Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Awards 2019

This important annual Awards Ceremony – known as the Jewellery Oscars – was hosted by Theo Fennell and welcomed over 300 guests, including world-renowned jewellery houses, notable sponsors, industry associations, leading designers and the UK jewellery press.

This unique annual competition rewards excellence in technical skills and creative design in precious metals and related materials. The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council (GC&DC) which operates the competition, actively encourages established craftspersons and designers in the industry, as well as apprentices and students to enter their work.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Each year, the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council honours a member of the UK industry with its Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2019, this honour was presented to Grant Macdonald. His contribution and continuing legacy to the industry is significant and unquestionable, a true pioneer, silversmithing entrepreneur and excellent ambassador of the profession. Grant was presented with the LAA silver medal by Prime Warden Michael Prideaux and Mr Tom Fattorini, sponsor of this award.

The Jacques Cartier Memorial Award

The Jacques Cartier Memorial Award is given at the discretion of the Council for exceptional and outstanding craftsmanship. It is only awarded when, in the Council’s judgement, an entry achieves a standard to justify the honour. This Jacques Cartier Memorial Award this year goes to Tony Bedford for his chased Head Inspired by Rodin’s Burghers of Calais. Tony also won the Cartier Award in 1979, and exactly 40 years later in 2019 scoops it once again.

GC&DC Chairman, Andrew Putland, said of the Awards: 

“Congratulations to all of this year’s Award winners, who have again impressed the Council and our judges, with fine examples of craft and design skills across many specialist sections. Our expert industry judges frequently commented on the exceptionally high standard of work this year, and we are pleased with the number of entries that met Council’s benchmark for Gold Awards in 2019. The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards mark a positive start to the year for our junior and senior entrants, and the Council was pleased to celebrate and enjoy their success on Monday night through these great Awards.”

Key Highlights

Other key highlights from the 2019 Awards were

• 130 winners were honoured in 32 categories with 36 Gold Awards, 44 Silver Awards and 50 Bronze Awards.
• A significant increase in entries in 2019 with 642 single entries (500 in 2018), which increased to almost 1100 from multiple entries.
• The College Trophy was presented to Birmingham City University for the third year running. This trophy is awarded to the College or University that has achieved the highest total of points accumulated from any gold, silver and bronze prizes in the competition.  
• Over 80 industry Patrons, Sponsors and Contributors support the Awards in 2019.
• 100 industry judges, experts in their respective fields, assessed this year’s entries.
• Over 20 Patron and Special Awards given in 2019.
• An exhibition of Award-winning work and selected entries from the 2019 Awards will be open to the public at Goldsmiths’ Hall from 26 February to 1st March 2019, with a late evening viewing until 8pm on the Wednesday 27 February.

Notable Patron Awards are given each year. Particular highlights were:

• Over 20 Patron Named Awards were presented this year
• David Stonehouse won the Silversmithing Champagne Gosset Award and best overall 2D Designer
• The Theo Fennell Apprentice and Master Award was won by Louise Sorrell and her Master Sam Marsden. Louise is the first female apprentice to win the Award
• The Junior Award was also presented to Engraving Apprentice Louise Sorrell
• The Diamond Jewellery GRAFF Award was won by Theo Ioannou 
• The International Jewellery London Award and the Goldsmiths’ Company Award 2019 went to John Moore, winner of the Goldsmiths’ Company Award for a second time

Patrons, Sponsors & Contributors

As in previous years, the headline sponsors for 2019 included The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths as its Founding Patron, The Goldsmiths’ Company as Leading Patron, Cartier and Graff Diamonds as Principal Patrons. Special Patrons this year were: International Jewellery London (IJL); The Goldsmiths’ Centre and Brown & Newirth with HRH Princess Michael of Kent as the Council’s Royal Patron.  

Entries are invited and actively encouraged in all aspects of the trade, from new entrants to skilled craftspersons, apprentices and those in education. The competition accommodates all craft and design activities in the profession, including specialist sections such as diamond mounting, setting, silversmithing, chasing, enamelling, 2D design – including CAD, jewellery, smallwork, technology and many more.