Craft3D Finished Work
Design & Craft (combined)
3D Finished Pieces (7 categories)
These sections are judged on both the quality of craftsmanship in combination with creative design, style and visual impact.
Entries in this section must be physical pieces. 3D renders will not be accepted.
Materials and methods of manufacture used must be specified i.e. hand, production, technological processes, CAD, RP, CNC, Laser sintering etc.
If several specialist craftspeople for different sections enter an item, these details need to be submitted on the entry form where indicated.
Where relevant, articles entered must be in a finished condition. Entrants are encouraged to submit in precious metals wherever possible and such entries must conform to hallmarking legislation if applicable.
Click on the icons below for the full details on each brief.
Mixed Metals & Patina
Sponsored by Louisa Guinness Gallery
This brand-new Patron Named Award, sponsored by Louisa Guinness seeks to encourage and support entrants to explore and experiment with alternative metals other than gold, platinum etc. to a fine jewellery standard.
Precious metals are now at skyrocket prices and many designers are using lower cost materials in their work. The award is in tune with this and aims to identify, reward and celebrate quality jewellery design through an inventive, experimental and speculative approach to the use of metals. Furthermore, entrants are encouraged to mix alloys or use alternative metals to create unusual forms, decorative and aesthetic outcomes, but always aiming for a high standard of fine jewellery.
There is good evidence of designers using titanium, coloured aluminium and bronze for instance. The sponsor of this award is interested in seeing the use of these and other materials and the surface finishes/textures/treatments applied to them in well-made and visually effective jewellery.
Designs can include different metals being incorporated in one piece and the mixing and colouring of metals, and patinas.
Requirements
Judges will be looking for:
Inventive and speculative approach to the use of metals
Degree and effectiveness of experimentation
Standard of craftsmanship & finish
Decorative and aesthetic outcome/s
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Creative Setting
Sponsored by Louisa Guinness Gallery
We are delighted to be partnering again with Louisa Guinness as a Named Award Patron. Following last year’s Creative Setting Award, we are now presenting this a dedicated stand-alone category, separate from the traditional setter’s section that focuses on the execution and quality of TRADITIONAL craft setting techniques.
Louisa, who champions craft skills, design, and new inventive ways of setting, is sponsoring a prize specifically for work that demonstrates creative setting in their entry (a thinking out of the box approach), to show gemstone/s in their very best light and inherent beauty.
This is a great opportunity to see how designers and makers can chose to secure a gemstone/gemstones into a piece of jewellery in an elegant, safe, discreet and clever way that may not follow the traditional rules. The sponsor wants you to remember what you have been taught but to be creative/inventive and find your own way of 'setting' a stone.
Image: Yuqing Wu - Three Diamonds Full-Bezel Setting Ring, Silver & The Louisa Guinness Gallery Award 2024
Requirements
Judges will be looking for:
Innovative & experimental setting
Standard of craftsmanship & finish
Promotion & enhancement of gemstone/s
Fine Jewellery
Sponsored by Boodles
Fine jewellery is made from precious metals such as gold and platinum and typically uses genuine precious gemstones like diamonds, sapphires, rubies or emeralds.
This award, sponsored by Boodles, seeks to identify and reward elegantly designed and beautifully-made fine jewellery.
Entries must be made in precious metals in any fineness, colour and combination, except silver.
Precious and semi-precious gemstones and other complimentary decorative treatments and surface finishes can also feature in the finished piece.
Image: Janet Weller - Harmony, Silver Award
Requirements
Judges will be looking for:
Elegantly designed and beautifully made fine jewellery
Design originality
Technical ability & level of craftsmanship
A high standard of finish to the product
Commercial merit – is it functional, wearable and saleable
Wire Innovation
Sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Gold & Silver Wyre Drawers
These two Awards sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Gold & Silver Wyre Drawers seek to promote the use of metal wire of all sizes, sections and combinations, in any precious and/or non-precious materials, but must include some precious metal wire. Entries can include all types of product across jewellery, smallwork and silversmithing.
This section encourages pieces that demonstrate innovation and well considered construction from wire. Creative designs that explore the potential of metal wire, and at quality, are encouraged and welcomed. No cast material should be included and high-quality manufacture and finishing is expected.
Image: Anna Gordon - Fragmented Memory Brooch, Gold & The GSWD Award
Requirements
Judges will be looking for:
Exciting and innovative use of wire
Appropriate use of techniques and processes
Competent construction and quality of finish and outcome
Opportunity
Subject to the endorsement of the Worshipful Company of Wyre Drawers, the winners of this important award will be offered an opportunity to undertake a short period of work experience.
Laser Technology
Sponsored by ALPHA LASER GmbH & TLM Laser
This section is an opportunity to demonstrate and celebrate the potential of laser technology. Entries can include all types of product across jewellery, smallwork and silversmithing that has utilised laser technology in part or for its full production. All entries must be made from metal.
