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Research

Here you'll find resources and research relating to the jewellery industry and allied trades...

Jewellery buying sentiments highlighted as NAJ publish consumer research

The National Association of Jewellers has published its consumer research on the role of Jewellery in the lives of UK customers, in whitepaper and research report format. Profiling the opinions of more than 2500 consumers, the ‘outside in’ research is one of the largest market research activities to be carried out by the trade for a decade, and a first for the Association. Supported by The Company of Master Jewellers and The Goldsmiths’ Company , the research is now available to download. Download Whitepaper The report identifies key themes underpinning purchases such as ‘to celebrate or commemorate a relationship’, which

'The Market for Craft' research report published

The Crafts Council and a national partnership of 8 organisations, Arts Council of Wales ,  Contemporary Visual Arts Network ,  Craft Northern Ireland ,  Craft Scotland , Crafts Council,  Creative Scotland ,  Creative United ,  The Goldsmiths’ Company ,  Great Northern Events/Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair , have launched the first report into the consumer market for British craft in over a decade. The main finding that craft sales exceeded £3 billion in 2019 in the Market for Craft Report . The first report to identify and gauge appetite for British craft for over a decade reveals our passion for

Goldsmiths’ Company Charity to fund new Cambridge PhD research in precious metals

A gift from the Goldsmiths’ Company Charity to support three new PhD studentships at Cambridge will advance research in precious metals and help develop new technical expertise. The Goldsmiths’ Company programme in precious metals research, which will be based at Cambridge’s Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, will build on the University’s strengths in the study of materials. The Department is one of the world’s leading centres in the study of materials and metals.  The first two students are expected to start in 2019, following a recruitment programme this autumn. The date marks the centenary of a founding gift from

New Research: Businesses Relaxed About IP Risks with 3D Printing

New research from law firm  DMH  Stallard  has found that while many companies are excited by the use and potential of 3D printing, they currently don’t see it posing much of a threat to their intellectual property (IP). This is despite the fact that 3D printing can make counterfeiting goods easier.   The qualitative research spoke to companies working across such areas as using 3D printing to produce prototypes as well as finished parts, and those developing software relevant to 3D printing, design protection and data logistics.   “Of the companies we spoke to, who all operated in a business-to-business

NAJ, CMJ and Goldsmiths’ Company syndicate funds key research on jewellery consumers

NAJ’s Consumer Focus steering group will this month launch a survey to understand why people buy - and do not buy - jewellery. The group’s mission is to stimulate demand for the industry, with the end goal of a joined-up industry campaign to inspire more consumers to buy more jewellery, more often. Adam Jacobs, of Jacobs the Jewellers in Reading Chairs the group and said, “We are extremely thankful to both the CMJ and the Goldsmiths’ Company for supporting this important research activity for the good of the industry. Within the group we’ve been calling the project the jewellery census,

Craft of Gold Beating Now Extinct New Research Shows

New research by the Heritage Crafts Association has found many traditional craft skills in the UK to be hanging on by a thread including a handful of metal working skills. Gold beating is now an officially extinct craft no longer being practiced in the UK. Critically endangered metal skills are listed as metal thread making, hat block making, plane making, saw making and spade making. Metal working skills are then also listed on the Endangered List of The Radcliffe Red List of Endangered Crafts. The report identifies s eventeen crafts as being  critically endangered , including  coach and wagon  making, 

Basics Fashion Design 01: Research and Design

Museum of Arts And Design New York, Appoints Christian Larsen as Windgate Research Curator

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) today announced the appointment of Christian Larsen to the position of Windgate Research Curator, effective immediately.  In this position, funded by the Windgate Charitable Foundation, Larsen will lead an educational and curatorial partnership between the Museum of Arts and Design and Bard Graduate Center (BGC) to increase the visibility of craft and design in art history and the contemporary art world. He replaces Elissa Auther who was named Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs and William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator last September. 'With great enthusiasm, we welcome Christian to the curatorial team at

Creative UK launches critical new survey into creative funding and finance

Creative UK are conducting research to investigate how creative businesses and organisations utilise finance, and want to hear from you –  CLICK HERE . New research is being undertaken by Creative UK in partnership with the Creative Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) and BVA BDRC, supported by the  Bloomberg Philanthropies , the  Creative Industries Council  and  YouTube .  This research , titled  Access to Finance ,   seeks  to capture experiences and perspectives as to how creative businesses and organisations (e.g. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Not-for Profits, etc.) use finance and funding as they grow.  It’s  a critical window of

