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Silver Speaks: Idea to Object With Corinne Julius

Contemporary British Silversmiths is partnering with the V&A, the London Design Festival and the Goldsmiths' Centre to deliver a series of exciting events to promote silver in contemporary life. Over nine days in September, the London Design Festival features hundreds of events taking place across London, showcasing the city's pivotal role in global design. The London Design Festival 2016 will be held 17-25 September. Curatorial Tour: Silver Speaks: Idea to Object With Corinne Julius Design critic, journalist and curator, Corinne Julius introduces Silver Speaks: ‘Idea to Object’ in the Silver Galleries. The display of work by members of Contemporary British

Spectacular £30 million diamond found at Letsing

One massive diamond, worth more than £30 million, has been recovered by British mining company Gem Diamonds at their Letsing Mine in Lesotho, South Africa. Yet to be given a name, the 910 carat colourless diamond is roughly the size of a cricket ball and is the largest ever found at Letsing. It is also the fifth largest to be extracted in history and its discovery sent shares in Gem Diamonds soaring following a difficult couple of years where the world famous mine has struggled for major finds and wrestled with a fall in prices. Some of the most significant

Jewellery Design and Development: From Concept to Object

On Jewellery and Gems: Contemporary Jewelry and Object Design

Rare 10th Century Saxon Gold Ring Found by Metal Detectorist in a Field in West Sussex Expected To Fetch Up To £12,000 in Auction at Noonans

Rare 10th Century Saxon Gold Ring Found by Metal Detectorist in a Field in West Sussex Expected To Fetch Up To £12,000 in Auction at Noonans A rare 10th century Saxon gold and enamel ring found in a field on Father’s Day (2021) in West Sussex is expected to fetch up to £12,000 when it is offered at Noonans Mayfair in a sale of Jewellery, Watches, silver, and objects of vertu on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. It was on Father’s Day (June 20, 2021), that Peter told his nine-year-old daughter Maya that he would “bring home gold today” and he

Fabulous Jewelry from Found Objects: Creative Projects, Simple Techniques (Lark Jewelry Book) (Lark Jewelry Books)

Faberge: Lost and Found : The Recently Discovered Jewelry Designs from the St. Petersburg Archives

Sweet Sentiments in Dior's Latest Fine Jewellery Collections

Signs, symbols and icons reside at the very heart of the Dior brand. In her collections, Victoire de Castellane revisits some of those most precious to the man who started a fashion revolution. The story of Dior begins with a star and a “yes”, so the story goes… …While walking up the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Christian Dior hit his foot on an object on the ground and almost tripped, as though it was the object itself that wished to attract his attention. Christian Dior leaned over and picked up the object that had nearly made him fall over: it [youtube

Anna Lewis: Stay

In the series Stay, Anna Lewis investigates the aesthetic, symbolic and costume imagery of the Victorian era, starting from an antique corset made of whalebone, linen and silk, dated 1780 writes Ilaria Ruggiero. The corset is an object of conflict and contrast; it represents both control and support. A ubiquitous object and outward symbol of self-control, or social control by men. The corset is a political element, for her it is symbolic of discipline, beauty and sexuality yet hides a dark truth by painfully punishing the body in order to fit this feminine ideal. The restriction of this tight cage, crushing

Surface Level @Intro

Surface Level 17 January - 29 February 2020 Amsterdam, The Netherlands Intro is pleased to announce its next exhibition, Surface Level. The surface of an object is a boundary or a threshold that enables contact with the object itself. Artists and jewellers must be hyper-aware of the treatment of surfaces as they act as both the initial physical connection to a wearer, as well as a visual one. Surface Level is an exhibition of work by several Intro artists who are thinking about surfaces in their practice as a way to access deeper meaning and context. The surfaces of each

Call for Applications: Mari Funaki Award for Contemporary Jewellery

Mari Funaki Award for Contemporary Jewellery Gallery Funaki, a driving force in the promotion of contemporary jewellery in Australia for over 20 years, invites jewellery artists worldwide, at all stages of their practice, to participate in the 2018 Mari Funaki Award for Contemporary Jewellery. An internationally lauded contemporary jeweller and object maker, Mari Funaki was instrumental in establishing Melbourne’s reputation as a strong centre for contemporary jewellery, founding Gallery Funaki in 1995. An internationally lauded contemporary jeweller and object maker, Mari Funaki was instrumental in establishing Melbourne’s reputation as a strong centre for contemporary jewellery, founding Gallery Funaki in 1995.

The New Trend: 3D Scanning for Jewellery

Imagine being able to copy anything in perfect detail at the touch of a button. Only ten years ago this would just have been merely a pipe dream. Now the dream has become reality. David Valle of Gala Creations takes us through what you need to know about 3D scanning and its every day uses for the jewellery industry. What is 3D scanning? 3D scanning is the technology used to digitalize any small object, including any type of jewellery, wax and gemstone. 3D scanners work by shining different patterns and intensities of light onto an object to be scanned. Then, a built-in

The New Trend: 3D Scanning for Jewellery

Imagine being able to copy anything in perfect detail at the touch of a button. Only ten years ago this would just have been merely a pipe dream. Now the dream has become reality. David Valle of Gala Creations takes us through what you need to know about 3D scanning and its every day uses for the jewellery industry. What is 3D scanning? 3D scanning is the technology used to digitalize any small object, including any type of jewellery, wax and gemstone. 3D scanners work by shining different patterns and intensities of light onto an object to be scanned. Then, a built-in

The Art of Brooches - L'École Van Cleef & Arpels

The history of brooches reflects the social and technical evolution of humanity. During Antiquity, some mysterious fibulae made with bronze spirals tell us that this object was perhaps firstly used to secure clothing. Subsequently, this utilitarian and functional aspect will be lost in favor of an ornamental role: decorated with precious stones, brooches will express the wealth and power of their wearers. As a military badge, a sign of love and devotion, an expression of personal opinions or simply worn for Glamor, the brooch is rich in many meanings which we invite you to study in this Talk. With a

Paris 2024's Olympic and Paralympic Medals

When Paris 2024 revealed the medals for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in February the designs were launched with the representation of the concept of the meeting of the most wanted object of the Games with the iconic symbol of France and Paris, the Eiffel Tower. Each medallist over the last two weeks and over the Paralympics will receive a piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower placed at the heart of their medal. To create their design, Paris 2024 called on its Athletes' Commission and the expertise of Chaumet, a LVMH Group company and Premium Partner of

Handmade by Machines 2018

Call for Handmade by Machines 2018 Handmade by Machines is an exhibition and symposium in Dundee, Scotland, which celebrates the use of modern digital technologies integrated with handcraft. The call is looking for artefacts for the exhibition and papers for the symposium that investigate the integration of modern digital technologies within jewellery and 3D object design. They are particularly interested in work that addresses the areas of digital technologies for tooling, integrated practice, added value, social or economical impact and/or aesthetics. Submissions will be accepted in the form of a Paper or Artist Talk or poster. Submissions Submissions and abstracts

Narratives In Making, National Craft Gallery - Kilkenny

Narratives In Making An exhibition of new and innovative works from the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s PORTFOLIO: Critical Selection 2017-18. The 28 designer makers represented were selected by an international panel, for demonstrating excellence in craftsmanship, design quality and technical skill. Narratives in Making, curated by Gregory Parsons, considers the provenance of the objects, who made it, where it was made, how it was made and what it is made of. All this is inextricably linked. It informs our relationship with the object. There are fascinating stories here, from the love of material, rituals of making, the design

Multiple Public Art Commission Opportunities

Multiple Public Art Commission Opportunities Public Art Commission for Picket Piece, Andover Test Valley Borough Council wish to commission an artist to work alongside the community to determine and create a bespoke artwork for the new development of Picket Piece in Andover. The artwork will represent the results of community workshops lead by the artist and be sited in a place on the development where everyone can enjoy. The full details of the commission and schedule can be found in the artist brief document and a link to this can be found to the right of this page. Commission fee: 

PAN Amsterdam

PAN Amsterdam 24 November - 1 December 2024 Netherlands PAN Amsterdam, the Netherland's leading fair in art, antiques and design. Every year, more than 45,000 art lovers are inspired and tempted by the many thousands of works of art on show. Whether your interest lies in classical antiquity, old masters, photography, contemporary art, antiques, designer furniture or decorative objects, PAN is the perfect place to compare art, gather information and make surprising discoveries. Each object is vetted by independent experts for quality, authenticity and condition before the fair opens, giving you the assurance so you can buy with confidence. For more information

