Chatting in Craft Central

What: Made in Clerkenwell

 Where: Craft Central

When: 20^th May 2011

I’ve been attending the open studios here for about 5 years, ever since I found out it existed.  There is something about a busy workshop I find exciting!  Here, there is such a variety of people, trades, products…  Everything you could ever imagine!  Every time I visit, I’m like a kid in a sweet shop!  All eyes and hands!  And talking to designers and makers is what 80% of the fun is. This of course fluctuates depending on the pre or post pay-day situation. 

He's definately checking in on Facebook...

 

Last night I met up with two wonderful people. Poly Philippou and Amy Keeper are both jewellers at craft central.

They are part of a new collective; 14 carat will be exhibiting during this year’s London Jewellery Week.

http://14carat.blogspot.com/

 

Poly Philippou told me all about her and her jewellery

Poly Philippou

Poly Philippou

My favourite piece of hers is this necklace with 32 charms.  I know it’s a bit 

much, but every time I looked at it, I saw a different pod, or texture, or saw 

a flash of gold, then I found a pearl… brilliant!  Each ‘pod’ Poly collected from 

her walks, in Cyprus and in London and really lets nature do the talking.  Casting 

it in silver and letting the metal tell the story stories to everyone, forever.

Poly Philippou, image copyright Simon B Armitt 2010

The pieces I have to share with you are these cufflinks.  These very cleaver 

cufflinks have come from Poly’s annoyance with the bog standard cufflink 

toggle or swivel back.  These are using the function of linking cuffs dictate the 

shape that they are.  The outcome are these very masculine, completely practical 

and wearable pieces that double up as a pretty cool thing to have on your bed 

side table, not to be mistaken for a message from outer space.

 

Amy Keeper answers my questions about her jewellery

Amy Keeper

Amy Keeper

My favourite piece is this brooch.  Its so small and detailed and 

reminds me of old cameos of the 1920’s. Amy went on to tell 

me why- its because that’s the decade the image was taken from!   

I love the romance that the picture holds, and by etching it onto 

metal makes me a bit soppy, to think that now Amy has taken 

the time and make this piece in metal that the image will continue 

to live on for another hundred years, even if the photo itself 

doesn’t. The photo etching teamed with the blackened metal set 

the age of the picture too, reminiscent of old black and white 

movie stills.  And not having a completely silver, high shine 

polish, the grey metal gives it age, history and almost an extra 

delicateness as you want to be careful with it.  

I dare for this not to make you happy inside.

Amy Keeper

The piece I have to share this necklace, gold with a rock crystal spinning 

centre.  The matching ring is on the flyer for the show (second picture in) and I 

really enjoy the playfulness and interactivity it provokes.  And it makes for a 

pretty cool picture too with the rock crystal magnifier over the old map book. 

 

I know I’m bias as a jeweller that anything in metal is fantastic because it can last forever, but its true!  These two completely different jewellers use precious metal to tell their stories in totally different ways.

 

Learn more about 14 carat at http://14carat.blogspot.com/ and don’t forget to put the dates in your diary, but if you’re in London tomorrow, Made in Clerkenwell is still on! http://www.craftcentral.org.uk/madeinclerkenwell pop in!

Jx

My moneys on...

What: Getting Started Exhibition

Where: Cox & Power

When: 19^th May 2011

I find myself at Cox & Power for the 2^nd time in as many weeks, this time for an exhibition of the best new and up-and-coming jewellers, designers and silversmiths in the country.  The thing they have in common?  They all attended The Goldsmiths’ Company “Getting Started” course.  The course introduces graduates to possible career paths and offers business advice of what to do now they’ve graduated.  This year of graduates is extra special for two reasons, one- it’s the 30^th year of the course and two- it’s the last year it will be held in the grandeur of The Goldsmiths’ Hall.  I was lucky enough to be part of it:

 

picture with thanks to The Goldsmiths' Company

 

Previous names through the Getting Started doors include much acclaimed Jewellery Designer Hannah Martin, Director of the ECOne gallery, Jos Skeates and Co-Founder of benchpeg.com, Rebecca von Rooijen.

This is the second year Cox & Powers’ Rachel Sweeney and David Page were mentors on the course, teaching students about the running of retail and manufacturing and how to sell “you” as part of the overall product.  Their advice is totally invaluable, as is exhibiting work in the admired London W1 shop.  As part of the displays, fun black and white pictures of each graduate were shown behind their work.  A clever idea indeed, displaying the faces of the new faces!  

