Sheffield Assay Office recently visited the Goldsmiths’ Centre to judge the 2D Hand Rendering Award, a Special Award sponsored by the Office as part of the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards.
Ashley Carson, Assay Master, and Sara Hale, Head of Commercial Operations, joined fellow judges Barry Moss and Jenny Bloy to assess submissions celebrating excellence in traditional hand-rendered 2D jewellery design. The award recognises outstanding presentation, strong communication skills and professionalism, reflecting current industry expectations.
Entries demonstrated a high level of technical drawing skill alongside a creative and confident use of hand-rendering materials, including gouache, watercolour, acrylic and pencil. Judges also considered the clarity and effectiveness of accompanying written descriptions, assessing how well each design communicated its intent.
Throughout the judging process, Ashley and Sara brought complementary technical and commercial perspectives, evaluating how successfully each submission could translate into a professional, client-facing context. This balanced approach ensured careful consideration of both technical accuracy and overall presentation.
The Sheffield Assay Office’s involvement in the award reflects its continued commitment to supporting emerging talent and championing the enduring relevance of traditional hand-rendering skills within the jewellery and wider craft industries.
This year, the Award Ceremony will take place on Monday, 9 March 2026, and will be live-streamed from Merchant Taylors' Hall, where the winner of the 2D Hand Rendering Award will be announced.
The Sheffield Assay Office was established in 1773, under an Act of Parliament and today the company assays and hallmarks the precious metals - silver,
gold, platinum and palladium. Sheffield Assay Office is one of only four UK assay offices who all work to uphold the Hallmarking Act of 1973 and
continue to ensure consumer protection for customers purchasing precious metals.
To find out more about the whole range of services offered by Sheffield Assay Office, such as our hallmarking and analytical services, please email us
at
info@assayoffice.co.uk
or complete the contact form on our website at
http://www.assayoffice.co.uk/contact-us
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