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FREE Jewellery Production 1 Course

FREE Jewellery Production 1 (Jewellery P1) Professional Development Course We have extended the deadline for our Jewellery 2-day intensive, fully-subsidised production workshops. CFE Jewellery P1 programme empowers London-based designer businesses with the best tools and practices to successfully navigate their way through the production process. If you are London-based and looking for support on your production process - apply for 2 days of expert workshops. To qualify, you need to: – Be registered and operating in a London borough – Have been trading for at least 12 months Jewellery P1, is a 2-day intensive workshop, created to help small jewellery designer-maker businesses ready

3D Printing: The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful

3D Printing: The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful In partnership with the University of Lincoln, The National Centre for Craft & Design presents a thought provoking exhibition exploring 3D printing technology. The Good, The Bad and The Beautiful, urated by Bryony Windsor, Head of Exhibitions for NCCD, in partnership with Professor Anne Chick for the University of Lincoln, celebrates innovation, poses ethical questions and considers the future of the manufacturing process. Works on display explore the innovative, political, social and environmental aspects of 3D printing. The show highlights that whilst the process is opening up new creative possibilities for makers, the

Shimell and Madden Launch new Film

An insight into the creative and craft process of Shimell and Madden, this video profile shows how the duo work together and develop their ideas. London based, they  create structural  gold pattern work that form distinctive fine jewellery pieces. Shimell and Madden occupy that space where craft, art and fashion intersect. High quality and hand-crafted, their jewellery explores themes of science, nature and time. Shimell and Madden | The Process | 2017 from Shimell and Madden on Vimeo . They have been creating jewellery in their London studio since 2010. Emma

Alloy Pop Up – Hackney, London

Jewellery designers Emma Aitchison Jewellery, Dovile B and Promises Promises will be exhibiting a new collection of bespoke, hand-made jewellery at a new pop-up, Alloy, in the heart of Hackney. The three designers will be opening the doors of Alloy exhibition and shop to the general public. They will be showcasing their jewellery-making process, and sharing the stories behind their designs, taking you on a journey from initial inspiration to final product. Passionate about promoting the importance of supporting local artisans within their trade, the three up-and-coming designers will be sharing their visions, and offering insight into the design process, hoping

An Introduction into Wax Carving and Sand Casting

An Introduction into Wax Carving and Sand Casting 4 Day Workshop 25 – 28 July 2018 What will be taught? This course is designed to give you an introduction into wax carving and sand casting. You will learn the basics of both techniques with the possibility to design and make rings, earrings and pendants. You will be taught to create simple shapes in wax which are suitable as masters for the sand casting process and which can be used as masters to create a metal copy. The first part of the course will cover the basic principles and processes of

VIA Arts Prize

Call for Application: VIA Arts Prize The Visual Ibero-American Arts Prize is dedicated to supporting UK-based artists of any nationality in the production of cross-cultural artworks, giving them the incentive to develop their creative ideas, based on a theme, and contributing to their personal and professional growth. It also encourages them to engage with and take inspiration from Ibero-American art and cultures, through a process of intercultural exchange. It will be an opportunity for the artists to exhibit their work at a prestigious and highly visible space in the heart of London and to have their profile raised through media

Designers in Residence 2017

Designers in Residence 2017 Applications are now open for the 2017 Designer in Residence programme. This is an exciting opportunity to be one of the first designers to work in the designated studio situated within the new Design Museum in Kensington. More information This residency accommodates four designers to work independently on a project in response to a theme. Designers from different disciplines are selected and work autonomously as well as come together to exchange and share skills and ideas. Visitors are invited to engage in the process on display and to interact with the designers to gain an in

Metamorphosis III

Metamorphosis III A Profound Change In Form The aim is to create unique end products – attachments that go beyond the scope of the traditional brooch. This workshop will explore how metamorphosis can be used as a theme in jewellery making and design. The aim is to achieve new and innovative outcomes through transformative processes and consecutive changes. Pieces will be created by using a method of step-by-step alteration. The focus will be on the process as an important catalyst for creating new designs – the journey is as important as the end product. The first part of the course

Experimental Casting Course, Cockpit Arts - Holborn, London

During this course you will explore and experiment with different casting processes and use them in an unconventional way. Traditional techniques like sand, water, ice and cuttlefish casting will be taught and used as the starting point of your creative journey. Through casting into different media, you will be encouraged to ‘cast outside the box’ and take the process literally outside the studio, to cast into gaps, cracks and other items in the street. We will be using different metals such as pewter, silver and bismuth. You will explore the possibilities of the different techniques and metals and find out

Public Art Commission, Mill Road, Cambridge

Expressions of interest are invited from artists with experience of working in the public realm to develop a site-specific artwork, or series of artworks. The artwork should enhance the setting for the new student accommodation and reference the unique heritage and context of Mill Road, Cambridge. There is a vibrant cultural and business scene within Mill Road and engagement with the community and students at Anglia Ruskin University throughout the development process is a requirement. The Brief: www.placeservices.co.uk Budget for the Project: £46,000. Project Completion Date: February 2018 For more information and to download a copy of the brief please

Emma Aitchison Ditches Gold-Plated Items in the Name of Sustainability

We caught up with Emma Aitchison, founder of the eponymous jewellery brand. Recently, Emma has taken the decision to eliminate gold-plated jewellery from all future collections in the name of sustainability. Gold-plated jewellery is popular due to its mimicry of timeless gold coupled with its comparatively much lower cost and accessibility. Much focus has been given to sustainability over the past few years, with the consequences of our disposable lifestyles – especially the effect of ‘fast-fashion’ - widely reported on. The labour-intensive process of stripping gold-plate in conjunction with the relatively low cost of new pieces, often makes replacement