Perfection and Passion - 130 years of the Wellendorff Manufacture

Perfection and Passion - 130 years of the Wellendorff Manufacture Pforzheim Jewellery Museum 11 March - 1 October 2023 The art of jewellery making, whose lines of tradition in technology and design reach back to antiquity, interpreted in a modern way and refined further - this is what the jewellery manufacturer Wellendorff stands for. In 2023, the family business will celebrate its 130th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Pforzheim’s Jewellery Museum is looking back at the individual decades since 1893. For each decade, a precious object from the Wellendorff company that exemplifies its time will be on display. As interventions

BeCraft exhibits at Eleven Steens

OBJECT SYNONYMS 24.02.2022 → 10.04.2022 The currents pass, evolve. Always, artists immerse themselves in what has been.  They reformulate, look differently, offer a "what seems" but which is no longer – or which is, different.  They rethink, recycle, divert, ennoble. This is where the power of contemporary applied arts lies.  Bathed in the – distant – roots of the functional, the artists free themselves from it or draw inspiration from it to perfect the world, to question it, to challenge it.  Through the diversity of materials, techniques, and the rich heritage of arts and crafts, it is a vast and constantly

Jacobs the Jewellers’ launch annual competition as its first online virtual exhibition

Jacobs the Jewellers, Reading’s oldest independent jewellery retailer, this week announced the start of its annual Emerging Designer competition with 2020 being a totally online virtual exhibition allowing international participation with internet powered voting.   Normally an instore only experience based in the renowned Reading store, the organisers took the view to move entirely online as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The new format will also help widen the audience for the established event’s growing reputation.   2020’s sixth edition will feature 5 talented designers competing in two categories, a silver object and a piece of jewellery. From 25th May a

Susie Freeman, Martin Smith and Jane Adam @ Ruthin

Susie Freeman, Martin Smith and Jane Adam @ Ruthin Ruthin Craft Centre 18 January – 29 March 2020 Gallery 1: Susie Freeman: WOWI + A Retrospective of work by Susie Freeman including Pharmacopoeia with Dr Liz Lee Susie established herself as a textile artist of great originality early in her career. As a postgraduate student at the Royal College of Art, following Manchester School of Art where she had studied weaving, she invented a knitted network of pockets using a monofilament thread: into each small transparent pocket she dropped a tiny object before safely sealing them with a further row

Jewellery Is Not Only Jewellery. Finale

Art gallery PUTTI presents the exhibition  JEWELLERY IS NOT ONLY JEWELLERY  celebrating its 20 year anniversary and simultaneously  FINALE writes   Ilaria Ruggiero A choral and broad project, in line with the previous conceptual jewellery exhibitions realized during the past years, aimed at expanding the classical understanding of jewellery as well as challenging the boundaries of creativity within the field of jewellery, from different point of view: aesthetically, intellectually and also physically - demonstrating that the object we call jewellery does not have a perceptual frame. 15 artists participates in the exhibition, they are contemporary jewellery thinkers and creators from

Hortus Conclusus - Donna Brennan

Hortus Conclusus - Donna Brennan Contemporary Applied Arts Working with stones, minerals, gold and silver, my work explores the dichotomy between nature and artifice… transporting stones and minerals from the realm of nature into the realm of culture. Donna Brennan is a fine art jeweller who has adopted a cross-disciplinary approach to photography and sculptural jewellery, crafting a narrative from image to object which blurs the dichotomy between fine art and applied art. Derived from the Latin term for ‘enclosed garden’, Hortus Conclusus is a series of wearable sculptural art pieces, crafted from a mélange of minerals, stones, gold, bronze

Meet the Maker - From nature to artifice in Art Jewellery

Hortus Conclusus - Donna Brennan Contemporary Applied Arts Working with stones, minerals, gold and silver, my work explores the dichotomy between nature and artifice… transporting stones and minerals from the realm of nature into the realm of culture. Donna Brennan is a fine art jeweller who has adopted a cross-disciplinary approach to photography and sculptural jewellery, crafting a narrative from image to object which blurs the dichotomy between fine art and applied art. Derived from the Latin term for ‘enclosed garden’, Hortus Conclusus is a series of wearable sculptural art pieces, crafted from a mélange of minerals, stones, gold, bronze

Gemstone & Hardstone Carving for Jewellery with Charlotte De Syllas - I

Gemstone & Hardstone Carving for Jewellery with Charlotte De Syllas NOW FULL Charlotte De Syllas Short Courses 2017 Intensive 5 Day Workshop Courses 5 days intensive work to learn how to carve from cutting out through to polishing an object in hard or gemstone in well equipped studio in Norfolk. About the Short Course Classes are small and friendly, with expert individual tuition. We have saws, grinders, carving spindles and micro motors as well as burrs, files & polishing pastes so that you can go from sawing a piece of rough stone to blocking it out, carving it and polishing the

Winners of the Goldsmiths' Fair Best New Design Award Week 1 & 2

The winners of Goldsmiths’ Fair Best New Design Award for Week One and Week Two have been announced during the event’s run in the last two weeks. This year’s Week One winner was chosen by Victoria Broackes, senior curator for the department of theatre and performance at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Vicky chose Hazel Thorn as the winner, for her latest collection of work. Hazel uses a combination of base and precious metals, constructing metal sheets which she transforms into sculptural vessels. Hazel then applies the same chemical patination to the whole object which affects the mixed metals in

Ambitious designer Ruth Mary releases four collections for SS19

Young designer Ruth Mary has been making waves in the jewellery industry of late. Just this year, she was chosen as one of six international jewellery London Kickstarter winners, featured in the Guardian as one of its ‘Top 100 Businesses’ and shortlisted for Professional Jeweller’s ‘’Young Jewellery Designer of the Year’’.  Ruth’s passion was ignited at an antique fair, where her mother (a keen lace maker herself), pointed out   a curious object with a crochet hook called a tatting shuttle and suggested Ruth buy it. Ruth perfected her lace making, and then taught herself to silversmith in order to realise

Sheffield Assay Office Calendar 2018

Call for Applications: Sheffield Assay Office Calendar 2018 The Sheffield Assay Office would like to invite applications to contribute to the Sheffield Assay Office Calendar 2018.  Eligibility To submit possible contributions, please supply one or two images of recent work that have passed through the Sheffield Assay Office, ideally in the last year, Image requirements An image minimum of 300dpi, jpeg format . Additional information We like to include a little interpretation to sit alongside the image. Please submit the following information: Title of the object, A brief description,  Material (Sterling Silver, Argentium, Britannia, Fine Silver, Gold, Platinum, Palladium) and other base

Present & Collect 2017

Present & Collect 2017 This November, Contemporary Applied Arts, home to works from Britain’s leading craftspeople, will launch Present & Collect, their annual seasonal selling exhibition. It will offer a range of meaningful gifts at accessible price points, as well as high-value collectors’ pieces. This curated selection is imbued with skill, innovation and tradition. From the decorative to the functional and wearable, in a range of diverse materials from clay to precious gemstones, each handmade object is a one off. As the leading authority on high-end British craft, CAA is a trusted resource for collectors and first time buyers alike.

Gemstone & Hardstone Carving for Jewellery with Charlotte De Syllas - II

Gemstone & Hardstone Carving for Jewellery with Charlotte De Syllas A FEW PLACES LEFT Charlotte De Syllas Short Courses 2017 Intensive 5 Day Workshop Courses 5 days intensive work to learn how to carve from cutting out through to polishing an object in hard or gemstone in well equipped studio in Norfolk. About the Short Course Classes are small and friendly, with expert individual tuition. We have saws, grinders, carving spindles and micro motors as well as burrs, files & polishing pastes so that you can go from sawing a piece of rough stone to blocking it out, carving it and

Jose Marin : Primavera

Jose Marin : Primavera When anodized, Titanium is the most jewel-like metal with it's glowing spectrum of colors shifting playfully in the light. It is also one of the most challenging materials to smith, but Jose Marin makes the challenge look effortless. Inspired by plant and marine life Marin sets precious and semi-precious stones in the Titanium. These new works dance with sophisticated and playful color at every movement.  "When I choose a material, it is always with the idea of transforming it into a magical object. At this time I have opted for Titanium, a unique metal. Its hardness

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.