These are my stand out exhibitors:

Janice Zethraeus

Janice Zethraeus

Janice Zethraeus

Gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones

The balance of the collection is the first thing that struck me about this work.  Along with being bold and eye catching, all elements have both commercial and exclusive aspects to them.  I don’t know how she’s done it.  The necklaces are definitely more specialist and I can see them in a gallery more the then being worn to the supermarket, but the earrings are absolutely wearable and I can definitely see these equally on Oxford Street to the Kings Road, striking yet subtle.  Ace. Just ace.

 

Heather Woof

Heather Woof

Silver, 22ct gold and enamel

“She describes her work as being about this balance between obsessive control and chance.”

This stood out to me because I’ve simply never seen anything like it; the elements, the techniques or the overall shape and structure.  I can easily see any one of these brooches in a modern gallery today and in a museum in a hundred years time. All of them are definite statement pieces.

Natalia Schroder

Natalia Schroder

 

Natalia Schroder

Silver, leather, gold-plated silver and pearls

This work screams editorial photo shoots and super-cool red carpet events.  Absolutely thought out and well executed designs.  Every piece, though part of a collection, holds its own. You can almost hear each one beckon you in to look at it from every angle and touch every surface.  Especially the rings, I do have a soft spot for an over-sized ring.

 

Alongside the work from emerging designers were the established, all with a connection to The Goldsmiths’ Company; Andrew Lamb, Melanie Eddy, Jane Adam, Sarah Hutchinson and Tomasz Donocik.

It was good catching up with what everyone is up to, from working with jewellers, upcoming shows and exhibitions to launching themselves as a brand.  We will be seeing them all in the near future. 

The exhibition continues until 28^th May.

Jx

Sonia Cheadles book launch of "Mounting and Setting Stones (Design and Make)" at Cox & Power

Cox & Power and their award winning shop frount at 35c Marylebone high street, London.  Hosts for the evening.

Lovely spread on the centre table, nibbles, champers and books galore

The evening is about mid way through. All the guests thumbing through the book and chatting about the lady of the hour, Sonia Cheadle- Jeweller and Author

Said thumbing...

Cox & Power interior.  Looking up, the mirrored ceiling was the only way to get everyone that was  in the shop in the picture.  The glass droplet centre peice of the shop seen in the reflection better illustrated below, at eye-level

Sonia here, signing copies of the book for her guests

Chat and a mingle...

Sonia saying her thank you's, here I beleive is the illustrator (Tim).
This is a good picture to see the shop displays too.  The hanging glass droplet here on the left are the shops central focus.  The circles of light behind Sonia and her guests are domes that come out of the wall and present and display the jewellery in the shop.  AND the walls curve around, circling the central, mirrored table.  Honestly, just go to the shop!  I didn't get a picture but the Cox & Power workshop is worth a peek if they let you, good workshop out back! 

Angie from Cox & Power told me about one of their new collections, consisting of these earrings made from "slices" of diamonds.  Its the larger oval section above and it has a rediculously beautiful pattern made from all the natural cracks and inclusions of the diamond.  I wish I had a better picture, but you'll just have to go to the shop, Marylebones lovely!

Dwindling nibbles, books and beverages as the evening draws to a close

Happy author Sonia Cheadle, wonderful launch, packed turn out and not a lot of books left.  A good night all round

I had to, thanks Sonia!

A big thanks to:
Benchpeg.com - new addition to the library?
Sonia Cheadle - Jeweller and Author  www.soniacheadle.com
And everyone at Cox & Power for being so welcoming and hospitable, I had a marvellous time! www.coxandpower.com

One week on, I left the book in the workshop and let my colleagues have a read and flick through.  Conclusion: everyone wants one! As a workshop all of our setting abilities vary a lot, from a pretty acceptable rub-over to gypsy setting on claws and beyond.  It appeals to the beginner through all the pictures of fantastic setting from established jewellers, to the ones that have always wondered how (logistically) to pave set or channel set particular stones in a specific way. 
Personally I’ve been setting on and off for two years now and even the settings I know how to do, the book has given me a different approach and options to try.

Every day is a school day

Jx

Street Lights, Bond Street May 10th 2011

 "Street Lights is and artistic collaboration between London’s fine jewellers, The Royal College of Arts and Central Saint Martins", presented by Vogues Carol Woolton (Jewellery Editor) & Laura Bailey

I was lucky enough to get a heads up that this was happening so jumped at the chance to take a look, so here is a snapshot of the event and my highlights:

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. were the first to stop me in my tracks with this revolving display resembling a Christmas decoration, but, apart from being a bit high for my eyes, the magnifying sections around the outer rim were very clever indeed.   Jewellery itself looked exactly like it should be in the window of Tiffany & Co., Bond Street, well done Katharina Vones.