Senior Jewellery Production Assistant, Queensmith Master Jewellers - Hatton Garden, London

The role Senior Jewellery Production Assistant Queensmith Master Jewellers Hatton Garden, London Queensmith Master Jewellers is an award-winning bridal jeweller situated in London’s historic jewellery quarter, Hatton Garden. Specialising in made-to-order engagement rings, wedding bands and fine diamond jewellery, we are one of the youngest and fastest growing bespoke jewellers in London. The Role Our growth and success has created a position for a Senior Jewellery Production Assistant. Reporting directly to the Production Director; the successful candidate will fast become an integral member of the team assisting the production process of every item designed and manufactured. They will assist in

Data Entrepreneurs and Artists Offered Residencies at 18th-Century Mansion

Call for Applications: Marchmont House Residency Borders-based tech entrepreneur forms partnerships to support creativity in arts and enterprise in Marchmont’s Creative Spaces A residency in a beautiful studio at Marchmont House and £12,000 in funding is on offer to support an entrepreneur to develop a project using data within the creative industries. It is one of several residencies being offered at the restored 1750 Palladian mansion in Berwickshire which is in the process of creating a suite of Creative Spaces – high quality studios and workshops. Marchmont House has also teamed up with Berwick Creative Guild, the newly established Marchmont Makers

DiamArt and Desall Competition

Desall.com: DiamArt and Desall Competition Design Brief Summary New idea contest on Desall.com: DiamArt and Desall invite you to design a new product or a new collection for the luxury world, conceived to be embellished by the innovative micro diamonds material DiamArt. Company description DiamArt is the story of a travel started as a dream and turned into reality thanks to the interweaving of passion, craftsmanship and industrial technology. A young company with deep roots. An ever-evolving process that sees passion and determination entwined with each other. A world that stems from the ideas, courage and genius of Isidoro Ferrari

Makers & Tools Project

Makers & Tools Project Old Fire Station, Oxford 17 May - 15 June 2019 The Makers & Tools project provides makers with the space and time to take risks in their practice, to explore new ways of collaborative working and to develop skills that will contribute to the success of their careers in contemporary craft. It provides valuable continuing professional development opportunities for makers in the SW and SE, and makes visible the process of craft to a wider public audience. The project connects six contemporary craft makers in the early stages of their careers, who undertook a non-verbal conversation

A new verge for Westminster Abbey

Ottewill Silversmiths and Jewellers Ltd proudly watched as the new verge manufactured for Westminster Abbey was used for the first time on Tuesday by the Dean’s Verger, Martin Castledine. The special service, to celebrate the 750 th Anniversary of the re-building of the Abbey, was attended by Her Majesty The Queen. The commission by Westminster Abbey following a tender process overseen by The Goldsmiths’ Company, stipulated that the piece had to be made by an apprentice. Our 5 year apprentice, 21 year old William Sullivan, relished the challenge and it was hand made to an exceptional standard in our Ashford

2x Commission Opportunities

2x Artist opportunities - Ginkgo Projects Artist Opportunity 1. - Unity Place, Swindon Ginkgo Projects is seeking an artist to commission on behalf of Zurich Insurance to research and create new work for their new headquarters in Swindon. The work will be developed through a process of research and collaboration, including engagement with Zurich staff and communities in Swindon and linking in to associated bursaries for local artists. Permanent work will be located within the open space being created at the front of the new building and we welcome applications from artists with interest in: sustainable environment and material development design

Retail Sales Associate, Vashi, London

[youtube url=http://youtu.be/kHlA_zy34gE] The role Retail Sales Assistant Vashi Manchester At Vashi, we don’t just sell fine jewellery. By making it easy for everyone to create a bespoke piece, we’re on a mission to transform the entire industry. It’s an extraordinary opportunity – and we’re looking for exceptional people who find it as exciting as we do. You'll be working within our Selfridges concession in Manchester! You'll be delivering the Vashi creation process with our customers, utilising your expertise and product knowledge to drive sales and establish strong relationships for the long-term success of the business. Acting as a

Casting Technician, Vashi, London

[youtube url=http://youtu.be/phPsnH6zZxg] The role Casting Technician Vashi Covent Garden, London When our customers co-create a piece of jewellery, it’s our craftsmen and women who bring their ideas to life. Our customers have unrivalled access to their jewellery at every stage of creation, giving them the opportunity to play a key role in the design, casting, setting and polishing, and even letting them get hands-on, adding the finishing touches to their design while guided by you. This is your chance to partner with the customer throughout the process from casting grain to the finished article. In this newly

CAD Technician, Vashi, Covent Garden, London

[youtube url=http://youtu.be/phPsnH6zZxg] The role CAD Technician Vashi Covent Garden, London When our customers co-create a piece of jewellery, it’s our craftsmen and women who bring their ideas to life. Our customers have unrivalled access to their jewellery at every stage of creation, giving them the opportunity to play a key role in the design, casting, setting and polishing, and even letting them get hands-on, adding the finishing touches to their design while guided by you. This is your chance to partner with the customer throughout the process from casting grain to the finished article. In this newly created

Jeweller (Part Time / Weekends), Vashi, London

[youtube url=http://youtu.be/phPsnH6zZxg] The role Jeweller (Part Time / Weekends) Vashi Covent Garden, London When our customers co-create a piece of jewellery, it’s our craftsmen and women who bring their ideas to life. Our customers have unrivalled access to their jewellery at every stage of creation, giving them the opportunity to play a key role in the design, casting, setting and polishing, and even letting them get hands-on, adding the finishing touches to their design while guided by you. This is your chance to partner with the customer throughout the process from casting grain to the finished article. All