Middlesex University

We are a progressive London  university  that puts our students first. We are proud to provide expert teaching that is informed by inspiring research and practice. Undergraduate: Jewellery and Accessories - BA (Hons) Postgraduate: Jewellery Furures- MA www.mdx.ac.uk

Contemporary Jewellery: Exploring Its Impact on Well-Being

Contemporary Jewellery: Exploring Its Impact on Well-Being (exhibition) 29 October - 8 November 2024 Loughborough University Arts A jewellery exhibition of doctoral research on how contemporary jewellery impacts well-being. Throughout history, jewellery as an intimate object, has decorated our bodies and developed a variety of meanings and functions. This exhibition presents parts of Yajie’s doctoral research, exploring whether and how contemporary jewellery impacts people’s well-being. The exhibition also traces Yajie’s artistic practice in contemporary jewellery, from initial inspiration and material experimentation to the creation of final pieces.  This PhD research employed various methods, including well-being scales, diaries, and semi-structured interviews

What can Jewellery Businesses Learn from the Celestial Trend?

A recent report by WGSN, the leading experts in fashion forecasting, reveals that astrology themed fashion is going nowhere this year. Americans spent $2.2m on mystical services in 2018, according to research firm IBISWorld, while a Pew Research Centre survey of American adults released last year found that 37% of women and 20% of men said they believed in astrology. According to the report, the rise in New Age spirituality has emerged as a result of anxiety. Political, societal, economic and environmental concerns leave us searching for meaning and control in our lives.  Let’s face it though, the skies will

Jewelry in a Duet

Laura Volpi’s work is a synthesis of energy, research and matter that takes shape through the elaboration of visual stimuli from our contemporaneity, to create jewels that reveal each a different part of her creative storytelling. She conducts an accurate study of volume and a research of the sculptural shape, to create a jewel that explores the boundaries of movement in a wearable dimension writes Ilaria Ruggiero. She was first influenced by Davide De Paoli, who initiated her to the potentialities of plate sculpture, and by Arnaldo Pomodoro, whom she could meet through a scholarship. During the collaboration with Pomodoro, which

Giulia Savino: Which city belongs to you?

Giulia Savino’s main artistic research explores the concept of identity, ownership and belonging through the representation of city maps writes Ilaria Ruggiero. Giulia Savino’s main artistic research explores the concept of identity, ownership and belonging through the representation of city maps. Her main body of work, called 1: 20.000, is a compilation of maps, a collection of cities in form of jewels. As "the map is not the territory" but just one of the many possible representations of reality, each jewel is a personal interpretation of the city that takes / loses its shape in the interaction with the body. Each

When digital meets craft: An open view by Chiara Scarpitti

Chiara Scarpitti is an Italian multidisciplinary artist and designer specializing in contemporary jewelry. Her research investigates different aspects of the contemporary material culture, exploring technology through a humanistic approach. She is one of the few designers able to perfectly synthesize the historical dimension of research, through the eyes of the present, projecting it directly to the future, thanks to the ability of balancing technique, narrative and vision. Through her work, the tradition finds a new identity, thanks to aesthetic and technical innovation. In Chiara’s pieces emerges, perfectly balanced, a collection of suggestions from different narrations and imaginaries. Nature, in its

ENSEMB7E Presents: ‘Hidden Layers’

‘Hidden Layers’ - An exhibition staged by MA by Project Artists Jewellery | Ceramics | Sculpture | Painting | Installation Hidden Layers serves as a metaphor for the outcomes encountered on the path of the search .  The ‘deep learning’ uncovers hither-to protected or concealed layers within an individual’s practice.  Diverse research areas and fine art practices combine to form this multi-disciplinary group – building an individually stronger practice.  Through our research, lost, yet to be discovered, or the newly imagined are encountered. Installations and memory objects subvert conventional notions of home as a safe haven | Evocative landscapes allude