Please follow me down the road of my evening at Vogue…

Andrew Logan

Andrew Logan, Sculptor, scattered the road with 3 horses.  One white, one red and one black WINGED horses (on a red, carpeted platform with cordoned off rope, of course).  On first sight, I had to squint a little, I’m not going to lie, but the three of them bought a sense of occasion that could easily have been any closed street in London. 

Chaumet

Chaumet had a phenomenal display!  Paper flies, layered again and again- with insects crawling out and around it (the watches ruined it for me a little bit, as two monstrosities also protruded out with the delicate jewellery).  Saying that, I could have stared at this window all evening, and every tiny cut out fly…

Chaumet, look at the flies!

A live band (again, on a red carpeted platform with cordoned off rope) played a classical tunes for a classy evening. Ok, the horse sculptures bought occasion, the live music bought atmosphere.  And along with the hum of ‘ohhs’, ‘ahhs’ and occasional ‘dahrling!’ it was panning out to be a respectable Tuesday.

Live music

Harry Winston,
revolving diamond structured chain,
with bubble bath

Harry Winston has a sculpted diamond chain rotating slowly on a jet black, well lit background. The chain passes through a bath of soapy water, which gives the gaps in the structure its diamond-like shimmer.  This was mesmerising and fantastically thought out.  It took me a while to manoeuvre through the crowd to get a peek.

Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels.  I spent 6 full hours (& $15) only two weeks ago at the Van Cleef and Arpels Exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt museum.  It was interesting to see the ‘mystery setting’ (which is patented by the company) in smaller more wearable pieces.  Everything in the whole window screamed of modern with the angular stones, it was also soft and classic with nature being the predominant inspiration.  I was amazed I was allowed so close to the shop window as I was told that I was not allowed to enter the store in New York.  Still, the work speaks for itself, even if the American store staff wouldn’t speak to me.  I’m not angry!  Ok, I’m still a bit angry…

Bvlgari  -
I was going to be in the picture, wherever I stood.
But check out the stones

Bvlgari used mirrors to show all
the colours of the rainbow from every angle in a multi coloured, multi semi-precious stone necklace.  It sat on an angle on a perspex disc and as this swung around in the breeze as the shop door opened and closed, the mirrors caught the light and pushed them through every individual facet of each stone. 

On the other side of the doorway, a shopping trolley by Leigh Cameron of Central St Martins, quoted "Should something so rare and beautiful be considered a consumable product? Rarity defines consumerism!"  Just a perfect quote I had to share.

Bvlgari - Leigh Cameron

Asprey - Gorilla safe, I just had to share with you

Chopard -
Cannes film festival inspired window

Chopard "Chopard’s sponsoring of Cannes Film Festival is the theme of this instillation.  The spinning zoetrope’s you are witnessing are the Victorian’s answer to the modern man’s cinema.  The diamonds inside floating represent 'Happy Diamonds'".  This was good, another one i had to politely await to i could get a good view.

Georg Jenson. I couldn’t help but stop at look at this window.  Make your own mind up but I did find the jewellery in there, when I got really close…

Georg Jenson - what do you think?

Georg Jenson

Boucheron- my favourite of the day, simple

Boucheron

Boucheron

Judge me as you will, but here was my favourite piece of the day, a gold ring resembling a hedgehog.  It was a huge dome with spikes and two small ruby eyes on the smooth, triangle head poking out the top.  Jewellery should cause a reaction when you first see it, and I waited a while and watched as people discovered and smiled to themselves and laughed with friends about this piece. Spot on.  I have to mention the bright fuchsia and gold windows. I learnt something from these: “Maharajah of Patiala … visited Louis Boucheron in Paris, purchasing his exquisite jewellery to adorn their princely attire.” –Jasleen Kaur.  The Jewellery in the window is set upon the white, sculpted head and bust of Boucheron with a Turban on, swapping their cultures, religions and languages. 

Smart, and everyone loves a story!

Solange Azagury-Partridge - always a good window,
just had to share

Garrard

Garrard

Garrard This was amazing!  It ran from 9-15^th May, you could stand in front of the ‘mirror’ and you become a princess as a tiara appears on your head! I couldn’t find a video but found this article so you can see http://www.professionaljeweller.com/article-9398-holition-creates-3d-tiara-for-vogue-street-lights/

Garrard - mirror mirror on the wall...

This concludes my blog on the bright Street Lights of Bond.

‘This will literally be a dazzling showcase of fantastic young talent and offer a new perspective on a world famous shopping street’ – Mayor of London, Boris Johnson

Thanks Boris, it really was…

I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading.  There will be more in the run up to London Jewellery Week

  

Jx