Space | Craft - A solo exhibition by Stephen Bottomley

Space | Craft a solo exhibition by Stephen Bottomley 14th October – 1 st November 2019 School of Jewellery, Birmingham SPACE: the unlimited or incalculably great three-dimensional realm or expanse in which all material objects are located and all events occur. CRAFT: an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill. A ship or other vessel. Definitions from : www.dictionary.com Vittoria Street Gallery is pleased to present Space|Craft a solo exhibition by Stephen Bottomley featuring new and previously existing work. The show aims to capture material fragments and visual elements as a timeline or trail. This focuses on a slow, developmental process

Liane Wolf: Anodised Aluminium - Colour And Design Expression In Metal at K2 Academy Of Contemporary Jewellery

Liane Wolf: Anodised Aluminium - Colour And Design Expression In Metal at K Academy Of Contemporary Jewellery 25 – 27 May 2019 A 3 Days Workshop led by Liane Wolf at K Academy Of Contemporary Jewellery, London Colour And Design Expression In Metal 'Introduce colour to your jewellery designs through discovering an array of creative techniques for adding patterns, images and colour effects to pre-anodised aluminium. This unique material and process allows for colouring to become part of the metal surface as a permanent colourfast effect. We'll explore a variety of artistic approaches, including dying, mono-printing, stamping and using resists to

EC One Leads the Way with Sustainability by Becoming B-Corp Certified

London based jewellery boutique E.C. One is leading the way in sustainability within the jewellery industry, by becoming only the second jeweller in the UK to be B-Corporation Certified and joining an established community of companies using business as a force for good. The accreditation process to become a B-Corp involves an in-depth analysis of the business’ entire social and environmental performance, to assess its impact on its workers, community, environment and customers. Other well-known brands within the B-Corp community include: Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Eileen Fisher. Ethics and sustainability have long been high on the agenda at E.C. [youtube

Micro-Flame Model 60

For Sale: Micro-Flame Model 60 Micro-Flame Model 60. Like Walsh's product code TS702. It looks as new and I've kept it in the same place next to my bench. It hasn't been used for over 12 months so it will need servicing before use. There are 6 microflame tips included with the machine. The Micro Flame gas generating soldering unit is one of the best known and well respected pieces of equipment used in the jewellery trade. These soldering units use distilled water as a fuel and by a process of electrolysis, produce an oxygen/hydrogen gas. This gas then passes through a solution, to

The Making of a Silver Commission

The Making of a Silver Commission The Clothworkers’ Company hosts Contemporary British Silversmiths London Craft Week 2019 Friday 10 May 2019 In partnership with Contemporary British Silversmiths, the leading association for contemporary silver, The Clothworkers’ Company hosts a day of events, shining a light on the fascinating process of commissioning and making silver.Meet the makers during free demonstrations by award-winning silversmiths Miriam Hanid and Yusuke Yamamoto and learn about their live commissions for The Clothworkers’ Company during our lunchtime lecture. Both silversmiths have recently been commissioned to create major pieces for The Clothworkers’ Company. This one-day event offers visitors a

Goldsmith / Jeweller (Flexible Working) - Full Time, Vashi, London

[youtube url=http://youtu.be/phPsnH6zZxg] The role Goldsmith / Jeweller (Flexible Working) Vashi London When our customers co-create a piece of jewellery, it’s our craftsmen and women who bring their ideas to life. Our customers have unrivalled access to their jewellery at every stage of creation, giving them the opportunity to play a key role in the design, casting, setting and polishing, and even letting them get hands-on, adding the finishing touches to their design while guided by you. This is your chance to partner with the customer throughout the process from casting grain to the finished article. All the while

GSA Silversmithing and Jewellery students unveil lockdown collections

Final year Silversmithing & Jewellery graduating students at The Glasgow School of Art have unveiled collections conceived and made during lockdown in Graduate Showcase 2021. They are among over 500 graduating students from the acclaimed art school to be showing work on the specially-designed digital platform. For many of the young designers the time of isolation and their lockdown locations have created the starting point for the creative process, with re-engagement with nature emerging as a major theme Ellen Kynoch’s Intangible Mass explores themes of isolation, emotional decay, and the fragility of our minds during a long period of quarantine,

Royal Mint Opportunity

Call for Applications: Royal Mint Folio Design Team Who we are We are the sole manufacturer of UK coinage and export to an average of 60 other countries. We are wholly owned by Her Majesty’s Treasury. The challenge To translate significant points in history and culture onto the smallest of canvases. The opportunity To be part of a select portfolio of freelance artists providing designs for coins and medals. How does it work? Our external artists are offered opportunities to enter paid competitions based on their suitability to the theme. We provide full support throughout the design process. How to

Jerwood New Work Fund

Funding: Jerwood New Work Fund Funding for artists, artistic groups and artist-led organisations to undertake the research, development and creation of new work to enable a step-change in their practice and profile. The Jerwood New Work Fund provides funding for the research, development, creation, production and dissemination of new work, with a focus on developing artistic practice. You can apply for between £5,000 and £25,000 It aims to advance artistic practice by encouraging applicants to investigate the creative process and take risks that lead to the development of unique new works destined to connect with a public audience. This fund

Experimental Workshop of Contemporary Jewellery with natural materials with Carlos Silva

OBSERVE - COLLECT - INTERVENE - EXPERIENCE Experimental Workshop of Contemporary Jewellery with natural materials with Carlos Silva October 11 th to 13 th 2019 Red Stables, St. Ann’s Park, Raheny, Dublin 5 The aim of this workshop is to introduce students to the knowledge and practice of using found natural materials within the field of contemporary jewellery. St. Ann’s Park will be the starting point for the participants to explore, observe, experiment and test their creativity in the design of jewellery. A small exhibition will be made with the resulting pieces of this process on the last afternoon. Participants