Study of Rare Diamonds Unlocks More of Earth's Secrets

Scientists at GIA (Gemological Institute of America) continue to delve deep into earth's geologic history, using diamonds' distinctive characteristics to go – virtually – where no scientist has ever gone. In two recent scientific papers, GIA researchers and their colleagues at other leading research institutions share their latest discoveries based on information gleaned from extremely rare and pure diamonds from very deep within the earth. "Our unparalleled access to millions of diamonds each year, long-standing relationships with major research institutions and mission-driven dedication to sharing everything we learn make GIA uniquely able to help expand understanding of the fundamental forces

Donald Friedlich: The Glass Alchemist

Donald Friedlich can be called a glass alchemist. Fascinated by its chemical, material and aesthetic properties, he has dedicated the last twenty years of his artistic research to the discovery and exploration of this material, so elusive and challenging writes Ilaria Ruggiero. Among the many achievements, in 2003 he was the first jeweller to be an Artist in Residence at The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass. In 2004 Friedlich was a featured speaker at an international jewellery conference in Melbourne, Australia and an Artist in Residence in both the Glass and Goldsmithing Programs of Canberra School of Art at

Preciousness Beyond Stones

It is usually thought that the preciousness of a jewel lies in the preciousness of the materials or the stones that have made it... but experimentation in the field of jewellery research and design is instead expanding the boundaries of preciousness in an incredible way, including the combination of more and more alternative materials which are not directly associated with traditional jewellery writes Ilaria Ruggiero. Lodovica Fusco, Italian designer and founder of the COLLANEvrosi brand, for example, in her Sea Bed collection aims at representing the seabed in summer and the creatures to be found there; so that shapes, materials and

Jewellery runs Adagio

Adagio is an artistic project about time writes Ilaria Ruggiero in her exhibition review. As photography teaches us, an image is the pure settling for rhythm, the sense of time descending into vision. This is a delicate project that deals with light and movement through the diverse artistic forms of photography and jewellery. A minimalist and conceptual work that is reflected in the dual aesthetic soul of the image and the jewel: both evanescent yet present, stylized and essential. Letizia Maggio's technical and artistic research evolves into a sophisticated and complex narration, which mixes materials such as cotton, silver and

Avoid a Faux-Pas: Spotting a Fake Rolex

With the rate technology is improving, it’ s becoming easier and easier for the manufacturers of fake Rolex watches to copy the timepieces we all know and love. With the millions poured into research and development by the genuine manufacturers, the increasing ability to copy products with alarming  accuracy is taking a greater toll on the industry. With that in mind, we look at five ways to help you steer clear of fake watches. But be warned! With fakers even duplicating the very machinery the watchmakers use to make their watches with, the days of  easily spotting fakes are long

Watches: Blancpain present Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph Blancpain Ocean Commitment II

For the first time, this piece features an allblue ceramic case. For each timepiece sold in this 250-piece limited edition, an amount of 1000 Euro will be donated in support of scientific expeditions. The 250,000 Euro resulting from this will be added to Blancpain’s contributions in support of the oceans. An all-blue case Blancpain’s Research and Development department is engaged in constant innovation. Thanks to this, for the first time, the brand is proud to be able to present an entirely blue ceramic case on its newest Fifty Fathoms watch. This coloring is achieved by adding pigments during the ceramic

Magnesium Is Ready For Take Off

Researchers at Birmingham City University are hoping to transform the fortunes of magnesium this year, by showcasing it as a viable alternative for luxury car makers and the aerospace industry. Researchers at Birmingham City University are hoping to transform the fortunes of magnesium this year, by showcasing it as a viable alternative for luxury car makers and the aerospace industry. It comes as the institution signed an exclusive partnership with the world’s largest producer of magnesium components, Meridian in early January 2017. The strategic alliance will see the two organisations work together in the education, research and development of magnesium

‘Wearable Memories: Stones of the Grassland’

‘Wearable Memories: Stones of the Grassland’ Martin Hall Gallery,  Loughborough College 12pm-2pm, weekdays only from 26 September - 11 October 2024 PhD researcher Zihan Zhou presents jewellery and research work from her doctoral project within the exhibition ‘Wearable Memories: Stones of the Grassland’. The exhibition will be open in Martin Hall Gallery from 12pm-2pm, weekdays only from 26 September until 11 October.   There will be an opening and preview event on Thursday 26 September, 4pm-6pm. This event is open to all and no booking is required. This exhibition is part of Zihan's ongoing practice-based doctoral project, 'Wearable Memories: Contemporary

