Winners Honoured at the Goldsmiths' Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2025
05 Mar 2025
The Annual Goldsmiths Craftsmanship & Design Awards (GC&DC Awards) were held at the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Hall in London on Monday 3rd March 2025, with more than 300 guests in attendance to commend this year’s award winners.
The ceremony was opened by The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council’s chair, John Ball, and hosted by Council vice-chair Judith Lockwood and trustee Maeve Gillies, who together announced this year’s award winners.
In his welcome, John Ball told guests and award winners: “For all of you who received a card through the post to let you know you had won a prize, just stop and recognise what an achievement that is. To be lauded by your peers. To pass the scrutiny of a notoriously stringent judging process. Tonight is about the brightest stars, the most promising new talents, the most innovative designs that challenge us all to improve and evolve. This is what the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards is all about.”
Alongside this year’s award winners, guests included representatives from world-renowned jewellery houses, notable sponsors, industry associations, leading designers, and the UK press. The Awards presentation was live-streamed on YouTube, which doubled the immediate audience, bolstered by a local screening for winners’ friends and family.
2025 Awards Highlights
For 2025, the Awards comprised 33 categories in both 2D design and 3D craft and design categories. In total, more than 567 people entered the 2025 edition of awards — almost 20% more than the previous year — with a total of 36 Gold awards given.
Three Major awards and three Premier awards were presented, alongside five Special awards, three bursaries, and the prestigious College Trophy. This years’ competition was generously supported by more than 60 patrons and sponsors.
Among the Major and Premier awards presented, leading accolades included:
The Jacques Cartier Memorial Award
The GC&DC Awards foremost prize, The Jacques Cartier Memorial Award was given to Alexandra Raphael for The Honest Bowl. The 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.
Presented by Laurent Feniou, managing director UK for Cartier, Alexandra won unanimous votes from the Council for her exquisite plique-à-jour enamelled bowl — a stunning tribute to nature, showcasing an exceptional command of colour, composition, and artistry.
The Goldsmiths’ Company Award
The 2025 Goldsmiths’ Company Award, given for exceptional and outstanding design, is only awarded when an entry achieves the highest standard of design and originality. This year, the prize was awarded to Janet Barber for the Moth Orchid Brooch. This delicate, ethereal brooch is made of carved magnesite, niobium, titanium, and peppered with sapphires and diamonds. Judges were in awe of both the design and craftsmanship.
The Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Thomas Fattorini Ltd, was presented to Gay Penfold, in recognition of her outstanding contribution and commitment to the craft and industry of silversmithing, jewellery and the allied crafts.
Gay has been a key figure in the support, development, and growth of countless designer-makers and SMEs, both regionally and nationally. She has played a vital role in breaking down barriers and building bridges between industry education, innovation, and business.
The College Trophy
The College Trophy, presented by special patrons The Betts Group, was presented to The Bishopsland Educational Trust, and collected by Angela Cork, principal of Bishopsland. 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 Theo Fennell Apprentice & Master Award
This award honours the special partnership between an apprentice and their master, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship while celebrating the guidance and expertise of skilled mentors. This award highlights the outstanding work of apprentices and acknowledges the invaluable contribution of their masters. Presented by Theo Fennell himself, the award was given to apprentice Blythe Jolley-Ellis, for the Art Deco Lapel Pins & Brooch, and Master Victoria Cornelius-Nori.
Junior and Senior Awards
The year’s Junior Award winner was also given to Blythe Jolley-Ellis, for the Art Deco Lapel Pins & Brooch. As the winner of the Junior Award, Blythe’s piece was complimented by judges for its incredibly high level of craftsmanship in mounting.
The Senior Award winner was presented to Alexandra Raphael for The Honest Bowl. The piece was praised by judges for technical ingenuity, and it continually impressed and astounded judges as it moved through the competition.
Acknowledgements “The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council would like to extend congratulations to all of this year’s winners, and especially those who were honoured with Special awards. For those scooping a Bronze or Silver award in 2025, we hope the Awards inspire continual growth and determination in your field,” John Ball added.
“The Awards would not be possible without the generous and continued support of our Patrons and Sponsors, many of whom dig deep to support us — something that we do not take for granted in the current climate. Special thanks goes to our Founding Patron, the Goldsmiths’
Company and Founding Principal Patron, Cartier. We also thank our brilliant judges, who give their time voluntarily to ensure the ongoing integrity and credibility of the Awards.” 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.
Champagne Gosset Awards - Silvermsiths
Since 2019, the Awards have been kindly supported by Champagne Gosset, a high-end, small production Champagne house situated in Epernay, northern France, and founded in 1584. The oldest winery in the champagne region, they remain family-owned and focus on handmade, traditional techniques. Gosset continues to set a silversmithing design brief each year for the Awards; this year, it was won by Pearl Ng for the Champagne Vines and Roses candle holder design.
2025 Awards Exhibition
A free-to-view exhibition of all the award-winning work from the 2025 Awards will remain at the Goldsmiths’ Hall from Tuesday 4 to Friday 7 March. It is open to the public from 10am – 5pm,
with guided walk-through available between 11am and 2pm, led by members of the Council. Tickets must be booked for entry, via this link.
The Awards exhibition will be at the Assay Office Birmingham from the 25th to 27th March 2025 with a programme of special events including talks and tours, and open days.
Source: GC&DC