NAJ Awards 2016 - Designer of the Year - I've been shortlisted!

Wow! I can hardly believe the news I received by email on Thursday.  Out of all those who applied for the National Association of Jewellers - Designer of the Year Award 2106 I have been selected as one of six applicants from across the whole of the United Kingdom!  I am completely blown away by this as I never in all my wildest dreams expected this!

This is an award that I really value as it is judged by the industry who have great knowledge of the designers and jewellers who are out there.

The next stage is the public vote: of course I want to get as many votes as possible to give me a chance of winning.  There is also the vote from a panel of judges and only then will the overall winner be announced.

Voting closes on 31 October, 2016

Please vote for me here:

http://www.naj.co.uk/en/naj-awards/naj-awards-2016/vote-for-the-naj-awards-2016/designer-of-the-year/sheila-kerr.cfm

Luckenbooth inspired commission

'Luckenbooth' inspired pendant

I received an email requesting that I design a pendant inspired by the tradition of the Scottish 'Luckenbooth this was to commemorate a silver wedding anniversary.

By a series of emails with sketches and scale drawings I offered this design to my customer.  The sterling silver large heart has a small crown along the top edge.  A second smaller open heart has been hand cut and soldered on top at an angle.  A tube setting has been soldered into the curve of this heart.  An amethyst gemstone has been set - his wife's birthstone.  She was absolutely thrilled with the pendant and has worn it ever since.

Engagement Ring

I was delighted to be contacted by my customer who had planned to present his future fiancee with a surprise engagement ring.  She did, of course, know that they were to be engaged but didn't know what the ring would look like.  She also knew that her late grandmother's engagement ring was to be used for her engagement ring.

I met with my customer, his future mother in law and sister in law.  Between us we arrived at the ring you see below.  A simple solitaire ring - the large diamond is tube set in white gold with a white gold band.

As my customer's fiancee is a very active, sporty person I recommended the rubover setting as it looks fabulous, is very contemporary and is extremely robust.

I can happily say that she was thrilled with the ring, it fitted perfectly and I have now been asked to create matching wedding rings.

Grandmother's engagement ring from 1944

Solitaire engagement ring with rubover setting