Blunt Blades

Contemporary Intervention by Leading Artist Arabel Lebrusan Opens at The Higgins Bedford: Blunt Blades 11 November 2021 - 30th October 2022  The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford  Blunt Blades , a new display exploring our complex relationships with knives and their variety of roles by leading visual artist,  Arabel Lebrusan , opens at  The Higgins Bedford  on Thursday 11 November 2021. Knife crime in the UK is the highest it has been in over a decade. Informed by years of research after Arabel received three crates of confiscated knives and weapons from Bedfordshire Police in 2013, this display explores

Vicenzaoro Hosts Industry's First Ever Hackathon

An earring able to call the police when in danger. A bracelet that warms up thanks to solar energy. A ring that staves off skin problems. A bracelet that explains Italy’s cultural heritage. An accessory able to exploit time. These were the best ideas to come out of the jewellery industry's first hackathon at this year's Vicenzaoro. Vicenzaoro January, staged the first edition of  The Gold Run , the jewellery technology hackathon for more than 60,000 students and researchers, devised in collaboration with Padua University within the context of T.Gold. The Gold Run opened Vicenzaoro to fusion with the world of research, [youtube

Glenmorangie Annual Lecture: Simone ten Hompel

Glenmorangie Annual Lecture: Simone ten Hompel 7:00pm – 8:15pm, Thursday 10 October 2019 National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Silversmith Simone ten Hompel discusses her commission from National Museums Scotland and The Glenmorangie Company to create a new piece of contemporary metal artwork inspired by the museum’s early medieval collections. About the Commission As part of the Creating Scotland project, National Museums Scotland and Glenmorangie have commissioned a major new piece of contemporary metalwork for display in the National Museum of Scotland. The current phase of the Glenmorangie Project, Creating Scotland, sees the research focus on the 9th to 12th centuries,

Global Gold ETF holdings drop by 175 tonnes, the largest level of net quarterly outflows since 2013

Gold prices came under significant pressure since the start of the year, correcting by 13% during the first three months, and trading at near nine-month low at end-March.. Investment demand for bars and coins jumped by 40% driven by bargain hunting and growing concerns about rising inflationary pressures and currency stability Sentiment shift towards gold among the professional investor community, as evidenced by strong outflows from gold ETFs. Gold ETF investors liquidated 175 tonnes in the first quarter of the year representing the largest level of net quarterly outflows since Q4 2013 according to Refinitiv Metals Research. It was also

MRE's Advanced Materials for the Future Conference

MRE's Advanced Materials for the Future Conference 23 - 24 April 2024 Business Design Centre, London Returning in its 10th year, MRE's Advanced Materials for the Future Conference. Full of new insights about material research and innovations taking place across the UK. Find targeted seminars on a range of cutting-edge areas such as materials for net zero across a number of sectors. This event enables collaboration between industry and academic communities. The event is sponsored by The Henry Royce Institute. What can you expect? We are planning for targeted seminars on a range of cutting-edge areas such as materials for

Robert Baines: Living Treasure and Fabulous Follies

The exhibition Robert Baines: Living Treasure and Fabulous Follies  is organized by Gallery Loupe for Contemporary Art Jewelry, Montclair, New Jersey, in collaboration with the Arkansas Arts Center and aims at celebrating the dazzling and witty work of the master goldsmith, craftsman and leading scholar in the field of archaeometallurgy. Everything in his creative research started when The Metropolitan Museum of Art encouraged him to make copies of pieces in their collection and testing them. This has developed his personal understandings that jewelry artifact crystallizes “human drama” and this knowledge base has empowered my trajectory into playing with jewelry history and

Domino to present diverse, design-led product portfolio at IJL

Domino Jewellery are set to delight UK and international buyers with their diverse, design-led product portfolio at International Jewellery London this year. The Birmingham based manufacturer has received excellent feedback on collections launched so far in 2019; the team are confident that their focus on high quality design with on trend pieces driven by market research and customer feedback, will drive continued demand for Domino collections. At IJL this year, the team will exhibit product from all of its 2019 collections including Fusion – interlocking, stackable diamond rings, Empire – clustered diamond engagement and lifestyle rings, and the recently refreshed