Funded Residencies - Cove Park

Funded Residencies - Cove Park Cove Park offers funded residencies throughout the year. These opportunities are awarded following an open call and application process, or via nomination and direct invitation. Residents are given the time, space, freedom and financial support to concentrate upon the development of their own work. This programme supports those wishing to focus upon specific projects and those aiming to develop new ideas without the demands of deadlines or public presentation. This is enhanced through a series of events designed to promote discussion between all the artists on residency. Residents receive a fee, private and self-catering accommodation,

Q&A: Robert Organ

Robert Organ is the Deputy Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company’s Assay Office in London. Robert, of Welsh heritage, hails from Gwent. He gained a degree in Natural Sciences and a PhD from Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge. He joined the Assay Office London as Superintendent Assayer in 2000, and has been responsible, over the seventeen years of his tenure, for the introduction of new technologies such as laser marking and XRF machines within the modern day assaying process, as well as the introduction of sub-assay offices. He also played an active part in the successful lobbying for the exclusion of

Building Your Craft Industry Network and Starting Conversations

Building Your Craft Industry Network and Starting Conversations 6 November 2019 The Goldsmiths' Centre, London Broadening your circle of contacts and networking is crucial to developing your profile and practice, but it can be a daunting process. Start today and join us as we bring together practitioners from across the industry, including blacksmiths and silversmiths, to launch Birmingham City University’s new e-book Making Form: Contemporary British Fine Metalwork. The evening will feature introductions to the topic by industry professionals, Rebecca de Quin and Lucy Quinnell, helping you to understand how they pushed beyond their comfort zone and forged their

Appointment: Andrew Marshall Joins DBC London as Production Manager

London based jewellery design and manufacturing process bureau DBC London has announced the appointment of Andrew Marshall as its new Production Manager. Andrew has been working within in the jewellery industry for 25 years and has previously successfully managed him own business, reaching out to customers and proactively addressing their queries. David Marshall the Managing Director of DBC London said: “We are all confident that Andrew will take on his new responsibilities with the same enthusiasm and professionalism as he has in his previous positions.” Andrew will take up his new position from 20 August 2018 at the Goldsmiths’ Centre,

TRUE - Bettina Speckner

TRUE - Bettina Speckner Gallery S O is pleased to present a new body of work by leading contemporary jeweller Bettina Speckner. The exhibition comprises work made from different photographic techniques, including photo-etchings on zinc, Tintypes and Alutypes. The photo-etching on zinc plates technique comes from an old printing process, the Heliogravure. Bettina Speckner selects pictures which convey a sense of timelessness, mostly using photos taken by herself and occasionally found ones. The Tintype (Ferrotype) was invented in the US at the end of the 19th century, after the Daguerreotype. The technique is also called (wet-plate collodium photography). It is

Salt of the Earth

Salt of the Earth 2019 International Fashion Showcase: Part of London Fashion Week Brave New Worlds: The changing landscape of fashion 11- 24 February 2019 Somerset House, London Salt of the Earth examines the concept of power and submission through the talismanic properties of jewellery and adornment. Exploring the complex historical, political and chemical properties of salt, the collection forms part of a conceptual installation at Somerset House during London Fashion Week 2019. The pieces look at salt’s ability to poison, erode and decay using the process of patina and conversely the material’s ability to create, rejuvenate and give life

The Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation The foundation is one of the largest independent foundations that provide grants in the UK. Approximately 75 per cent of its Arts & Heritage grants budget go to the arts and 25 per cent to heritage projects. Art with a social impact Eligibility The Foundation supports wok that Uses a creative approach to address difficult social or environmental issues, or Builds engagement with culture in areas where there is low provision. Applicant must Offer both artistic excellence and long-term social impact, and Put people at the centre of the creative process, and have a defined pathway of

A pure white avant-garde ceramic jewelry by Raluca Buzura

Raluca Buzura found herself dialoguing with ceramic while expressing her visual interpretation of sculpting the nature writes Ilaria Ruggiero. She comes from the installation field and something very scenographic remains on her approach. The nature is her most important source of inspiration, as everything ranging in everyday life. Her work is a translation in porcelain of her personal experiences, trying to obliterate these traces during the process by simplifying the boundaries between real and abstract, in a swirl of textures and structures from which are foreseen flashes of gold. A mix of very different stylistic contributions merged together allows her to

Spotted at Top Drawer

Applications to the Next Edition of Spotted at Top Drawer are Open The Autumn / Winter 2018 edition of Spotted at Top Drawer is open, the selection process has begun and stands are already filling fast, indicating that this edition is on track to be the best yet. Open to brands from across the world looking to make their UK trade fair debut, Spotted encompasses each of Top Drawer’s sectors: Home, Gift, Fashion, Craft, Greetings & Stationery and Food. Over the past eight years this programme has helped to launch over 200 small businesses and is now firmly established as

Formnext 2017 Additive Manufacturing Show

Formnext 2017 Formnext will feature the latest developments in additive manufacturing and how they complement and interact with conventional technologies. This will uncover new potential in the entire manufacturing process, from design to serial production. Amongst the exhibitors are the world's leading manufacturers in additive manufacturing technologies as well as renowned and innovative companies from industrial tooling, materials, mechanical engineering, metrology, prototyping, product processing, accessories and many more. Formnext will, therefore, highlight the next generation of intelligent manufacturing solutions. Our exhibitors offer the following products and services: Solutions for Additive Manufacturing Industrial tooling Manufacturing solutions Design & product development Quality