Scott Armstrong wins CSM Chaumet Design Competition

BA Jewellery Design student Scott Armstrong was announced as the winner of the Central Saint  Martins  BA and MA Jewellery Design student competition to design a new headpiece for the world renowned jewellery house  Chaumet . Several weeks ago Scott Armstrong, a third year BA Jewellery Design student, travelled to Beijing’s Forbidden City with  Chaumet  to launch his  Vertiges  tiara following on from a design project.  The design is the result of the challenge  Chaumet  set for students of BA Jewellery Design and MA Design (Jewellery) to reinvent the tiara for the 21 st   century.   “It’s still the ultimate object,”

Art & Antiques Fair Olympia 2017

The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia returns for a 45th year -  Opening with an exclusive Preview day on Monday 26 June and closing on Sunday 2 July.  The Fair is expected to attract around 25,000 visitors with more than 55,000 pieces for sale.  Each object will be individually vetted by independent experts, providing peace of mind for any buyer – whether a first-time visitor or a regular returnee. Known for its diverse offering, the Fair features over 120 dealers, some of whom exclusively choose Olympia to display their pieces for sale in a  seven day only equivalent of a

'Crafting your Voice' - Writing Workshop for Makers

'Crafting your Voice' - Writing Workshop for Makers In this collaborative, object-based session, through conversations with other makers, you will create a piece of writing (approx. 100-200 words) which can be used on its own, as an artist’s statement, or as starting point for development. Makers are increasingly expected to communicate their ideas and the narratives surrounding their practice through engaging and evocative writing. This is a fantastic opportunity to share your motivations and passion for your work, but it can be daunting and difficult to know how to start. Learn to develop your own voice within your writing, to

Philomène Hoël: Keep It Longer

  Philomène Hoël: Keep It Longer Curated by Valentina Bin and Simina Neagu Philomène Hoël’s Keep It Longer is a site-specific project which will occupy Gallery S O’s two spaces for two weeks with two shows. This will include two screens, two curators and two texts.  One title: Keep It Longer. The artist will work across the gallery’s project space, which will host an immersive installation, and select a contemporary jewellery and object display in the front space. Philomène Hoël works with film and performance to activate the cinematic dimension of a space and set up intimate scenarios of crisis.

Making a Winter's Tale, Contemporary Applied Arts - London

Making a Winter's Tale, Contemporary Applied Arts - London Making a Winter’s Tale Handmade gifts for the festive season This winter, Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA), home to works from Britain’s leading craftspeople, will launch ‘Making a Winter’s Tale’, a seasonal selling exhibition. It will offer a range of meaningful gifts at accessible price points, as well as high-value collectors’ pieces. This curated selection is imbued with skill, innovation and tradition. From the decorative to the functional and wearable, in a range of diverse materials from clay to precious gemstones, each handmade object is a one off. From the decorative to

Hobby gold hunter may have to hand over 'largest ever' £50,000 find

An anonymous amateur gold hunter is still waiting to be told whether Britain's largest ever gold nugget, which he found in a Scottish stream, will have to be handed over to the Crown Estate. Weighing 85.7g, the nugget which has been named the Douglas Nugget was found in an unidentified river in Scotland two years ago by an amateur prospector who has chosen to keep his identity under wraps. Its value is reckoned to be around £50,000 but under “Mines Royal” law, which sometimes requires successful bounty hunters to hand over their gold and silver booty to the Crown, the

9th edition of Jacobs the Jewellers’ Emerging Designer Competition launches this Summer

Supporting craft skills and talent with the Bishopsland Educational Trust, the Goldsmiths’ Centre and HS Walsh Blake Roberts In this year’s 75 th  anniversary year, award winning Jacobs the Jewellers, Reading’s oldest independent jewellery retailer, today revealed the return of its annual Emerging Designer competition featuring nine emerging designers from Bishopsland Educational Trust.   Helping boost fledgling careers, the event combines a virtual show with instore experience reflecting the local and national audience for amazing craft skills and design. As is customary, each competitor creates both a piece from a  jewellery  and an  object  category. Angela Cork, Principal Bishopsland Educational Trust

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

‘Rationed’ Solo Show - Jo Pond

‘Rationed’ a solo exhibition by jewellery artist Jo Pond Vittoria Street Gallery presents  Following on from the success of her inaugural solo exhibition ‘Intimate’ which toured to Velvet da Vinci (San Francisco), Atta Gallery (Bangkok) and Contemporary Applied Arts (London), we are delighted to host a new collection of works titled ‘Rationed’ by internationally-renowned jewellery artist, Jo Pond. Stirred by a collection of diaries, bequeathed alongside hand-me-down stories, words and trinkets from a generation before, Jo Pond draws on evocative World War 2 artefacts to craft her own heirlooms. Almost in spite of itself, each static and inanimate object comes to

Schumacher Tech TLO10 Lathe - £14,000 (ONO)

Schumacher Tech TLO10 Lathe - £14,000 (ONO) For outside turning of wedding rings. Full working order, only purchased in 2022. Selling as no longer required in our workshop. More information on the lathe can be found here  https://youtu.be/AHgRIH3y7tA Collection only from Hertfordshire, total weight is approx.170kg Please contact Robert on 07429271919

Announcing the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize 2024 finalists

LOEWE FOUNDATION announces the 30 artists shortlisted for the 2024 edition of the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize. The finalists’ works will be exhibited at Palais de Tokyo in Paris from 15 May until 9 June 2024. The works selected for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize shortlist will go on display at Palais de Tokyo in Paris from 15 May to 9 June 2024. Many of the works repurpose found or recycled materials and there is a focus on the elevation and transformation of the everyday, such as rubber tyres and compressed wood, which are not traditionally associated with craft. A

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

Perspectives - Creating Jewellery for a Fairer Future

Perspectives - Creating Jewellery for a Fairer Future Fair and Beautiful – New Exhibition is set to Lead the Way on Ethical Luxury Gorgeous work by nearly 40 leading makers and designers is being brought together in an exhibition dedicated to ethical jewellery and silversmithing. Perspectives will be at the heart of the Elements 4 festival of jewellery, silver and gold, in Edinburgh from 19-21 October. It is part of a wider drive to make Scotland a world-leader in ethical jewellery making and silversmithing. Among the items on show will be designer pieces made using found and waste materials including

The Enchanting Return of Ebony

Prized for its heartwood and beautifully smooth finish on fine furniture and accessories, black Ebony is one of the most expensive and valuable types of wood found in the world. Like most wonders of nature, no two pieces of Ebony Blackwood are alike due to the difference in location and species of heartwood for it to thrive. With Black Ebony increasingly becoming a rarity in discovery, poaching of this fine material has greatly increased due to its value. The darker the wood, the more valuable the piece of Ebony becomes due to being classed as more "pure" and showcasing the

Experimental Setting Course, Cockpit Arts - Holborn, London

In this course you will have the possibility to explore and experiment with different setting techniques and find new ways to use them in an unconventional way. The course will focus on different projects: Trapping stones in liquid metal Using uncommon materials for jewellery making and setting Setting found objects and small valuable treasures You will be encouraged to look for a various ways of how to set stones and objects and explore the possibilities of embracing them in alternative ways and methods. The creative journey is as important as the final outcome and the course aims to provide you

'Spoon' Exhibition, Unit Twelve - Stafford

This Christmas selling exhibition will showcase a varied array of beautiful artist made spoons made from a large variety of materials such as wood, ceramic, glass, wire, silver, metal, enamel and even found objects and mixed media. Dates: 29th September - 17th December 2016 Venue: Unit Twelve, Tixall Heath Farm, Stafford, ST18 0XX www.unittwelve.co.uk

News Edit: 9 November 2024

A curated edit of this week's national and international jewellery news... Designer Francesca Amfitheatrof Readly reports: The trailblazing artistic director has revolutionised… readly.com Chaumet’s New Exhibition in Doha Showcases Centuries of Nature-Inspired Jewelry Vogue reports: From its launch 244 years ago, haute jewelry maison Chaumethas been inextricably linked to the effortless harmony and delicate details found in nature, from the beat of a butterfly’s wings to the shimmering elegance of pearls. en.vogue.me Six trends shaping the jewellery industry now Vogue Business reports: The jewellery sector is bucking luxury’s downturn, thanks to investment value, innovation and a stronger stance on social