Diamonds are no longer a girl’s best friend… according to 58% of millennials

Millennials are ditching bling traditional diamonds, in favour of unique styles and brightly coloured stones for their engagement rings Research shows that diamonds are no longer a ‘girl’s best friend’, according to millennials. A survey of 5,000 people between the ages of 23 and 38, showed that 58% opted for independent designers and 'bespoke' one of a kind pieces in coloured stones to commemorate their forthcoming nuptials, whilst 32% chose their birth stone - and 25% chose the birth stone of a beloved family member. This follows recent reports that millennials are choosing to save up and invest in 'collectable'

Cutting Edge - Contemporary Glass Jewellery Exhibition

Cutting Edge - Contemporary Glass Jewellery Exhibition A special edition for New York City Jewellery Week 12 th  – 17th November 2018 Adornment has the pleasure to present, on the occasion of the  New York City Jewellery Week , a special edition of  Cutting Edge , an exhibition of jewellery design and research into glass, first announced in Venice within the Venice Glass Week. The exhibition will be held in the revolutionary spaces of R & Company on 64 White Street, a showcase for global modernism spanning two centuries and focused on the future of design, from 12th – 17th

Gemfields Launch New Website

Gemfields, a world leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, specialising in emeralds and amethysts from Zambia and rubies from Mozambique launches its brand new website dedicated to showcasing all aspects of the company.  The site offers users key insight into Gemfields’ approach to sustainable and responsible mining at each of the Gemfields’ owned mines, its invaluable education programmes, information on gemstones themselves and ongoing collaborations with renowned jewellery houses and designers.  The new site, designed by the bespoke web design specialists, Chaptr, is the result of over 10 months of research, development and testing, with an impactful and luxurious

Measured - Sue Lorraine @ Gallery Funaki

Measured -  Sue Lorraine Gallery Funaki, Victoria, Australia 30 July - 24 August 2019 Sue Lorraine is a leading Australian jewellery artist with a practice that spans over thirty-five years. A partner and founding member of the jewellery studio, Gray Street Workshop and from 1999-2008 the Creative Director of the Metal Design Studio, JamFactory, Adelaide. Sue exhibits nationally and internationally and has work in every state collection of Australia. Her exhibition practice is founded in conceptual and research-based methodologies. Sue works predominantly in steel, in a style that is graphic, minimal and refined. More recently she has incorporated found objects and materials into her work

Future Craft Conference: Entrepreneurship or Enterprise?

Future Craft Conference: Entrepreneurship or Enterprise? The University for the Creative Arts is liaising with leading institutions to instigate and explore 'Future Craft'. The first in a series biennial conferences will offer an opportunity to discuss, engage, debate, publish and disseminate new research starting with craft issues within the Jewellery and Silversmithing industries.   The opening conference seeks to provide a framework for a discussion on and around ‘Entrepreneurship or Enterprise?’ By celebrating present achievements and ideas we can look forward to exploring what the future might hold.  Possibilities for the next ‘Future Craft’ conference to be hosted by Queensland College

Q&A: Stephen Bottomley

Stephen Bottomley is a Jewellery Designer, Academic and Researcher and  will take up position as the new Head of School at the School of Jewellery Birmingham this Spring. Formerly he was the Head of Department and Programme Director of BA & MFA Jewellery and Silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art. Up until recently he was also Director Post Graduate Research in the School of Design, the Chair of RAFT an Interdisciplinary Network at ECA and on the Board of Craft Scotland. Stephen's jewellery is represented in collections at the National Museums Scotland, British Museum, South East Arts Collection and Royal

The Goldsmiths’ Company Delivers the Largest Conference in the World to Date to Address Jewellery Materials

Last week, the Goldsmiths’ Company delivered the first Jewellery Materials Congress. The conference, which is the largest conference world-wide to address jewellery technology, was created to support the jewellery and silverware community, by providing a forum for the exchange of knowledge to better the industry, free of commercialisation.  Over the two-day conference, a wide agenda of topics was addressed through a series of talks and Q&A, broadly categorised by four themes: academic research, visions of the industry, and artisan and industrial materials manufacture. These talks were delivered by a panel of eighteen international speakers, including keynotes delivered by Eddie Bell,