Organic glass and fluid landscape

Biba Schutz is one of those artists who has no need to deepen the analytical phase of her creative process. Her intuitive ability and emotional approach to work allow her to achieve incredible results. Rippling Necklace During the course of her evolutionary journey, Biba has experimented with a range of materials, searching for a balanced dialogue between form and content, construction and meaning. However, perhaps it is in the use of glass that her language is best expressed and defined, even though she prefers to define herself as a metal worker. Her approach to glass was born almost casually 10

BFC / VOGUE Designer Fashion Fund 2019

Call for Applications: BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2019 The British Fashion Council is delighted to announce that applications are now open for the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2019 . Prize Established in 2008, The Fund aims to discover new talent and accelerate growth over a twelve-month period through mentoring and awarding a cash prize of £200,000. The BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund receives the generous support of British Vogue, Burberry, JD.com Inc., Label/Mix, Paul Smith, Rodial and TOPSHOP. Applications are strongly encouraged from all over the UK; the application process encourages brands to think strategically about the Fund’s core objective of

Alexander Wood's jewellery skills earn top ten in the world place

Young British jewellery maker Alexander Wood left Abu Dhabi with a champions medal after earning a coveted top 10 place at the 44th WorldSkills Competition recently. Alexander, a member of the Goldsmiths’ Company Apprenticeship Scheme and currently earning his spurs with Ian Read Diamond Setters in Kent, received a Medallion of Excellence for reaching the international standard in the Jewellery skills category. His achievement was the result of three years worth of training, honing his silversmithing, polishing, micro-setting and enamelling skills though he started his selection process for WorldSkills back in September 2015 when he became one of eight trainee

Made for the Table

Made for the Table Made for the Table presents contemporary silver from the Goldsmiths’ Company Collection, together with the curated work of leading UK artisans in furniture design, glass, ceramics and textiles. This modern table setting is introduced by examples of extraordinary antique silver acquired over several hundred years by the Company. This reflects its long history of patronage and contextualises the outstanding work of makers practicing in Britain today. The exhibition demonstrates both a continuation of silversmithing techniques and innovation in the treatment of the material. The process of handforging allows cutlery to be created in precisely the same

The NAJ Awards

Call for Applications: The NAJ Awards The NAJ Awards celebrate the achievements of members of the National Association of Jewellers. How to Apply The nomination process has changed, awards are no longer about the number of votes from your industry peers – you have to put yourself forward and tell the NAJ why you deserve an award. Why Apply? If you are shortlisted or go on to win an award your business will benefit from a great deal of publicity, as the NAJ let the industry know who you are and why you are special. Online Application It takes just

International Pearl Design Competition 2018

Call for Applications: International Pearl Design Competition 2018 The International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC) was created in 2009 to recognize design excellence with all types of cultured pearls under the authority of the Cultured Pearl Association of America. The Awards are international in scope, and have garnered international recognition for both emerging and seasoned artists from all over the world. The judging process is anonymous, transparent, and confidential. Judges are leaders of the jewelry industry and include retailers, editors, buyers, and pearl jewelry craftsmen. Purpose of the Competition Awards are given to entries that demonstrate high levels of design achievement

The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office Celebrate Ten Years at Heathrow

This month the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office celebrates the tenth anniversary of its Heathrow Sub-Office within the secure premises of Brink’s Global Services, at Heathrow Airport. Like all good birthday parties, the celebrations kicked off with a cake! Between bites Kevin Bowles, Heathrow Sub-Office Manager, said, “Setting up the facility in partnership with Brink’s secure logistics services has proven to give unrivalled efficiency and security for a decade. I’m really proud of that, and my team here.” In the secure premises the team of 11 cover the entire assay and hallmarking process. Opened in January 2008, the office was set up as

Design House Shimell and Madden design London Design Biennale Medals

The medals for the 2018 London Design Biennale have been designed by Shimell and Madden - the Shoreditch based jewellery studio whose work is strongly influenced by the universal and symbolic language of geometry. Taking simple yet powerful primal shapes, the designers create pieces that have both an ancient and modern resonance. In response to the Biennale’s 2018 theme, Emotional States , Shimell and Madden sought to highlight the mechanics at work when we observe, imitate and reflect facial expressions. They used a mirrored surface in the design as a representative device for this process of emotional identification. Using metal

Kelvin J Birk: From the hegemony of value to the freedom of form

Kelvin J Birk loves to explore the concept of value in jewellery, and he does so through the provocation that characterizes his creative process writes Ilaria Ruggiero. His creations are in fact the result of a series of actions to break and pulverise precious stones, which are thus deprived of their first and original form and structure in order to create something new; in some ways the same, but also different. The stones are then mixed together, in some cases with non-precious materials, thus playing with the altered perceptions that such a mixture can create. In this way Kelvin questions what

The Festival of Crafts 2018

The Festival of Crafts 2018 The Festival of Crafts will return on Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 October 2018. Exhibitor applications are now open. The Festival of Crafts is an annual two day craft event held at Farnham Maltings. Now in its 22nd year, the festival is well established in the craft calendar and features a curated selection of makers from across the UK. The work shown is across all media, including but not limited to, homewares, jewellery, ceramics, stationery, accessories, furniture, lighting, textiles and print. The festival champions great design and the process of making, both traditional and modern

32nd Edition of the Marzee International Graduation Show

32nd Edition of the Marzee International Graduation Show Galerie Marzee 14 August - 31 October 2018 The annual Marzee International Graduation Show, is the highlight of the Marzee exhibition calendar, and has grown from a modest affair to an event unparallelled in size and scope. We are still in the process of selecting work for this year's 32nd edition of the Graduation Show and have already selected jewellery and objects by 75 graduates from 35 different art schools and academies from Europe, US, Asia and Australia. Galerie Marzee is unique in its support for emerging young talent and since 1986 the

