is for sale.