Goldsmiths North
7-9 JULY 2023
CUTLERS’ HALL, SHEFFIELD
DON’T MISS OUT THIS SUMMER
If you missed it last year here are our top highlights of Goldsmiths North 2022 and what you can look forward to at this year’s Fair:
HIGHLIGHTS 2022
Cutlers’ Hall looking better than ever
This impressive Grade II listed building in the heart of Sheffield underwent a series of renovations during lockdown and welcomed Goldsmiths North visitors back in July last year with a refreshed interior and with all its usual grandeur. We laid our signature white carpet and filled the magnificent Banqueting Hall with the best of the best in contemporary jewellery and silversmithing, all overlooked by portraits of past Master Cutlers and Queen Victoria.
Missed it?
Come and see the Cutler’s Hall at its best at this year’s Fair. Goldsmiths North 2023 runs from 7th – 9th July and will be open 10am – 5pm Friday and Saturday, closing at 4pm on Sunday. Tickets are available to pre-book now on our website.
Jubilee Hallmark
To mark Her Majesty The Queen becoming the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, the British Hallmarking Council – the body which oversees UK hallmarking – sanctioned a commemorative mark that could be applied to piece assayed throughout 2022. Many visitors at last year’s Goldsmiths North 2022 were on the lookout for pieces bearing this special mark.
Missed it?
Given the subsequent passing of Her Majesty The Queen, pieces made in 2022 bearing the Jubilee mark have taken on an even deeper commemorative significance. Many of our exhibitors will be displaying work bearing this mark at Goldsmiths North 2023 so if you would like to own a Jubilee hallmarked piece, you have not missed your opportunity.
To celebrate the coronation of King Charles III, a commemorative hallmark has been approved by the British Hallmarking Council and the four UK Assay Offices. Jewellers, silversmiths and retailers can request the mark from Sheffield Assay Office from 1st March 2023 until the end of 2024 so if you are interested in buying or commissioning a piece with the Coronation mark on it, this year’s Goldsmiths North is the perfect opportunity to talk to our exhibitors about it.
Tom Rucker Platinum Prize
Continuing our celebration of the Jubilee last year our premium Platinum Ticket included entry into a prize draw for a stunning necklace and pendant by multi-award-winning jeweller Tom Rucker. Tom is globally recognised as one of the most influential platinum jewellery designers of his time. His creations have been worn at many fine occasions including the Oscars’ and Emmy’s. The prize was won by Lorraine Barber (pictured below), who enjoyed a wonderful day at Goldsmiths North with her husband and collected her prize from a very festive-looking Cutlers’ Hall just in time for Christmas.
Missed it?
Wish you’d been entered into that prize draw? All is not lost. This year you’ll have the chance to win a piece of jewellery or silverware by your favourite Goldsmiths North exhibitor worth up to £1,000! All you have to do is enter our North Star Competition. Each exhibitor will nominate their Star Piece – a piece of their work worth up to £1,000. If you would like to win this piece, vote for that exhibitor and you’ll be entered into the draw. Entries will open online in the runup to the Fair and will close on the last day. North Star winners will be drawn at random once the Fair has ended. Keep an eye on our website and social media for updates. You never know, it could be you this year…
Testing your metal
For those visitors with a well-loved, hand-me-down bracelet or family heirloom of unclear provenance, the Sheffield Assay Office was on hand at last year’s Fair with their XRF machine which conducts a non-destructive analysis on a piece to settle once and for all the question of whether or not it is ‘real silver’. They were also doing live demonstrations of how a hallmark is ‘struck’ on a finished piece – a technique that has remained unchanged for centuries.
Missed it?
Sheffield Assay Office will be back again this year offering advice, knowledge and expertise as they celebrate their 250th Anniversary. Combining the best of Sheffield’s metalworking heritage and the cutting edge of modern technologies in today’s trade, the Sheffield Assay Office stand is the ‘go-to’ for visitors wanting to know more about the world of precious metals before they indulge in a purchase.
Goldsmiths North Annual
Every summer we publish our Goldsmiths North Annual – a colourful, engaging guide to people, places and pieces of interest in the world of precious metals for the year ahead. In each issue we profile a selection of our exhibitors, taking a closer look at their respective metalworking techniques and their individual approaches to design and craftsmanship.
Missed it?
A copy of this year’s Annual is free for every ticket holder and can be collected from the front desk when you arrive or on your way out. If you missed out on last year’s Goldsmiths North, a digital copy of the GN22 issue is now available to download on our website.
Independent makers at the top of their game
The most talented names from the world of contemporary silverware and jewellery come together to showcase their work at the Goldsmiths North. Each exhibitor is different, each an expert in their own field, each looking for that perfect match with clients who share their sense of style and enthusiasm for what they make. Last year’s Fair saw exhibitors showcasing a broad range of precious metal and jewellery-making disciplines; from traditional silversmithing and stone setting to the newest advances in technological tools, expect to elevate statement pieces and modern design classics at every price range.
Missed it?
Whether your idea of a treat is silver stud earrings to bring a touch of luxury to your everyday, beautiful gem set jewellery for that special occasion on the horizon, whether it’s a handmade silver dipper for your breakfast honey or a gilded tumbler for your after-dinner whiskey – at this year’s Goldsmiths North you’ll find everything you need to get serious about treating yourself.
That special piece
You know the feeling. When you find something so special, that fits you so perfectly that it was just made to be yours. It’s an amazing feeling, the best feeling. For many visitors to last year’s Fair, a glitzy day out at Goldsmiths North helped them reconnect with the joy of shopping after two years of online lockdown scrolling… For many, it was refreshing and fantastic fun to be able to handle the pieces and try things on and even make that special purchase.
Missed it?
Goldsmiths North 2023 will be your chance to view, try on and buy some of the most extraordinary contemporary pieces to come to the market this year. Not only that, it’s a rare opportunity to meet and connect with the makers themselves, ask them about their craft and benefit from some expert advice. Put the dates in your diary, get yourself a ticket and you too can find a special piece that gives you that feeling.
Don’t miss out. Save the date and don’t forget to book your tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