New Technologies make for a growth industry and an emerging one

The advent of electronic mining - the process of extracting gold, silver, copper from discarded electronic objects to make jewellery - is now a growing industry. The 26 year old London based jewellery designer Eliza Walter, Founder of Lylie, is the only jeweller in the UK sourcing all the materials for her designs from ‘urban mining’. Eliza Walter has been awarded a hallmark by the Birmingham Assay Office for her efforts. Other new technologies in mainstream use include 3D printing in jewellery schools and jewellery manufacturing companies like Weston Beamor (3D printing for jewellery has seen a 450% growth year

Makers working with Glass in Jewellery

Call for Submissions: Makers working with Glass in Jewellery We are looking for jewellers or glassmakers interested in submitting images of their work and process for upcoming publication about Glass Jewellery. The book will written by Mirka Janeckova and published by Crowood Press, UK. Expected date of publishing will be early 2019. Book will be distributed internationally. About the Author Mirka Janeckova is an award winning contemporary jewellery maker based in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. She graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2013 and from Royal College of Art, London in 2016. Her practice is based on interdisciplinary research –

Miss World China crowned with Fei Liu's glorious £11 million masterpiece

Fei Liu's magnificent Blue of Dreams tiara, worth £11 million and featuring a stunning 88 carat sapphire, was placed ceremoniously on the head of Chinese beauty queen Guan Siyu last week when she won the Miss World China 2017 pageant in Dalian, China. The Fei Liu Fine Jewellery founder collaborated with the New Silkroutes Group Ltd to create his amazing masterpiece and took a full 9 months to complete it - in a painstaking process of design and intricate craftsmanship. Look closely and you will see the majestic 88ct Sri Lanka blue sapphire set in platinum, six high-grade over sapphires,

Princess Royal Training Award

Call for Applications: Princess Royal Training Award Applying for a Princess Royal Training Award will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on what you have achieved through your investment in training. The awards are free to enter and are open to organisations of all sizes, and from all sectors in the UK. Entrants will receive tailored support throughout the application process. Apply now Applications are open from 02 January – 29 March 2018 . A prestigious awards ceremony to celebrate those who receive the award will take place in the autumn. The Awards provide you with one-to-one support through

WB The Creative Jewellery boss extols 'right fit' Heimerle & Meule deal

The acquisition of Birmingham-based WB The Creative Jewellery Group by German group Heimerle & Meule represents an ‘absolutely right fit’ according to managing director Andrew Morton and will give added security for the futures of around 180 staff. Andrew Morton - WB The Creative Group Managing Director The process of selling WB The Creative Jewellery Group, which owns Domino, Gecko and Weston Beamor to the 173 year-old Heimerle & Meule, one of Europe’s largest precious metal suppliers, started in 2016 when owners Viv and Patrick Fuller decided the time had come to think about retiring. It had been established by

Appointment: Scott Williams Appointed NAJ’s New Head of Membership

The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) has appointed Scott Williams, previously the association’s Membership Services Officer, to fulfil the Head of Membership position. Scott will lead the Membership team based in the Birmingham office and travel across the UK to raise awareness of the association and its services. NAJ Chairman, Simon Johnson commented: “Since joining the association Scott has streamlined the administration process in the Membership department, his due diligence and sparkling personality have gone down well with members. Having excelled in his previous role, we are thrilled to offer Scott the opportunity to lead the Membership team and meet

In:Site Festival Opportunity

Call for Applictions: In:Site Festival In:Site Festival is open to new craft and design graduates. Opportunity for BA Graduates and MA Postgraduates Craftspace returns to Birmingham Cathedral Square for the eighth year with In:Site, a festival of site-specific and co-created work created by recent graduates. In:Site provides an opportunity for selected applied arts graduates to create temporary, bespoke public artworks. Working outdoors within the Cathedral grounds, each graduate has a day to make their creative intervention on-site, turning the making process into a performance. The daily making performances, sometimes participatory, are intended to gradually fill the square with installations. Past

Traditional to Contemporary Wax Carving and Wax Modelling

Traditional to Contemporary Wax Carving and Wax Modelling 6 Week Course - Saturdays 20 Jan 2018 - 3 Mar 2018 (half-term 24 Feb) What will be taught? This course is designed to explore working with different waxes such as the traditional carving wax but also modelling waxes used in the jewellery and dental casting industries. You will learn traditional techniques with an experimental approach to working with waxes and we will encourage you to combine them with unusual materials and stones etc, to explore the boundaries of lost wax casting. You will learn how the lost wax casting process works

De Vroomen: Harmony in Colour and Form

De Vroomen: Harmony in Colour and Form The Goldsmiths’ Company is delighted to present De Vroomen: Harmony in Colour and Form, a celebration of five decades of artistic collaboration between renowned husband and wife team, Dutch goldsmith Leo de Vroomen and British jewellery designer and artist Ginnie de Vroomen. The showcase brings together over 100 pieces of De Vroomen jewels, sketches reflecting the creative process, as well as Ginnie’s vivid paintings inspired by nature and the urban landscape. In essence, bold, sophisticated jewellery with flowing lines is placed in conversation with polychromatic abstract art. When Leo and Ginnie started working together in the early 70s, they developed