Introducing the Copenhagen Commitment

Introducing the Copenhagen Commitment Tuesday, 6 February 2024 6 - 7pm UK time Online Ever found yourself navigating the complexities of a responsible supply chain alone? The struggle to trace each gemstone, diamond, and gram of precious metals can be daunting. Copenhagen Commitment understands the challenge—there are no easy answers. It's a movement committed to shaking up the status quo and reshaping the jewellery supply chain. Built on expertise, connections, passion, and perseverance, this movement is about creating a real, positive impact. We aren’t here to give you easy answers, as they don’t exist in most cases. Copenhagen Commitment is

A fond farewell to friend and colleague Tam Savill

T erry Hunt, Chair of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, remembers our friend and colleague Tam Savill. In 2010, in a lunch-hour at the School of Jewellery, I had a visit from Tam. This was the first time we’d met, and therefore my first experience of her “people-persuasion” skills. By the end of the lunch break I suddenly found myself, a lapsed founder-member of the Association, its new chair! And the rest, as the saying goes, is history. A rich and fulfilling time for the ACJ, with Tam achieving so many of her aspirational and bold projects – work that she

100 Jewels by 100 Women

100 Jewels by 100 Women 2 nd  - 27 th  June 2021 Double Door Studios’, 7 Ward Road, Dundee, DD1 1LP This June, the residents of Dundee City Centre’s Double Door Studios will hold an exhibition named ‘100 Jewels by 100 Women’, celebrating the achievements of craftswomen in our society. The exhibition will feature one item of jewellery from each of the one hundred invited artists; women who have lived, studied and/or worked in Dundee during their careers.  Among the broad list of participants can be found many of Duncan of Jordanstone's tutors and alumni from over three decades. From

Highlights of New Designers 2023

On Friday Benchpeg visited the New Designers show 2023. With a sparse showing of jewellery and silver specific courses in representation, combined craft courses are clearly becoming a dominant factor in educational pathways. However, it was great to see strength in many of the jewellery, silver, gold and horology specific course degree shows. Here are a selection of our found highlights of the show (in no particular order). Shinta Nakajima Shinta Nakajima In an age where ancient symbolism has lost its mysterious power, Shinta Nakajima, has confronted the question, “Why do we decorate?” In traditional silversmithing, flora has been used

Dazzle London 2024

Dazzle London Royal Watercolour Society Gallery 3-5 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7HA 30 October - 3 November 2024 Dazzle are delighted to announce that 'Dazzle London' will be back this October.  They have found the perfect new venue in a great central London location - the Royal Watercolour Society Gallery. The new gallery space is situated in a prime central location on Whitcomb Street, just off Trafalgar Square, the RWS Gallery provides a modern and contemporary backdrop for their exhibition, located directly behind the national gallery and only 5 minute walk from Charing Cross, Leicester Square and Piccadilly stations. The curated exhibition

Instant Payment - £135

We've made it really simple to pay us. Just use the Paypal button below. Thank you very much for deciding to advertise with Benchpeg. Advertising revenue helps us to keep going and also to deliver good works within industry. Instant payment helps too! How to pay Please use the Paypal button below to pay. First, enter your invoice reference number in the box ( the reference number can be found on our invoice begining with bp-00 ) then press the yellow button to pay. This button is for a fixed payment of £135.00 which includes transaction fees.

Journey into Crystal with L'École Van Cleef & Arpels

Journey into Crystal with L'École Van Cleef & Arpels How much do you know about rock crystal? The "Journey into Crystal" exhibition currently presented at the Musée de Cluny - Musée National du Moyen Âge, where this conference will be filmed, is an incredible opportunity to discover this fascinating, transparent material. Found as far back as 5,000 BC, notably in the form of pearls, rock crystal is the most widespread variety of quartz (hyaline quartz). Its name comes from the Greek word "krustallos" meaning "ice", which has long been attributed to a divine creation, and has contributed to enriching the collective

Barely Used Aquaflame 800 - For Sale

Barely Used Aquaflame 800 For Sale This machine has been used literally less than 150 hours over a period of 2 years. It is in excellent condition. It has just been serviced by the manufacturer thus it is covered with a 12 month guarantee from Aquaflame Systems. The original parts plus one set of torch tips are included : 1 booster,  1 soldering torch, 2(!!!)sets of 7 torch tips size 18 to 24 (0.91mm to 0.31mm diameter),  1 funnel. MEK liquid and deionised water is required to operate. Accurate description and specifications of the model 800 can be found in these links:

Lunchtime Lecture with Alice Fry

Our Salters' Institute lunchtime lecture series is back and we can't wait for you to join us. Our lectures will bring chemistry and how we interact with it to life, in ways you have never imagined. Chemistry can be found everywhere, from the skincare we use, to the jewellery we wear, to modern medicine. Chemistry is essential in helping us live in a more sustainable and socially aware society. Our second guest speaker is Alice Fry, who graduated from The Glasgow School of Art in 2020 with a First in BA (Hons) Silversmithing and Jewellery Design. Alice then completed a year at

Opal for those born in October

Thought to have originated from India and derived from the Sanskrit Upala, meaning "precious stone", Opal is just one of two beautiful birthstones that those lucky enough to be born in October are blessed with; the second being pink tourmaline. Opal was later thought to be a derivative of the Greek word 'opallios' translating "to see a change of colour" and with Opals' beautiful shifting rainbow hues - otherwise known as "play-of-colour", this Greek derivative captures the essence of Opal perfectly. Valued for millennia, Opal can be found in a number of different places with Australian fields among the most

When Gold Goes Green - Ethical Gold and Sustainable Metals in Jewellery

Jeweller Saskia Shutt believes that it is important that jewellers are aware of the origins of the materials used to create Jewellery. The planet is under threat from man-made activities and over-exploitation of natural resources which will take generations to resolve. She has found that currently, there is an increasingly vocal demand for ‘green gold’ that comes from traceable, recycled precious metals, as well as a demand for ethical gold. There are only two non-profit organisations working to help produce ethical gold; Fairmined, and Fairtrade Gold. Precious metals can be recycled, and this is something Saskia Shutt has done since

Playing with Pantone Colour of the Year: Living Coral

It's no new secret that this year's Pantone Colour of 2019 is full of warmth, nourishment and delicately captivating.​ Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral emits the gorgeously natural and energising found in nature and it seems that jewellery designers alike have been swayed by its mesmerising charm. Coral blushed pieces have been spotted amongst the Spring/Summer collections giving a nod towards the playful and expressive elements of nature. Laced into designs of under the seas inspired pieces, taking centre stage as a colourful juxtaposition to sleek metal fastenings and a beautiful compliment to the warm of rose gold, coral is the colour

New Grooves Gallery

New Grooves Gallery Have you channelled your energy into something creative recently? We want to see it!  We are looking for individuals who want to showcase their newfound creativity as part of an online collaborative project.  New Grooves Gallery is a collective with the aim of creating a visual community of people who have found a hidden talent amidst the pandemic. We want to celebrate expression in all its forms, especially by those who may not have previously considered themselves creative. We hope to encourage accessibility into the arts, with the goal of holding a physical exhibition whenever possible. We

Electroforming Jewellery Workshop @ K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery

Electroforming Jewellery Workshop 8 – 10 May 2020 K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery About the Course In this workshop, you will be introduced to the electroforming technique, to create unique, hollow and lightweight jewellery pieces, small objects and samples in copper. First you will learn about the principles of electroforming. We will then select suitable objects, from plastic ready-mades, to found treasures such as twigs, leaves or seashells. We will also cover basics of wax carving to use as mandrels/masters for electroforming. You will be shown how to pretreat and prepare objects, combine them with different materials and apply conductive

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

News Edit: 10 May 2020

As we find our 'new normal' here is a round up of last week's international jewellery news...   2021 Baselworld Watch And Jewelry Show Is Cancelled Forbes: The MCH Group, which owns and operates the annual Baselworld jewelry and watch trade show, has canceled its 2021 fair in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the mass exodus of its most important watch exhibitors. forbes.com Get creative with these home teaching aids from the jewellery community Wallpaper: Though not necessarily intended for teaching purposes (indeed, the meditative art of colouring in is as enjoyable for adults), we have found these