Confidence vote in 'Made in Britain' brand

Products stamped 'Made in Britain' have a greater chance of being sold, according to new research into consumer brands, with British brands perceived both at home and abroad as being good quality and stylish but more expensive. A survey conducted by British brand intelligence and consumer insights firm Attest, across 4,000 consumers, half in Britain and half US, found that 75% of people questioned said they would be more likely to buy a product with a Made in Britain label. Even though 1 in 3 Americans said they did not know any British brands, the most common name to crop

Luca Tripaldi: A Gothic View

The Gothic and Baroque strand in contemporary ceramics is finding several prominent exponents in the international arena, each characterized by personal tastes and styles writes Ilaria Ruggiero. One of these is certainly Luca Tripaldi, who combines his intense activity as a sculptor and teacher, with continuous research and technical experimentation that is often directed into jewellery. In the past he worked for many years at Mario Audello in Turin as sculptor, making masks and special effects for many opera houses like “Scala di Milano” and “Arena di Verona”, etc. Attention to scenography, detail, theatricality and narrative components are all easily traceable

New building for University’s School of Jewellery

Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery is set to expand, following a new building acquisition in the city’s St Paul’s Square. Previously home to Abbey College, the School will take on 10 St Paul’s Square in April, opening in September 2019 as a new postgraduate jewellery design and research facility with new design studios and offices for staff and doctoral researchers. The School of Jewellery’s library and computer suite will also move to the new 11,200 sq ft building, enabling the conversion of rooms at the existing and historic core Vittoria Street site for additional studio space for undergraduate students.

Point of No Return with Christoph Zellweger at K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery

Point of No Return at K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery with Christoph Zellweger 4 ½ Day Workshop 14th – 17th August 2018 This workshop 'POINT OF NO RETURN' will be led by Swiss jewellery artist and designer Christoph Zellweger, who’s commitment to applied research as a visionary practitioner and experienced coach has gained international recognition. The workshop is aimed at professional colleagues from all parts of the world, as well as ambitious students and amateurs, who wish to progress their work and to give direction to their practice. Point of No Return Get going, get started, carry on, stretch far, move forward, retreat,

Jewelry links: The power of jewelry as a social, political and creative connection

I’ve been following the Turkish contemporary jewellery art scene for a few years now and I have always had the feeling that in the development of their art and design there was something singular and unique. This is both in terms of stylistic evolution and research, and in the formation of a compact, intelligent and measured identity and a creative movement involving artists and designers either individually or collectively. The exhibition JEWELRY LINKS, on view until 11 August at alja&friends gallery in Vienna, brings together 13 jewelry artists from Turkey with the aim of showing stylistically and technically idiosyncratic work

The Goldsmiths' Company Jewellery Materials Congress

The Goldsmiths' Company Jewellery Materials Congress Monday, 8 - Tuesday, 9 July 2019 Goldsmiths' Hall, London The Goldsmiths' Company will be holding its first Jewellery Meterials Conference from 8 to 9 July 2019 at Goldsmiths’ Hall. This Congress forms part of a series of activities designed to advance and disseminate knowledge and to encourage research and its exploitation in the field of jewellery & silverware technology.  About the Congress The Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office will be holding a major international conference on 8 and 9 July 2019, at Goldsmiths' Hall.  The Jewellery Materials Congress will support the jewellery and silverware community by providing a collaborative,

GIA Gemological Symposium

GIA (Gemological Institute of America) will convene its sixth International Gemological Symposium in Carlsbad, California to feature science and business tracks; participation by Harvard Business School Focused on the theme “New Challenges. Creating Opportunities” the three-day event will offer insight into the latest gemological research including recent findings by GIA and other leading researchers. Professors from the Harvard Business School (HBS) will lead a track on business concepts and innovations, using the renowned case-study method employed in all HBS programs, including the annual GIA Global Leadership Program. The Symposium will also celebrate the centennial of Richard T. Liddicoat, the beloved

HCA's Red List of Endangered Crafts Grows with 37 New Additions

For the 2019 edition of the Heritage Craft Association's Red List of Endangered Crafts, 212 crafts were assessed to identify those which are at greatest risk of disappearing. Of the 212 crafts featured in the research, four have been classified as extinct, 36 as critically endangered, 70 as endangered and 102 as currently viable.  Sixteen new crafts have been added to the ‘critically endangered’ category of the Red List, meaning that they are at serious risk of dying out in the next generation, including withy crab pot making, millwrighting and commercial handmade paper making. They join 20 other critically endangered