VIPA Designs Offers Europe's First Fairmined Eco Precious Metal

Vipa Designs Ltd, leaders in ‘Design to Delivery’ for the jewellery trade, has become the first-ever European jewellery manufacturer to offer Fairmined Eco gold. Receiving its first consignment of the metal this month, Vipa Designs provides retailers and designers with the possibility to have bespoke designs and collections cast in this most precious of ethical metals, produced without the use of cyanide and mercury typical to the gold mining process. Offering gold mined at the small-scale artisanal Xamodx Ngo mine in Mongolia, Vipa Designs is answering the needs of ever-more ethically conscious consumers shopping for fine and bridal jewellery. Fairmined

Bernhard Schobinger: After Nature

Bernhard Schobinger: After Nature "So, when the optic nerve tears, in the still of the air all turns as white as the snow of the Alps". - W.G Sebald "After Nature", 1988 In figurative art, to paint after nature is the opposite of “imitating art”, with its idealization of reality. The works in this exhibition of recent jewellery by Bernhard Schobinger evince the natural world through a communality of means; rather than “imitating nature” they assimilate the human creative process to that of nature, with its perfect, sophisticated and senseless accidents. The contrast between the polished angular surfaces and rough

Call for Applications: Real To Reel - The Craft Film Festival May 2017

Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival, produced by the Crafts Council and Crafts magazine, is the first UK festival dedicated to craft and moving image, giving a platform to the wealth of films that explore themes of making, makers, materials and process in the broadest sense. It will take place on the evenings of 2nd, 3rd and 4th May 2017 at Picturehouse Central, London. We are interested in all genres: documentaries, story-led films and animation that capture skill in action, unveil hidden processes and invite us to look again at materials and those who shape them. We are eager

Watchfinder Clocks in with Brand New TV Advertising Campaign

Guerillascope is pleased to announce the launch of the new TV advertising campaign from Watchfinder, the UK’s leading online retailer of pre-owned luxury watches. The campaign, which aired live on August 8 , features on the likes of Sky News, Dave, the Sky Sports network, More 4, BT Sports, Discovery Channel and National Geographic, as part of a strategy targeting adults within the ABC1 demographic. Watchfinder specialises in the buying and selling of pre-owned luxury watches, with customers able to circumnavigate what can often be a stressful process by completing a simple online enquiry form. A preliminary quote is sent within one

The Art Of Jewellery: Jessica Trafford, Gill Wing Gallery – Islington, London

At Gill Wing Jewellery Gallery our team are made up of makers with a love of sharing the artist’s process. We seek to showcase jewellers with unique skills developed through hands on practice and a dedication to their craft. The exciting work they produce couldn’t be achieved without allowing themselves the freedom to explore ideas, the spontaneity invaluable in the advancement of their field. We chose to celebrate this artistic approach to jewellery with a solo show by new Central Saint Martin’s Jewellery graduate Jessica Trafford. Jessica’s work reminds us of the value of the artist’s skills honed during their

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair - Old Granada Studios, Manchester

The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair (GNCCF) is recognised as one of the leading selling events for contemporary craft in the UK, attracting over 6000 visitors to Old Granada Studios. It showcases contemporary craft to buy from over 160 selected designer-makers in: ceramics, glass, jewellery, interiors and home-wares, fashion design and fashion textiles, wood, furniture, paper, silver, metal, product design, print-making and more. Visitors can buy or commission work directly from the makers, learning about the process, inspiration, materials and stories behind the work. The GNCCF champions contemporary craft and makers at all stages of their careers. From emerging graduates

Moor Otter Commission

In 2017 Dartmoor National Park is undertaking a public arts initiative, the model will be a 3 foot tall Moor Otter - primed and ready to paint. We are now calling for artists, craft makers, designers etc to submit a design submission for one of the 100 Moor Otters. To Apply The application process is quite simple. You submit a proposed design on or before Friday 11th November 2016, at 17h00 . All designs will be reviewed by our expert ‘Selection Panel’ on Friday 18th November '16. If selected, you will receive a 3 foot tall fibreglass & resin Otter,

Appointment: Martin Bach names as Cooksongold's New Managing Director

Martin Bach officially joined Cooksongold on 19 September 2016, ahead of current Managing Director, Richard Oldroyd’s Rretirement at the end of 2016. After an extensive and in-depth recruitment process, Cooksongold is happy to announce the appointment of Martin Bach as Managing Director. Martin Bach will be working alongside Richard Oldroyd until the end of the year, when Richard Oldroyd will retire. Martin Bach will then assume responsibility from 1 January 2017. Martin Bach has vast management experience in automotive and engineering businesses in the UK, France and the USA. Over the course of the coming months, he will have the support of Cooksongold’s

Under the Sea by Philippe Pfeiffer, Summer 2017

Philippe Pfeiffer is a London-based jeweller who specialises in creating spectacular, hand-crafted jewellery. Founded in 1997 in Zurich, Philippe Pfeiffer Jewellery is now based at 52 Artillery Lane, in the heart of Spitalfields, London. Each piece is designed and made by Philippe Pfeiffer in his Spitalfields atelier. Dedicated to creating unique pieces from a selection of rare and precious stones, he produces a range of daring combinations made from a variety of materials. A vast and eclectic collection of materials and found objects inform his creative process and can be seen at his atelier. His imagination knows no bounds and

Cooksongold Announce New Managing Director

Alexander Wood to Represent UK at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi

The Goldsmiths’ Company has announced that Alexander Wood has been chosen to represent the UK in the Jewellery Competition at the WorldSkills Finals in Abu Dhabi. The 44th edition of the world’s leading vocational education and skills excellence competition, which will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 14-19 October 2017, will bring together 1000 apprentices and students from 70 countries, all vying for the top spot in a particular vocational field. The two-year process has seen competitors win regional heats, a national final, European finals and more recently jump the final hurdle reaching the most