News Edit: 9 August 2020

Here is a round up of last week's international jewellery news...   How The Jewelry Industry Is Mobilizing To Stamp Out Racism Forbes: In the wake of the global social justice movement over recent weeks, black jewelry designers have found themselves thrust front and center as consumers look for ways to show their support. forbes.com Shiny new business idea from Chippenham jeweller Wiltshire Times: Chippenham jeweller Tamara Eggleston has had a Eureka moment. She had to cancel her silver jewellery making workshops due to lockdown back in March. So she has invented a home jewellery making kit to keep her

Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council reports on Covid-19 survey results

A survey with 120 respondents carried out by  The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council  has found that Covid-19 is adversely impacting designer-makers across the UK, driving it to announce a series of new initiatives to support, connect and inspire isolated craftspeople during this time. In a survey shared with silversmiths, jewellery designers, manufacturers, apprentices and those working in allied trades, The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council (GC&DC) sought to understand the current needs, concerns and mood of its audience in order to best support them during this time. Among key results and feedback from over 120 respondents, the GC&DC reports:

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

Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery wins national ‘Inspiring Independents’ Award

Independent jewellers across the country took to London’s Riverbank to honour and support the hardworking independent jewellery sector, where Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery took home one of only five category awards at Retail Jeweller Magazine’s 5 th  annual Inspiring Independents Awards. Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery’s London studio, found in fashionable Primrose Hill, was celebrated by a team of esteemed judges for its use of ‘visual merchandising and store design’ by Retail Jeweller Magazine and their peers. This new category looked at fresh and original store design and use of visuals to convey the brand’s ethos. Since Harriet Kelsall’s Primrose Hill

Wisley Craft Fair Goes Virtual

The annual Contemporary Spring Craft Fair held at RHS Garden Wisley may have been cancelled this year due to Covid-19 but the organisers, Craft In Focus, have moved the fair online.   Visitors who were planning to attend this, the UK’s most popular craft fair, will not need to miss out and can now find all their favourite exhibitors online and discover a fabulous selection of professional contemporary craftmakers and artists selected from the finest in the UK.  They will not even have to queue to enter! The virtual craft fair can be found on the Craft In Focus website www.craftinfocus.com

Pirelli Park Public Art Commission

Public Art Commission: Pirelli Park Public Art Commission Eastleigh Borough Council is inviting tenders from artists and creative design practitioners to develop and deliver an exciting, imaginative and site-specific bespoke play environment for the local community. Tenders are welcomed across the creative disciplines, and collaborative approaches between design practitioners and appropriate delivery partners of their choosing will be welcome. Full details can be found on the South East Business portal  and on the South East Contemporary Visual Arts Network website .  Estimated value: £200,000.00 Image: Pirelli Arch, courtesy Eastleigh Borough Council.

A touch of modern romance

When you think of heart-shaped accessories, what springs to mind? For many, thoughts would fly to the heart-shaped chocolate boxes, teddy bears holding heart-shaped cushions and delicate heart pendants that come out in full force around the annual Valentine's Day holiday tradition.  Whilst some may adore these heart-shaped accessories, others have found them to be too sickly and girlish. Whatever your personal opinion of this symbolic shape, the heart has been an iconic motif used throughout period antiques for many centuries.  First created as a symbol of enduring love and romance, the heart shape was first reported at the end

SOUL NOW: A workshop with Ruudt Peters

SOUL NOW: A workshop with Ruudt Peters After the success of the last 17 years, this year Ruudt Peters begins his summer workshop under the title SOUL NOW. Peters loves working around universal and ancient concepts. The spiritual aspect of his work, which can be found in his creations, is also what guides him in transmitting knowledge and skills, a bit like Socrates liked to do with the maieutic: to stimulate the disciples to bring out the truth from themselves, truth that is not teachable, but it is a knowledge of the soul.  In this case, Peters also includes an

Experimental Setting at K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery Cockpit Arts, London

Experimental Setting at K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery Cockpit Arts, London Tuesday 22 nd   – Friday 25 th  October 2019 A 4 Day workshop led by  Kelvin Birk and Katrin Spranger at K2 Academy Of Contemporary Jewellery, London Experimental Setting This course will give you the possibility to explore and experiment with different setting techniques and to find new ways to use them in an unconventional way. The course will focus on different projects Trapping stones in liquid metal Using uncommon materials for jewellery making and setting Setting found objects and small valuable treasures You will be encouraged to look

Call for Applications: Brands of Tomorrow 2021

Call for Applications: Brands of Tomorrow 2021 Brands of Tomorrow helps aspiring British luxury companies of the future to fulfil their potential, through a year of mentoring, workshops and networking. Over the past 13 years Walpole’s Brands of Tomorrow programme has helped develop and nurture over 120 emerging luxury brands, and has proudly seen them become leaders in their respective fields. Many of those that have participated have not only grown significantly, but also found international success – Orlebar Brown, Bremont, Nyetimber, Emilia Wickstead, Miller Harris, Astley Clarke, amongst others. During the programme the selected brands attend a series of

Glass with a world inside: Jewellery by Mio Toyoda

Glass Tradition in Japan is very old and the first glass in Japan is found among archaeological remains dating to the Yayoi period (3rd century B.C. to 3rd century A.D.). Over the centuries and up until the Edo period (1603-1867), glass of any kind was considered a luxury to be enjoyed by society's upper class. In addition to the European imports, much of Japanese early knowledge and technology in regard to glassmaking was derived from China writes Ilaria Ruggiero. While the western influence was strong, the Japanese style in glass retained its identity and spirit. During the 19th century, glassmaking took

The Artful Christmas Weekend 2020

Call for Applications: The Artful Christmas Weekend  28th & 29th November Romsey, Hampshire Applications for Artful Christmas Weekend are now open. In light of current uncertainties we've made some significant changes to our terms and payment policies which we hope will give artists the confidence to apply.  All details for this event and how to apply to exhibit can be found here The Artful Christmas Weekend brings together a selection of talented artists and makers with a range of high quality arts and crafts in the beautiful setting of the Sir  Harold Hillier Gardens Visitor Centre , Romsey, Hampshire. Now in

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

Introducing 'Living Coral' Pantone's Colour of the Year 2019

Colour-giant, Pantone, have proclaimed ‘Living Coral’ the colour of the year for 2019. With each passing year, it seems that Pantone’s influence becomes increasingly ubiquitous; permeating all aspects of marketing, design and culture.  Here, Benchpeg puts together a guide to the colour, its meaning and possible colour combinations to equip you with what you need to know as a jeweller.  The inspiration ‘Living coral’ prescribes a return to nature in a world more and more engulfed and shaped by technology. Pantone say: “Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral emits the desired, familiar and energizing aspects of colour found in nature. In its

News Edit: 27 January 2019

A round up of this week's international jewellery news...   My head, their hands — a jeweller’s extraordinary collaboration After being paralysed from the neck down, Romilly Saumarez Smith found a new way to make art. www.ft.com 4 Jewellery Trends To Embrace In 2019 With fashion changing every season and the constant pressure to turn out fresh looks for every event, keeping up to date with the trends can feel exhausting.  www.elle.com.au   "More And More Women Are Buying Jewellery For Themselves" - Maya Magal On The Changing Market A quick scroll through Instagram will tell you that semi-precious jewellery

Suri Jewelry: Memories from Renaissance

The women painted by the great Venetian Masters wear jewelry and precious stones, fabrics from the East, embraced by smoky atmospheres of incense and fragrances writes Ilaria Ruggiero. Since childhood Giulia Vecchiato admired the jewels of the eccentric ladies who live in Venice, as they were amulets to access the past and ancient times. She started very little to build her own jewelry by assembling scrap metal found in her house, seals, scraps of fabrics mounted on curtains’ pendant. Growing up and studing traditional techniques of goldsmith, she started her own journey into the jewelry field, by developing a very

A Touch of Noir

When we think of diamonds we're used to picturing white sparkly stones, so what if we were to say that alongside those bright glistening stones is a dark step sister that is becoming equally popular? In recent years, the demand and popularity for nonconventional stones - particularly in engagement rings- has found black diamonds to be one of the most popular choices of fancy-coloured diamonds. Previously held in low regard, natural-colour black diamonds continued to be unpopular until designers started to implement them into their collections in the late 20th century; often contrasting them with colourless pave diamonds. Perhaps the

