Charlotte Metcalf is the Editor of Great British Brands and the co-presenter of Break Out Culture, a weekly podcast with former Minister of Culture, Lord Vaizey. She is also a film-maker, author and journalist. She reports regularly for Thomas Lyte on cultural events, exhibitions, fairs and publications that are of interest to the communities of craftsmen we represent and celebrate, with a particular focus on goldsmiths and silversmiths.
.. … .. … .. … .. … .. … .. … .. … ..
Since Kevin Baker founded Thomas Lyte, the British silversmith has gone from strength to strength and become synonymous with restoring a sense of pride in British goldsmithing, silversmithing and craft on a wider level.
As part of its ongoing mission to support and celebrate its industry’s most talented and creative craftsmen, Thomas Lyte was therefore proud to participate again in sponsoring and judging this year’s GC&DC Awards in March at Goldsmiths’ Hall.
(Above image: The GC&DC Awards at Goldsmith’s Hall)
The GC&DC was formed as a non-profit organisation in 1908 and today presents prizes in numerous categories across the jewellery industry and allied trades to recognise and reward the highest levels of excellence, achievement and innovation, while spotlighting the talents of upcoming young designers. So recognised are the awards that they are sponsored by global jewellers like Cartier, Garrard and Boodles among others.
The Thomas Lyte Foundation sponsors the Precious Jewellery Award and on the judging panel for this award were Nick Farrow, a trustee of the foundation, joined by Kevin Hart, Thomas Lyte’s Head Silversmith and Production Manager and Purchasing Manager Harshad Joshi.
They awarded one silver and two bronze winners. The Silver Award was wone by Zeemou Zeng for his Day & Night Earrings. They were firm favourites with the Thomas Lyte team of judges, who also awarded Zeemou Zeng the Thomas Lyte Award.
The earrings feature five gold tubes with pavé diamond settings with an innovative screw mechanism allowing the length to be adjusted. This means they can be worn as discreet everyday jewellery or glamorous Art Deco inspired chandelier earrings to dazzle at important occasions. Alternative options to 18k gold include solid white, yellow or rose gold or platinum with a mirror finish and diamonds can be exchanged for other precious gemstones like rubies, emeralds, sapphires or peridots offering a range of style and price points.
‘These earrings embody innovation and elegance,’ said Harshad Joshi. ‘Playful yet sophisticated, they showcase versatility with a contemporary edge.’
‘Not only beautiful but strikingly original,’ said Nick Farrow. ‘Clever, elegant and truly stunning.’
The Bronze Awards were won by Sonia Cheadle and Huimin Zhang. Cheadle’s Smoke & Mirrors Brooch was made with frosted gold, polished black onyx and yellow diamonds. Inspired by Richard Wilson’s most famous sculpture 20:50, comprising a room flooded with black oil, the brooch aims to create a similarly playful but mysterious visual illusion as the diamonds encircle the inner bezel. Zhang’s Live Like a Summer Flower Ring was created using four types of gold, the 24K and 15K gold combining to create a striking colour contrast in the central stamen. It was inspired by her close friend’s battle against illness, the blooming flower embodying the resilience and grace of the female spirit.
To top the evening off, Daniel Bollard, one of Thomas Lyte’s silversmith apprentices, won two awards for silverware he’d entered, in part funded by Thomas Lyte. He secured a Silver in Handcrafted Silverware and Bronze in Silversmith’s Craft (Juniors).
Great British Brands is an annual publication featuring over 100 luxury brand stories, told via interviews with brand CEO’s. To celebrate its tenth anniversary, over 400 guests were invited to attend a party in February at London’s Rosewood Hotel to celebrate the winners of the annual Awards. The Awards were judged by a panel made up of Caroline Rush, outgoing CEO of the British Fashion Council, Jamila Saidi from the UK Department for Business and Trade, Sian Westerman, Non-Executive Director, Busola Evans, Advisory Board Member of Women in Journalism and Simonetta Rigo, Chief Client Officer at Rathbones, who sponsored the Awards.
As a member of Great British Brands, Thomas Lyte was proud to be invited to design the silver trophies for the winners for the second year running. The elegant, engraved trophies were donated by Thomas Lyte in recognition of the importance of championing excellence across the entire British luxury sector. Charlotte Metcalf, Editor of Great British Brands announced the awards alongside Paul Stockton, outgoing CEO of Rathbones, which sponsored the Awards. The well-known artist Philip Colbert, who also designed the colourful, playful lobster motif on the cover of this year’s edition, presented the awards to the winners.
(Above image: Great British Brands Awards)
Native Land won the Commitment to the Planet Award for Bankside Yards, the UK’s first fossil fuel-free major mixed-us project that has transformed a brownfield site into acres of green public space, setting a new industry standard in doing so. The Commitment to Craft Award was scooped up by the Royal Shakespeare Company for continuing to be a cultural leader and inspiring half a million children annually through its education programmes alongside its productions. The East London Parasol Company won the Best Emerging Brand Award for bringing joy to its customers with its colourful, beautifully crafted parasols and Battersea Power Station won the Commitment to Community Award for the way its redevelopment of the site has revitalised South London, blending economic growth, community engagement and innovative retail and tech spaces. Eve Lom took home the Product of the Decade Award for its effective Cleansing Balm, launched in 1986 – it sells one of its iconic pots every 30 seconds. The Judges’ Brand of the Decade Award was given to Neal’s Yard Remedies for never failing to set a gold standard for conscious consumerism.
David Brewer, Thomas Lyte’s COO, who attended the event, said Thomas Lyte was ‘delighted to contribute to a recognition of the best in class of what some of our major British brands to boost confidence in the luxury sector. We celebrate the winners for their resilience, constant innovation and a serious commitment not just to excellence but to the environment, craft, their communities and the community at large and for laying the foundations for a robust commercial future for Britain.’
Creative Dimension Trust (CDT) is a charity, celebrating its tenth anniversary, that helps disadvantaged young people to work in craft trades across the board. Always intent on encouraging young people into craft, Thomas Lyte has been working with The Goldsmiths Livery and CDT. It sponsored the Goldsmiths Creative Precious Jewellery Competition, supplied toolboxes for the CDT jewellery workshops and sponsored its Apprentice of the Year competition, which recognises an alumnus who has shown outstanding skill over the last year. Thomas Lyte designed and created a medal, an exquisite keepsake for the lucky winner.
The medal, plated in 24-carat gold, was created in Thomas Lyte’s workshops by Idris Tetlow, a member of the team and previous winner of the CDT Award. Because the award is open to apprentices of all crafts, Idris and his team of 3D designers came up with an ingenious design with an outer ring and an inner disc that can be reforged every year to represent the winning trade.
The winner was Krishnan Vara, a jeweller, so the inner disc was engraved with a drawing of a jeweller’s bench. The Award Ceremony was held in a private venue where Idris was delighted to see his exquisite work being admired by people from trades, liveries and the Royal Household.
.. … .. … .. … .. … .. … .. … .. … ..
Read about our press mentions and awards for the project
We have selected a number of case studies that demonstrate the broad range of our capabilities designing and making in precious metals.