GSFA 2016 | April Doubleday | Fairtrade Gold Mining in Colombia

April Doubleday is an Ethical deigner/maker of Contemporary Jewellery, living on the North Coast of Devon. She uses the coastline, rock formations and the sea as inspiration for her designs. Her Jewellery is bold and energetic using line, form and colour where every piece is given its own sense of creation and individuality of its own. April's vision of her company is to strive for complete transparency throughout her business. This transparency spreads from her sourcing of precious metal suppliers and gemstones to the design process with clients. April is committed to ensuring she uses suppliers that have social and

Red Dot Award: Best Product Designs 2017 Announced

Manufacturers and designers from 54 countries entered their current product innovations in the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017. 39 experts from all over the world convened in Essen to assess each individual object live and in situ in a process spanning several days. Only designs that won over the jury with their high design quality were awarded the sought-after Red Dot. The distinctive winners’ label will decorate the best products of the year with immediate effect. In the areas of bathrooms and personal care, consumer electronics, kitchen appliances and furniture, design as a distinctive feature is playing an ever-increasing role.

Catapult Project’ propels Weston Beamor into a new era of casting

Weston Beamor, the Birmingham Casting house, 3D printing and bespoke m anufacturing company has recently been engaged in a Government funded High Value Manufacturing Catapult initiative. It has been working closely with academics at a well-known Midland University to m ove its casting processes forward for the next decade. The company has invested heavily in new casting equipment, which is parti cularly ideal for platinum and palladium casting, and has worked closely with university staff to fi nd the best possible methods of dealing with the nuances of the lost wax casting process using synth etic casting resins developed

Futuristic Utopia: Charlotte Anderson Sculpts her '2300' Final Collection

Charlotte Asherson, a jewellery student from Central Saint Martins, came to see D2W’s jewellery expert Dovydas Pocius with some sketches and draft CAD files that described an extensive collection of jewellery designs. During the initial consultation, Charlotte explained that she had started to produce some of the collection using traditional jewellery and silversmithing techniques but the process had proven to be too expensive and she wasn’t satisfied with the final result. Charlotte had a good understanding of 3D printing and thought this might be an alternative and more successful avenue to use to realise her designs. She wanted her collection

The Toolbox Initiative

The Toolbox Initiative is a volunteer effort created by jewelers Matthieu Cheminée and Tim McCreight in 2014. The goal is to assist jewelers with limited resources through the collective strength of the metalworking community and to create new connections worldwide. The Toolbox Initiative collect donations of new or gently used tools and silver and deliver them directly to hardworking jewelers, primarily in West Africa. Each exchange is personal and non-commercial. Contributors send extra tools or sterling silver scrap to us, we clean the tools and process the silver, then carry it with us when we travel to Africa, or send it

Harriet Kelsall is invited to join the British Hallmarking Council

Leading jewellery designer Harriet Kelsall has been invited to join the British Hallmarking Council. The statutory body ensures all items being sold in the UK as precious metals are hallmarked to confirm they meet the legal standard. The process of hallmarking in Great Britain began over 700 years ago and in Harriet’s new role as Non-Executive Director, she will represent retail jewellers and continue the protection of consumer rights in the British Jewellery industry. Harriet Kelsall is one of the most respected bespoke jewellery designers and business trailblazers working in the UK jewellery industry today. She founded her business –

Supreme Court judgment in FCA’s business interruption insurance test case

The Supreme Court has today delivered its judgment in the Financial Conduct Authority’s ( FCA )’s business interruption insurance test case. The Supreme Court has substantially allowed the FCA’s appeal on behalf of policyholders. This completes the legal process for impacted policies and means that many thousands of policyholders will now have their claims for coronavirus -related business interruption losses paid. Sheldon Mills, Executive Director, Consumers and Competition at the FCA , commented: 'Coronavirus is causing substantial loss and distress to businesses and many are under immense financial strain to stay afloat. This test case involved complex legal issues. Our aim

News Edit: 3 February 2019

A round up of this week's international jewellery news... Chaumet's muse Empress Joséphine inspires high jewellery full of colour The Telegraph: There’s something about a diamond tiara that ignites a flurry of excitement inside even the most staunchly indifferent. www.telegraph.co.uk Chroma: Ana Khouri’s golden touch Wallpaper: The entire technique, which I’ve spent years developing, is a secret,’ says the Brazilian-born, New York-based fine jewellery designer Ana Khouri of the manufacturing process behind this delicate choker, formed from a mesh of coloured gold. www.wallpaper.com Iris Van Herpen 3d Printed “Face Jewellery” Expresses Hybridity At Paris Fashion Week 2019 3D Industry

Q&A: Rosie Fortescue

BAFTA award winning reality TV personality, fashion blogger, style writer and jewellery designer Rosie Fortescue answers the benchpeg Q&A. What’s your name, and what do you for a living? RF: Rosie Fortescue, jewellery designer and fashion blogger. How did you come to work in the jewellery industry? RF: I have been obsessed with jewellery for as long as I can remember so it seemed the natural progression of fulfilling my dream. How would you describe your work to someone who doesn’t know it? RF: I design affordable luxury jewellery from women of all ages. What is your creative process? RF: I write down

Innovative Training For Small Scale Jewellery Manufacturing

The Bespoke Jewellery Training Company has announced its latest training course innovation for jewellery designer makers and jewellery graduates . Dawn Meaden Johnson’s company had created a link from the handmade to small-scale manufacturing by providing a live mentored project made up of series of mini bespoke consultancy sessions provided by collaboration with jewellery industry specialists based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Dawn said of the new approach to specialist jewellery professional development, “Taking the leap into small scale manufacturing can be a daunting prospect for jewellery Designer Makers however this new course offers mentored guidance throughout the whole process from design to