Electroforming Jewellery Course at K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery

Electroforming Jewellery at K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery 3 Day Course 23 Mar 2018- 25 Mar 2018 What will be taught? In this three-day workshop, you will be introduced to the electroforming technique, to create unique jewellery pieces, small objects and samples in copper. The course is designed to discover the potential of the technique as it allows you to create intricate, complex three-dimensional shapes. You can produce unique, hollow and lightweight pieces which cannot be done in any other technique. First you will learn about the principles of electroforming. We will then select suitable objects, from plastic ready-mades, to found

K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery - Contemporary Jewellery Workshop

K2 Academy of Contemporary Jewellery Contemporary Jewellery Saturday Workshop This course is ideal for students who either like to try their hands on design and jewellery making or intermediate students who want to broaden their skill set. About The Course On this practical course you will be working on two to three projects which will explore base metals such as copper, brass and more unconventional materials such as paper, textiles, ribbons or other found materials. You will explore and take your inspiration from the theme of ‘water and its rich underwater life’. Projects could include the making of a brooch,

News Edit: 29 April 2018

A round up of this week's international jewellery news... Police launch murder probe after builder 'viciously attacked' at work in Hatton Garden The Independent: Forty-seven-year-old found dead on roof of business www.independent.co.uk Kate jeweller Annoushka loses sparkle The Times: A jeweller favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge and celebrities such as Rihanna swung to a loss last year. www.thetimes.co.uk Jewelry consortium to use IBM blockchain technology to verify, authenticate diamonds, engagement rings ZDNet: The TrustChain Initiative is being launched with IBM and a consortium that represents every step of the jewelry value chain from mine to manufacturer to retail. www.zdnet.com

Jewellery Certificate Level 2 at Morley Collage

Jewellery Certificate Level 2- VJE070A Morley College 13 Sep 2017 - 4 Jul 2018 This year long course is 3 hours a week from September and is an intermediate course aimed at people wanting to further their skills, start a business, work in the jewellery industry or progress onto further education.  The course covers press-forming, etching, stone setting, fashion jewellery, a competition project with the V&A museum, using found objects in jewellery and enamelling. At the end of the course there is a show which the students organise, run and participate in. It also covers running a small business, setting

Made London The Design and Craft Fair 2018

Call For Entries: Made London The Design and Craft Fair Applications are now open for MADE LONDON - The Design and Craft Fair to be held at beautiful One Marylebone from 18 - 21 October 2018. We welcome applications from across all applied arts: ceramics, jewellery, furniture, leather, glass, textiles, silverware, mixed media and anything else we don't know about from individuals, groups, galleries and shops. To Apply Full information - prices, stand sizes, how to apply and what we need from you - can be found here: madelondon-marylebone.co.uk/application Please read this in full, before applying here: madelondon-marylebone.co.uk Dates 18

Experimental Setting IV at K2 Academy of Jewellery

Experimental Setting 4 Day Course 11 - 14 April 2018  What will be taught? This course will give you the possibility to explore and experiment with different setting techniques and to find new ways to use them in an unconventional way. The course will focus on different projects Trapping stones in liquid metal Using uncommon materials for jewellery making and setting Setting found objects and small valuable treasures You will be encouraged to look for a various ways of how to set stones and objects and explore the possibilities of embracing them in alternative ways and methods. The creative journey

The Flaming Pearl Queen of Conch

Prized for her rarity and creamy unique shimmer, this freshwater gemstone is hailed as The Flaming Pink Pearl Queen of the exotic sea. Whilst many have come across its sister counterparts, freshwater pearls as well as Mikimoto, pink conch pearls remain to be amongst some of the most desirable and rarest form of naturally-occuring organic gemstones. Found within the depths of the Caribbean ocean off the coast of North America, this beautifully spiral shaped snail shell inhabits from Florida down into the waters of the West Indies. The conch shell belongs to a genus family called the Gastropod as it

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

Precious Pearl for Those Born in June

What better way is there to celebrate the fact that we're exactly half way through the year than with a little organic charm for all those June babies out there?! Those born in June are lucky enough to have not just one but three birthstones associated with their birthday; pearls, alexandrite's and moonstones. Unlike most other gemstones that are found within the Earth, Pearls are unique in that they have an organic origin. Pearls are often either created inside the shells of living creatures such as clams and oysters or occur naturally in the mollusks of freshwater species in rivers

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

RELIC

RELIC This is Metalsmith Rebecca Gouldson’s first foray into curating with this exhibition entitled RELIC. The exhibition draws on Rebecca’s interpretation of the theme as “a collection of objects which capture my imagination, chosen for their appearance of being found, rather than recently made; aged rather than new. They appear to have a history, told through their form, their surface marks and sometimes in their arrangement or display.” Exhibiting makers include Rebecca Appleby, Karolina Baines,  Elaine Bolt, Jane Cairns, Anne-Laure Cano,  Amanda Denison, Rebecca Gouldson, Ruth Leslie, Claire Malet, Jo Pond, Paul Wearing, Rachel Wood and others to be announced

Magical Farnese blue diamond expected to fetch £5m

A spectacular blue diamond which was gifted to a Spanish queen in 1715 is to go on sale for the first time ever next month with an anticipated price tag of around £5 million. Until recently, no one knew of its existence since the 6.16 -carat 'Farnese Blue', crafted for Elisabeth Farnese, Queen of Spain (1692-1766) was seen  only by close relatives though since those relatives spanned four royal families across France, Spain, Italy and Austria over a period of 300 years, it is astonishing the diamond has been kept under wraps so successfully. It was found in the Golconda

Instant payment for a Recruitment Advert - £135

Thank you very much for deciding to advertise with Benchpeg We've made it really simple to pay us.  Just use the Paypal button below. How to pay Please use the Paypal button below to pay. First, enter your company name in the box Second, enter your invoice reference number in the box ( the reference number can be found at the top right hand corner of our invoice under our address in bold and will begin with bp-00 ) then press the yellow button to pay. This button is for a fixed payment which includes transaction fees.

Instant payment for a Recruitment Advert - £300

Thank you very much for deciding to advertise with Benchpeg We've made it really simple to pay us.  Just use the Paypal button below. How to pay Please use the Paypal button below to pay. First, enter your company name in the box Second, enter your invoice reference number in the box ( the reference number can be found at the top right hand corner of our invoice under our address in bold and will begin with bp-00 ) then press the yellow button to pay. This button is for a fixed payment which includes transaction fees.  

Stephen Webster promotes end of single use plastic with the Last Straw

Jeweller to the stars Stephen Webster, has partnered with the Plastic Oceans Foundation to highlight the need to end the use of single use plastics, like straws, in his latest environmental campaign. In response the world’s plastic pollution problem, whereby the UK alone uses mind-boggling 8.5 billion straws every year, which are among the top 10 items found in beach clean-ups and take over 200 years to break down, Webster has launched his latest project 'The Last Straw'. Handcrafted in sterling silver, a perfect material known for its anti-bacterial qualities, 'The Last Straw' will be personalised with the owner’s name

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

Jewels of The Ocean: The Trend Making A Wave This Spring

An oceanic explosion of creative artistry has plunged onto the 2018 spring jewellery edit. Prepare yourselves for an expansive sea-bed of eye-catching, beautifully bright, mis-matched pieces, inspired by the vibrant life found underwater. Throwing it back to the 90s surfer vibes, long gone are the days of cornrows and white shell chokers ready to reveal the sophisticated and playful pieces jumping for air this spring. The fashion runways revealed models adorned in mismatched shell earrings, revamped conch-shell rings and gemstone encrusted charm bracelets in tropical palettes of dazzling colour. From door-knocking droppers and decked-out chokers to dainty delicates, embrace this

Angela Georgiou gets new branding with Clout

Shropshire based bespoke luxury jeweller, Angela Georgiou has had a complete brand refresh courtesy of global branding experts, which has successfully strengthened the positioning and identity of the jewellery brand. The jewellery designer who uses inspiration from her Greek Cypriot heritage, re-imagines found and personal antiquities, turning them into unconventional, contemporary pieces for a UK and international client base. Award winning Clout Branding were appointed towards the end of 2017 by the jeweller to help create a more distinct positioning and brand identity within the luxury sector. The new identity, which is focused around the idea of ‘The past re-imagined’