World’s Most Expensive 18ct Gold Marmite Jar Unveiled

The world’s most expensive jar of Marmite has been unveiled, created for those who were born lovers of Britain’s most divisive yeast spread. The iconic British brand has created the one-off luxury item to honor its Marmite loving fans, following the recent research from one of the UK’s leading genetics labs, DNAFit. The study unveiled that Brits are genetically predisposed to loving or hating Marmite. Dipped in 18ct gold, the plated jar weighs in at a whopping 498g1 and is rumoured to be worth an eye watering £1,500 according to independent valuators, Boningtons Auctioneers. Engraved to replicate the style of [youtube

OROAREZZO 2019

OROAREZZO 2019 6 - 9 April 2019 Everything is ready for the next edition of OROAREZZO, the event that promotes the best Italian goldsmithing production internationally, which this year reaches the important milestone of the 40 anniversary. The quintessential appointment of the Made in Italy goldsmithing sector, managed by Italian Exhibition Group and scheduled from April 6 to 9 at Arezzo Fiere e Congressi, brings together some of the best Italian manufacturing companies through exhibitions dedicated to jewelry, silverware, semi-finished products and stones. Innovation, stylistic and technological research; state-of-the-art products that, according to tradition, follow the rules of industrial production.

Need for flexible working may underpin gender pay gap

A desire for flexible working arrangements and a reluctance to relocate for more senior roles were the reasons behind a gender pay gap in the jewellery retail industry that was higher than the national average, research has shown. Pay differentials between men and women for equal jobs ranged from 2% higher at Links of London to 91.6% lower at Pandora, where women effectively have been earning 28p for every £1 earned by a man.  But the data, collected and collated by the Government’s Gender Pay Gap Service, did not take into consideration the proportion of store employees who make up

Crayola Colour Crush

The month of April is now upon us which makes it just the right time to get our new-season wish-lists  brimming with the trend-train must-haves! With the international fashion weeks done and dusted, we've done our trends research for the upcoming months and there's only two words for it: Colour. Explosion. With the politics and news of the world in a permanent state of gloom and malaise, the creative designers of 2018 have taken action to whip away the dullness with a kaleidoscopic dive into Crayola rainbow colours. Nothing short of uplifting, inspiriting and energising, the underlying message from S/S

Intermediate & Advanced Workshop Projects at K2 Academy

Intermediate & Advanced Workshop Projects at K2 Academy 10 Week Course - Fridays 20 April 2018 - 6 July 2018 What will be taught? Each term focuses on a different topic where students will be taught how to explore new designs and ideas within a set theme. This term we concentrate on casting with an overall theme of 'Food glorious food' and we will start off with an inspirational research into food in the widest sense. From the food itself, to food packaging, cooking utensils etc.  This theme can then used for making a specialised piece, which can include different

“Exceptional” 3 Star Rating for leading Jewellery Trade Insurance Broker

Chartered Insurance Broker T H March will be able to celebrate its 130th anniversary with extra gusto later this year having been awarded an ‘Exceptional’ 3 star rating by independent customer service assessor; Investor in Customers (IIC). IIC conducts research and investigation into how well companies treat customers and staff. The highly detailed analysis carried out and the valuable insights gained by bravely allowing an independent third party to talk to customers and staff (at all levels) helps companies like T H March continue to improve on what they do. In order to achieve the ‘Exceptional’ 3 Star rating a

UK Fashionistas Still Far More Likely to Buy Clothes on Desktop than on Mobile

Following the end of London Fashion Week yesterday, new research released today highlights a surprising trend amongst the UK’s fashionistas who are still relying on their desktops, instead of smartphones to buy clothes, despite mobile eCommerce as a whole accounting for 51% of online purchases in the UK. • UK consumer spends an average of £116 on desktop for a fashion purchase, versus £89 on mobile, despite mobile eCommerce as a whole accounting for 51% of online purchases in the UK • Despite this, UK is in the top three for mobile purchases of clothes in Europe, with the Nordics and France

