Winners Honoured at Goldsmiths' Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2024

11 Mar 2024

The Jacques Cartier Memorial Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and 49 Gold Awards were presented at the 2024 Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards.

Held at the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Hall in London on Monday 4th, March 2024, this important annual Awards Ceremony was opened by the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council’s chair Anne-Marie Reeves, and hosted by Council Trustees Maeve Gillies and Judith Lockwood, who revealed this year’s award winners. The event welcomed 300 guests, including representatives from world-renowned jewellery houses, notable sponsors, industry associations, leading designers, and the UK media. The Awards presentation was live-streamed to international viewers, doubling the immediate audience.

In her opening remarks, Anne-Marie Reeves told guests and award winners,

“It’s both an honour and privilege to be standing here tonight as chair of GCDC and part of this amazing industry. For those who are starting on that journey, be inspired by those who have gone before and set the high standards we all aspire to. For those stars of the future, the world is your oyster!

“Congratulations to all the winners and especially those who were honoured with Special Awards. This is a real accolade and an honour to be cherished as a sign of excellence within your craft.”

The Craftsmanship and Design Awards are unique to the British jewellery industry and allied trades in rewarding 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 all craftspeople and designers in the industry – as well as apprentices and students – to enter their work.

Thanking the industry, Reeves added,

“The Awards would not be possible without the generous and unwavering support of our Patrons and Sponsors — notably our Founding Patron, the Goldsmiths’ Company and Founding Principal Patron, Cartier. Our thanks also go to our wonderful judges. Without them, this competition would not have the credibility and integrity that it’s known and respected for.”

2024 Awards Highlights

• 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 year it was awarded to Penny Davis for her series of Four Painted Enamel Portraits. The award was presented by Laurent Feniou, managing director UK for Cartier, who personally congratulated the winner.
• The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Tony Bedford to celebrate his remarkable career as a luminary in the world of silversmithing. Unfortunately, Tony could not attend the ceremony, however he sent a personal message from his workshop where he was presented with his award. The medal was received by David Cawte on his behalf from The Trade Warden, Joanna Hardy, and Tim Fattorini of Thomas Fattorini Ltd, who Sponsor this prestigious award.
• The College Trophy, sponsored by Betts Metals, was presented to Birmingham City University. This trophy is awarded to the College or University that has achieved the highest total points accumulated from any Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards given in the competition.
• The Senior Award was presented to Penny Davis for a series of Four Painted Enamel Portraits.
• The Junior Award Sponsored by Tracr went to Reuben Veil-Powley for the Inverted Pyramid Set Ring.
• The Theo Fennell Apprentice & Master Award Apprentice Award was given to Charlie Lewis for the Grape and Vine Cup, and Masters, Stuart Ray and Chris Hurley. It was an honour to see Grandfather Chris and grandson Charlie winning this award.

Goldsmiths’ Company apprentices won a series of Gold and Sponsored Patron Awards:

• Sophie Chapman won The Ottewill Silversmiths & Jewellers Award and The Podolsky Award for her 1:18 Model of a Nissan Figaro.
• The Thomas Lyte Award was presented to Martina Grumitt for Firework Sautoir
• The Brown & Newirth Award was presented to Amy Gibson for her Hummingbird Collar Necklace.

NAJ and BATF Sponsor Ready to Wear Category

NAJ Chair Heather Callaway awarded Jo Boateng the Ready to Wear award. Jo won for her Fitaa (white) piece, pictured above.

Heather Callaway shares,

"We’re delighted to continue our support of this vital and prestigious awards ceremony, celebrating skills in design and craft of our industry's leading craftspeople.

"As the trade association for the whole of the UK jewellery industry, we understand the importance of commercially viable jewellery pieces. By supporting the Ready-to-Wear category, we applaud designs that exhibit both distinctiveness and marketability. Congratulations to Jo Boateng and the other finalists.”

2024 Awards Exhibition

An exhibition of all the award-winning work from the 2024 Awards will remain at Goldsmiths’ Hall from Tuesday 5th to Friday 8th March and it is open to the public from 10am – 5pm.

There will be a programme of special events and an exhibition of this year’s winners will take place at the Birmingham Assay Office from 19th to 21st March, including an industry careers fair and open days to view the exhibition.

View GC&DC

Source: GC&DC