We are very pleased to be partnering with Special Patrons ALPHA LASER GmbH and TLM Laser, ALPHA’s UK sales partner, who are sponsoring this specialist section.
The specific laser technology used in making the entry must be stated within your online application in order for judges to understand the extent and type of processes employed. Photographic evidence of manufacturing could be included in this.
Image: Paul Bailey-Green - Day & Night, Silver & The ALPHA LASER GmbH Award
Requirements
Judges will be looking for:
Creative and innovative use of laser technology
Well considered use of techniques and processes to achieve an outcome that benefits from laser technology
Competent construction and knowledge of processes in order to achieve a high quality of finish
Design merit – considered design which demonstrates an understanding of the capabiliites and possibillities of using laser technology as their chosen method / tool.
Horn & Polymers
Sponsored by The Worshipful Company of Horners'
Jewellery, body adornment or a product featuring horn and/or plastics in a creative, decorative and quality manner.
We are delighted to continue partnering with The Worshipful Company of Horners' who sponsor this Patron Named Award.
You are invited to design and make any jewellery item or product taking innovative approaches that incorporate and embody horn and/or plastics as a decorative and complimentary feature. The brief has been widened to include and encourage fashion jewellery where plastics, in particular, can be widely utilised.
Designs need to ensure that horn/plastic is a prominent aspect and main feature in the finished outcome. The winning entry may also be used within an auction event for a Horners’ Charity. As with any design brief, please ensure your description and the specification is clear (materials, stones, elements, moving parts where appropriate etc.).
See below for more guidance.
Image: Janet Richardson - Winged Silver & Horn Necklace, Gold & The Worshipful Company of Horners' Award
Horn
Horn is an organic material and natural plastic which can be ethically sourced as it is a by-product from the food and leather industries. Horn - although previously utilised for practical domestic utensils is now being crafted into decorative items - either solely or in conjunction with precious metals.
The Horners' Company are offering potential entrants the opportunity to obtain some natural horn to experiment and explore its unique properties and potential use by contacting Mark Lewis (mlewis342@googlemail.com). Mark is also available to offer any guidance and advice.
Polymers
Polymers offer a wide range of opportunity to create form, decoration and striking aesthetics, and enable any scale of item to be considered and crafted, and plastics contribute much within the fashion jewellery industry, including body adornment. Using recycled plastic is encouraged.
Requirements
Judges will be looking for:
Distinctive design featuring horn and/or plastics
Attention to detail, function and quality of craftsmanship
Creative use of materials, preferably recycled
A fantastic invitation...
The winner of this prize will also be invited to a Worshipful Company of Horner’s dinner to celebrate their Award.
Handcrafted Silverware
Sponsored by The Clothworkers' Company
For hand crafted silverware using traditional techniques inspired by Textiles.
We warmly welcomed the Clothworkers Company to the Goldsmiths’ competition for the 2023/4 Awards. The GC&DC and Clothworkers’ have partnered again for the 2024/5 awards in this silversmithing section that is designed to promote and support the core craft skills of young silversmiths i.e. hammering techniques (hand raising, blocking, caulking, bouging, planishing), box making, spinning, chasing and repoussé etc.
The Clothworkers’ Company is inviting young makers to craft and submit finished silversmithing pieces that demonstrate the use, deployment and promotion of traditional hand making techniques and skills, and ideally/preferably, work that shows an affinity/connection/representation to textiles, which can be in any form or representation or applied decoration such as chasing, engraving, texturing, enamelling etc.
Entries using CAD/RP, high technology are not eligible for this section.
Of equal importance is to foster the above objectives within the next generation of aspiring silversmiths, so this new, exciting, sponsored section supports emerging learners and future talent. Therefore, this special award is for young silversmiths up to the age of 30, including students, apprentices, employees and independent learners.
Subject to the endorsement of The Clothworkers Company, the winner of this important award will also be offered a work experience opportunity with an established silversmith.
Image: Caitlin Murphy - Convex Cube, Gold & The Clothworkers' Company Award
Requirements
Judges will be looking for:
Use of traditional craft silversmithing techniques
Degree of hand making skills demonstrated
Skill/techniques potential
Connection, relationship, representation to textiles
14 Jan 2025
Online Entry Form submission deadline
14 - 16 Jan 2025
Entry submission @ The Goldsmiths’ Centre, EC1M 5AD
3rd Mar 2025
Awards Ceremony @ The Goldsmiths' Hall, EC2V 6BN
4 - 7 Mar 2025
Awards Exhibition @ The Goldsmiths' Hall, EC2V 6BN
13 - 14 Mar 2025
Entry collection days @ The Goldsmiths’ Centre, EC1M 5AD