The Textures of Craft, Heritage Crafts Association Annual Conference

The Textures of Craft, Heritage Crafts Association Conference Kaffe Fassett, worldwide authority on textiles and colour, is keynote speaker at The Textures of Craft, the conference of the Heritage Crafts Association on Saturday 6th May 2017. Kaffe kicks off a spectacular day when craftspeople and anyone interested in the UK’s rich heritage of traditional skills can hear from makers, browse the Instant Gallery, celebrate the best craftspeople in the country and find out more about the Heritage Crafts Association’s research into endangered crafts: The Radcliffe Red List. Other speakers include archaeologist, historian and TV presenter Dr Alex Langlands, potters Lisa Hammond

Sarah Straussberg Unveils Latest Commission

London based jewellery brand   Sarah  Straussberg   has  revealed its latest commission, the   Photo London    ‘Master of Photography’ Award 2017.   This is the third year running   that  Straussberg  has been commissioned to create the award, with previous winners including photography icons  Sebastiã o  Salgado and Don  McCullen . This year’s winner is another hugely infl uential  artist:  Taryn Simon.   Simon is a multidisciplinary artist working in photography, text, sculpture and performance. Guided by an interest in systems of  categorisation and  classifi cation, her practice involves extensive research into the power and structure of secrecy and the

UK £1M CNC Machine Tool ‘Servitisation’ Rolled Out

Innovate UK-funded scheme will see businesses purchasing the capacity to manufacture products whilst the ‘ servitisation  provider’ retains responsibility for the machinery and its smooth running  with the scheme particularly focused towards SMEs. THE University of Huddersfield has teamed up with top engineering companies and research institutes for a £1 million pound project that aims to bring about massive improvements in competitiveness and efficiency for UK manufacturers. The goal is to extend the principle of “ servitisation ” to firms that use CNC machinery for precision-engineered products.  This means that a manufacturer does not – in the conventional way –

GIA Demonstrates Prototype Mounted Gem Testing Device

The GIA have announced their intention to introduce for sale later this year an easy-to-operate, sophisticated desktop instrument to reliably identify natural diamonds, separating them from all simulants and from diamonds that may be synthetic or treated.   The GIA mounted gem testing device combines advanced spectroscopic technology; GIA’s extensive research into the qualities of natural, treated and synthetic diamonds; and decades of diamond analysis experience to identify more than 97% of untreated natural mounted and un-mounted D-to-Z diamonds 0.9 mm or greater in diameter (approximately 0.005 carat). Diamonds that may be synthetic or treated and all simulants are referred

GIA Demonstrates Prototype Mounted Gem Testing Device

The GIA have announced their intention to introduce for sale later this year an easy-to-operate, sophisticated desktop instrument to reliably identify natural diamonds, separating them from all simulants and from diamonds that may be synthetic or treated.   The GIA mounted gem testing device combines advanced spectroscopic technology; GIA’s extensive research into the qualities of natural, treated and synthetic diamonds; and decades of diamond analysis experience to identify more than 97% of untreated natural mounted and un-mounted D-to-Z diamonds 0.9 mm or greater in diameter (approximately 0.005 carat). Diamonds that may be synthetic or treated and all simulants are referred

A Quiet Unfolding of Ideas. A retrospective Exhibition: Pamela Ritchie

A Quiet Unfolding of Ideas. A retrospective Exhibition: Pamela Ritchie  2017 Saidye Bronfman Award Laureate Pamela Ritchie creates jewellery that explores linkages between traditional craft processes, contemporary ideas of science and culture, and the language of alternative materials. Her work celebrates the concentrating effect of detail, and the paradox that an abundance of ideas, form, and pattern can be encapsulated in very small objects.  Her studies include an MFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and postgraduate research work in Norway supported by a scholarship from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada in conjunction with

ten Hompel completes National Museums Scotland’s Glenmorangie Commission

Since 2018, Simone ten Hompel has been taking a journey into the world of National Museums Scotland, its artefacts, and the research that is being currently conducted as part of the Glenmorangie Fellowship into the 9th to 12th centuries, an era of rapid change, political instability and cultural diversity, out of which the Scottish nation was born.  [youtube url=http://youtu.be/w22ppGiynms] The final blog by Sarah Rothwell, Curator, Modern & Contemporary Design can be read here: blog.nms.ac.uk The resulting artwork,  coordinate  explores Scotland’s journey through time – its changing landscape and the continual rediscovery of its past. It represents an abstracted interpretation of Scotland’s landmass, one [youtube