The Opulent World of Margot McKinney

Margot McKinney ,  a designer of high–end, luxury jewellery exudes elegance and sophistication whose craftmanship boasts unique cuts with extravagant designs for the chic, fashionable, and cosmopolitan woman. Margot’s love of travel provides a constant source of inspiration for her designs and her appreciation for fine gems guides her unique approach to her “one of a kind” creations. Margot’s work is admired for the imaginative way in which a myriad of precious gems are combined as if they inexorably found each other. The innovative designs of her pieces have led to a wide celebrity following, including Dita Von Teese, Andie

On The Rocks: The Statement Cocktail Ring Soaked in History

As the temperatures outside begin to wind and cool down, the autumnal season trends are heating up to bolstering attention and flamboyant glamour. New season forecasting ushers in a new era of historical jewellery revival; a statement jewel like none other - the striking Cocktail ring. Dramatic, eye-catching and somewhat ostentatious, the cocktail ring is the epitome of excess which first found a name for itself as a symbol of independence and rebellion against the Prohibition over a century ago.  A bygone era, 1920s America was a time of tension and excess between deep rooted morals of the world war

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

Lichen inspired work by Kate Bajic

Jeweller Kate Bajic uses the countryside around her studio as inspiration for her contemporary jewellery pieces. Kate is particularly fascinated by the wide variation of colour, shapes, and forms found in different lichen species. Through photography and sample collection, Kate examines their minute complexity and translates aspects of this into her work. She handcrafts pieces using precious metals or mild steel, often combined with semiprecious stones. Designs evolve through experimenting with composition, playing with contrasting colours, or adding textural details. Most recently Kate has experimented with hand piercing and patenting thin steel sheet to create complex layered necklaces which are

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, 

Electroforming Jewellery Course, Cockpit Arts - Holborn, London

In this two-day workshop you will create unique jewellery pieces in copper, exploring the potential of the electroforming technique. About the course The course is designed to discover the potential of the electroforming technique as it allows you to create intricate, complex three-dimensional shapes. You can produce unique, hollow and lightweight pieces which can not be done in any other technique.   Day 1 On the first day you either create a master by carving and modelling wax, or you bring along everything you would like to turn into metal like organic found objects such as twigs, leaves, seashells or

Melanie Georgacopoulos: MOP Shell Collection Features New Pieces

Melanie Georgacopoulos recently added new pieces to their "MOP Shell" collection. They will be unveiling the collection this week at Collect at the Saatchi Gallery, London, where  you can discover the new additions!  Mother of Pearl, otherwise known as nacre is produced by mollusks as an inner shell layer, it also makes up the outer coating of pearls. It is a strong, resilient and iridescent material that has been used for thousands of years, mainly in the form of inlay. Natural MOP has many different applications worldwide, in both expensive and inexpensive items. It can be commonly found in East Asian and

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

Plunge Into The Fresh Watery Hue of Aquamarine

Whilst traditionally there are two precious birthstones associated with the blooming spring month of March it is Aquamarine that is more closely considered the stone of seasonal tranquility. Derived from the latin word translating to "water of the sea", the ancient myth and symbolic folklore surrounding its properties is pulled from its aquatic associations and crystal ocean-like hue. Mined mainly throughout Brazil, this precious stone is distinctive for its blue-green iridescent tones caused by the chemical makeup of the stone of iron oxides. Aquamarine is a blue-stone variety within the Beryl family and can be found within a range of

MADE BRIGHTON, St Bartholomew’s - Brighton

A Contemporary Craft and Design Christmas Shopping Fair Sixty-five top quality contemporary designer/makers across all media will be selling their handcrafted work direct to the public on Saturday 10th December. Ideal for late Christmas shopping, MADE BRIGHTON at St Bartholomew’s Church will offer original and beautiful ceramics, jewellery, homeware, glass, woodwork, textiles, screen-prints and more. There'll be a range of prices to ensure there is something for everyone. A full list of makers attending can be found here . Tickets are £4.50, and are available online or on the door. Date: Saturday 10th December Time: 10.30am – 6.00pm Venue: St

Ruth Hollywood launches new lines at London Design Festival

Ruth Hollywood makes jewellery inspired by natural geometry. Synthesising 100% recycled silver and colourful hand-mixed resin, her work moves over the boundaries between science, nature and art. Ruth has received awards for Excellence in Design from The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, and was selected for the Crafts Council UK Hothouse programme in 2015. Her jewellery is stocked in a variety of shops and galleries across the world. She exhibits at trade shows regularly, and her work has been shown in London, Munich, Montreal and Sydney. The perfect microscopic patterns of atoms and crystals have found their way into Ruth’s newest

A Fab Boost For Megan Collins and Her 'Succulent' Collection

When Megan Collins arrived in London from South Africa in 2012, she wasn't sure what path her career would take but she knew she had an opportunity to try something new. She enrolled on a week-long course at Vannetta Seecharran School of Jewellery and "totally loved it". So much so that she embarked upon the year-long diploma course and soon found herself making jewellery that spoke to her South African roots, based on the shapes of native succulent plants. Since completing the course in 2014, her creative career has been constantly evolving. Along with teaching Art and Design four days

Experimental Setting III

Experimental Setting III A four-day workshop with Kelvin Birk and Katrin Spranger Monday 4th – Thursday 7th September 2017 at Cockpit Arts This course will give you the possibility to explore and experiment with different setting techniques and to find new ways to use them in an unconventional way. The course will focus on different projects Trapping stones in liquid metal Using uncommon materials for jewellery making and setting Setting found objects and small valuable treasures You will be encouraged to look for a various ways of how to set stones and objects and explore the possibilities of embracing them

Job Market Change: Apprenticeships are the new Educational Future

According to a new survey it was found that the UK is once again emerging as a hotbed for apprenticeships. Almost half (47%) of the respondents said they would accept an apprenticeship in their chosen field, given the opportunity.  In a job market where you can find opportunities on your Twitter feed and be formally interviewed via Skype, it’s little surprise that attitudes are changing as to how you gain employment. Working alongside universities, modern apprenticeships are making a mockery of the idea that academic progression and hands-on experience are mutually exclusive. Young people can learn on-the-job, whilst studying in

Ellie Air Jewellery, Firma: The Brand New Collection

Firma, the new collection from Ellie Air Jewellery, had been relaunched in autumn 2016 ready for the A/W 2016 fashion reboot. Italian for signature, 'Firma' is inspired by an antique ring that Lauren found already engraved with her initials. The signet ring is a beautiful and unusual shape and these traits are reflected on throughout the new collection, with dainty 9ct gold and silver stars and rhombus shapes featuring heavily. Each design in the collection 'Firma' features a star set stone; high quality black and grey diamonds and emeralds. There are also two special rings in the collection: an eternity

Time to Strike Smart: The Gift Of Christmas

Clocking into a trend of sleek functionality, effortless design, technological skill wound up in striking aesthetics; the smart watch has struck its anointed hour as the leading innovative wrist wear to deliver! Rising from the initial murmurs of scepticism, the smart watch has been ticking its way into the limelight and has strapped itself in as the laid-back king of smartphone accessories for 2016. Not to be cast aside as a geeky gimmick reserved only for big bang theory personalities, this aesthetically stunning accessory offers a plethora of desirable functions that provide new-found comfort and clear tailored results unique to

Fera Jewellery Launches Animii Collection

Jo Gordon, the designer maker behind FERA Jewellery has announced the official launch of her formal debut collection for the brand she first c reated in 2014. Jo graduated from the prestigious School of Jewellery in 2014 where she first be gan to make and sell her jewellery  whilst studying traditional jewellery making techniq ues , winning  numerous industry awards for her designs .  Jo is a nomadic  and inquisitive  soul and  spends much of her time travelling the globe, searching for adventure and inspiration.  Currently living the island life in Bali, she can otherwise been found sourcing precious stones

