North Cotswold jewellery designer Sophie Cudworth has won gold at the Goldsmiths’ Crafts & Design Council Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2024.
Her winning design – entitled ‘The Legend of Longmen: Dragon Gate’ – was selected from thousands of entries to win the top prize in the Peridot Jewellery ‘Year of the Dragon’ category.
Sophie, 36, collected the prestigious award at a ceremony in Goldsmiths’ Hall, London this March 2024 which was attended by representatives from world-renowned jewellery houses, industry associations and leading designers.
Her winning design will now go on public display at the Birmingham Assay Office from Tuesday 19 March 2024 as part of the Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council awards exhibition.
The founder and creative director of Sophie Cudworth Jewellery Design, said: 'I am speechless. Winning gold is something I never expected, especially in a category of such calibre. To me, entering was an opportunity to flex my creative muscle, and allowed me to respond to a brief that challenges me.
'Not for one minute did I think I would come away with gold – my first accolade as a standalone designer and in my first year of entering. The whole experience has been exhilarating and challenging in equal measure.'
The GCDC Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2024 recognises the UK’s best in silversmithing, goldsmithing, jewellery and the allied crafts and demonstrates the council’s philosophy to encourage, stimulate and promote the pursuit of excellence.
‘Dragon Gate’ was praised for its commercially aware design and use of the gemstone, Peridot.
Sophie said: 'When I read this year’s awards criteria, one jumped out at me immediately – dragons are my all-time favourite mythical creature, and early in my career when I had the pleasure of working in China, I was told about the legend of the dragon gate; when each year Koi Carp battle up river to leap through the gate at the top of the waterfall and only the most tenacious can become a dragon.
'I also love koi carp, for their dual traits of tenacity and stoicism, (so much so that after this trip, I got a koi carp tattoo!) so this brief sang to my soul.'
Her winning design features apple green Peridot, akin to those mined from the Chinese mountains by the category’s sponsor, Fuli Gemstones.
Sophie founded her studio near Chipping Campden in January 2022 after several years working at Beards Jewellers in Cheltenham.