The Scots Pine Inspires I Love a Lassie’s New Bark Collection

I Love a Lassie is launching its new Bark collection at International Jewellery London (IJL) this September, the Scottish silver jewellery designers has announced This latest collection of pendants, earrings, rings and cuffs captures the extraordinary sheen and texture of the bark found on a Scots Pine tree.  The Bark collection features large, dramatic pieces like the Bark ring and Bark cuff and provides the perfect complement to the more delicate pieces of our best-selling Birds’ Nest collection.  Both collections will be on display at IJL, stand no: P47. “There is a roughness as well as an almost luminous sheen

Melanie Georgacopoulo: MOP Shell Collection

The MOP Shell collection crafted by Melanie Georgacopoula celebrates Mother of Pearl and its various beautiful colours, featuring seamless MOP diamond and emerald forms, paired with 18ct gold and freshwater pearls. Mother of Pearl, otherwise known as nacre is produced by mollusks as an inner shell layer, it also makes up the outer coating of pearls. It is a strong, resilient and iridescent material that has been used for thousands of years, mainly in the form of inlay. Natural Mother of Pearl has many different applications worldwide, in both expensive and inexpensive items. It can be commonly found in East

Marco Bicego Present New Paradise Chalcedony Collection

Marco Bicego bring to market a new sophisticated interpretation of their Iconic Paradise collections inspired by the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean sea founded on inspiration from the Sardinian coastline. While swimming in the Mediterranean waters of the Sardinian coastline, Marco Bicego found inspiration for his Paradise collection in the crystalline reflections of sunlight on the clear sea. A joyous mix of delicate gold chain, hand engraved gold beads, and colorful gemstones combined together to create one of Marco Bicego’s most iconic collections.   For this season Marco has updated the Paradise collection by replacing the colourful gems with luxurious

Rachel Entwistle on Dazed and Confused Anniversary Cover

FKA twigs wore a bespoke septum jewellery chain by me for the cover of the Dazed and Confused 25th anniversary edition. Inside the pages twigs looked sublime wearing a bespoke body chain created for her for the Radiant Me tour. In collaboration with twigs, a range of bespoke jewellery designs were curated for twigs and her dancers including body chains, necklaces, spiral collars and septum chains. FKA twigs wore the body chain in every show in the tour from Moscow to the USA. Inspired by tribal jewellery - The spiral symbol is found in many ancient cultures and represents the

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition  New Brewery Arts  4th April – 18th June 2023  The Association for Contemporary Jewellery presents a major touring exhibition, showcasing 60 brooches from 60 current members. Including work from members in the UK, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Taiwan, USA, and US Virgin Islands. Materials include PLA filament, jesmonite, paper, silver and gold, aluminium, copper, enamels, wood, textiles, ceramics, semi-precious stones, and an array of found objects – gramophone needles, leather gloves, spent bullet cartridges, military ribbon, and denatured citrus fruit peel. An Exhibition of Brooches We have chosen

Galerie Marzee - Summer Exhibitions

Galerie Marzee Exhibitions: Lisa Walker, Eva Jünger, Margit Jäschke & Pedro Sequeira From 26 May 2024 Nijmegen, Netherlands Galerie Marzee opens three new exhibitions: Lisa Walker (NZ), Eva Jünger (D), Margit Jäschke (D) and Pedro Sequeira (PT) Lisa Walker and Eva Jünger Iconoclastic, intuitive and impetuous, Lisa Walker challenges traditional notions about jewellery and questions what it is and what it can be. With an open yet rigorous approach, she works with found objects, precious materials, abandoned bits and bobs, combining and transforming them to create jewellery that questions its very nature, reconsiders its own answers and explores relationships to

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition  Vittoria Street Gallery, Birmingham School of Jewellery 19th September- 28th October 2022  The Association for Contemporary Jewellery presents a major touring exhibition, showcasing 60 brooches from 60 current members. Including work from members in the UK, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Taiwan, USA, and US Virgin Islands. Materials include PLA filament, jesmonite, paper, silver and gold, aluminium, copper, enamels, wood, textiles, ceramics, semi-precious stones, and an array of found objects – gramophone needles, leather gloves, spent bullet cartridges, military ribbon, and denatured citrus fruit peel. An Exhibition of Brooches

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition  Mission Gallery in partnership with Swansea College of Art UWTSD 16th November – 21st December 2022 The Association for Contemporary Jewellery presents a major touring exhibition, showcasing 60 brooches from 60 current members. Including work from members in the UK, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Taiwan, USA, and US Virgin Islands. Materials include PLA filament, jesmonite, paper, silver and gold, aluminium, copper, enamels, wood, textiles, ceramics, semi-precious stones, and an array of found objects – gramophone needles, leather gloves, spent bullet cartridges, military ribbon, and denatured citrus fruit peel.

News Edit: 29 October 2021

Here is a round up of this week's international jewellery news...   Northumberland woman discovers 'costume jewellery' is actually £2m diamond ITV: A woman from Northumberland has discovered that her collection of cheap "costume jewellery" included a diamond worth an estimated £2 million. www.itv.com Diamond worth £2m found during Northumberland home clearout BBC: A woman who bought what she thought was a costume jewellery stone is set for a £2m windfall after tests revealed it is a 34-carat diamond. www.bbc.co.uk The Best Tassel Jewellery For Party Season The Times: There’s nothing like a swishy tassel to get you in the

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition

Meanings and Messages – ACJ’s 25th Anniversary Touring Exhibition  Goldsmiths’ Centre, Farringdon, London 9th January – 24th February 2023  The Association for Contemporary Jewellery presents a major touring exhibition, showcasing 60 brooches from 60 current members. Including work from members in the UK, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Taiwan, USA, and US Virgin Islands. Materials include PLA filament, jesmonite, paper, silver and gold, aluminium, copper, enamels, wood, textiles, ceramics, semi-precious stones, and an array of found objects – gramophone needles, leather gloves, spent bullet cartridges, military ribbon, and denatured citrus fruit peel. An Exhibition of Brooches We have

V&A Museum Acquires Rare Jewelled Medieval Brooch

Found on former Royal hunting grounds, this unique Medieval Brooch was a rare find for metal detectorist Justin Owens. After being mistaken for a dirty bottle cap, it's now proudly on display within the V&A's incredible jewellery collections. If jewellery could talk, we wonder what stories it could tell... The V&A Museum has acquired a rare jewelled late Medieval cluster brooch after it was uncovered in 2017 by a metal detectorist in the former Royal Hunting Ground known as 'Great Park' near Brigstock, Northamptonshire. Dating fromc. 1400-1450, the brooch hails from either France or Germany. It's one of only seven known

News Edit: 14 April 2019

A round up of this week's international jewellery news...   Tributes paid to talented Newton Mearns jeweller who had proud royal connection Barrhead News: An East Renfrewshire jeweller who designed pieces for the Queen has died at the age of 69. barrheadnews.com Jeweller unveils world´s largest square emerald cut diamond Daily Mail: A London-based luxury jeweller has unveiled what is said to be the world’s largest square emerald cut diamond. dailymail.co.uk Jeweller unveils world’s largest square emerald cut diamond BT: The Graff Lesedi La Rona was cut and polished from the second-largest rough diamond ever found. home.bt.com De Grisogono Salutes

News Edit: 17 June 2018

A round up of this week's international jewellery news... Incredible photos reveal spooky hidden shipwrecks as divers find lost treasure ship Devon Live: Cannons and an anchor are among the items found on what's believed to be one of the richest shipwrecks off the coast. www.devonlive.com A 'perfect' diamond and Peggy Rockefeller's beloved jewels The Telegraph: Last month’s three-day sale of Peggy and David Rockefeller’s art collection was, as expected, the most valuable estate auction in history, raising $832.6 million www.telegraph.co.uk From Australia with love: Calleija’s rare diamond delights The Telegraph: John Calleija, the Australian fine jeweller, came into the

News Edit: 5 August 2018

A round up of this week's international jewellery news... Swedish crown jewels: Speedboat thieves steal priceless treasures BBC: Police in Sweden have launched a manhunt after thieves swiped some of the country's crown jewels from a cathedral and escaped by speedboat. bbc.com Jewellery thefts that shocked the world BBC: We take a look at some of the world's other audacious jewellery thefts. bbc.co.uk   'Priceless' 2,800-year-old 'royal gold jewellery' stash boasting some 3,000 items is found inside a burial mound in remote Kazakhstan mountains Daily Mail: An astonishing stash of 2,800-year-old gold jewellery has been unearthed by archaeologists in Kazakhstan.