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Goldsmiths’ Fair

I’m delighted to be exhibiting my work once again at this years Goldsmiths’ Fair in London. The Goldsmiths Company has supported the development of my work since 2008 during my jewellery degree at Truro College. Whilst studying I was awarded with their precious metal bursary for my designs and a couple of years later I was lucky enough to be awarded a graduate stand at my first time exhibiting at the fair. Graduate stands at Goldsmiths Fair are free and funding is also provided towards precious materials to allow graduates to showcase their best work without the restrictions of funding precious materials. For me, this first experience exhibiting at the fair was a huge success and without a doubt a pivotal moment in my jewellery career.

 

As a regular exhibitor of the fair today, the event is the highlight of my year. Not only does the fair offer a unique opportunity to showcase my work to a discerning and invested audience, it also encourages exhibitors to continue to grow in their practice. By encouraging the development of new ideas and skills, the fair aims to showcase the very best of UK talent today.

 

Goldsmiths’ Fair takes place in the magnificent Goldsmiths Hall which is in the Barbican region of central London, just a stones throw from St.Pauls cathedral. Established over forty years ago, the fair brings together 136 of the UK’s best contemporary jewellers and silversmiths. Weather you’re looking for a set of silver candlesticks or spoons, an engagement ring or pair of statement earrings, the fair offers a unique opportunity to invest in high quality contemporary design by buying direct from the master craftspeople themselves. And with a vast range of skills, styles, materials and techniques on show, visitors can find pieces to suit all tastes while taking in each display (often with a glass of bubbles from the Goldsmiths’ Fair champagne bar!).

My favourite thing about exhibiting at Goldsmiths’ Fair is the opportunity to meet customers face to face. As a maker, there’s nothing like seeing your work being explored and enjoyed in the flesh – especially seeing faces light up when experiencing my signature opening flower lockets for the first time (sometimes second or third!). Physical events like Goldsmiths’ Fair are invaluable for introducing my work to new audiences, forging new connections, fuelling old ones and bridging the gap between maker and wearer. This years line up is as exciting as ever and I can’t wait to be there.

 

My Latest Design to be Unveiled at Goldsmiths’ Fair

Keen followers of my work will know that I design a new opening flower locket each year and this years flower is the adorable Forget-Me-Not. This tiny, delicate bloom represents love, fidelity and remembrance and is also the national flower of Alaska. The sprinkle of tiny blue meadow flowers symbolises a promise that you will always keep someone in your heart – a perfect gift for someone moving away or an heirloom piece of jewellery to remember a loved one who has passed.

As well as my whole collection of opening flower lockets, this year I will also be showing a selection of new statement earrings. I’ve wanted to explore working on a larger scale with earrings for a long time and I’m looking forward to showing these exciting new pieces at this years fair.

Visiting Goldsmiths’ Fair

Goldsmiths’ Fair runs over two weeks with a different set of exhibitors in each week. If you’re hoping to see a particular maker during your visit, be sure to scan the Exhibitor List first to check which week they are in. You can find me there during week one; 26^th Sept – 2^nd Oct.

My top advice for anyone visiting the fair for the first time is to take your time and to ask makers if you have any questions about their work – that’s what we are there for and no question is a silly one. It’s easy to get swept away with the first thing you see but make sure you explore all the stands before making your final decisions. Many visitors do two rounds of browsing with a lunch or coffee break in between to consider potential purchases. You will be given a beautiful catalogue with your entry ticket and many visitors find this useful for jotting notes in as they go around. Goldsmiths Hall itself is stunning so take your time to enjoy the elaborate ceilings and chandeliers and make use of the coat store, powder room and champagne bar!

Tickets for Goldsmiths Fair

You can buy tickets to the fair by clicking here – Tickets cost £25 for week one and you can pop in and out multiple times across the week. You will also get a free catalogue on entry.

 

Goldsmiths’ Fair 2023 Dates and Opening Times

When is Goldsmiths’ Fair?

• Week One: 26 September to 1 October
• Week Two: 3 October to 8 October 2023

Where is Goldsmiths’ Fair?

Goldsmiths’ Fair, Goldsmiths’ Hall, Foster Lane, EC2V 6BN

Goldsmiths’ Fair Opening Times:

• 11am – 6.30pm Tuesday to Saturday (last entry at 6pm)
• 11am – 4.30pm Sunday (last entry at 4pm)

 

I hope to see you there!

Victoria x

The Meaning of Flowers

Flowers and their meanings have been a beautiful way of communicating emotion for centuries. Each bloom carries a story, a sentiment, and a hidden message which extends far beyond its physical beauty. Floriography (the language of flowers) has been practised for thousands of years and perhaps what makes it so special is that it spans all cultures and religions. Whether expressing love, celebrating a milestone, honouring the departed, or simply brightening someone’s day, flowers serve as important messengers of human emotion and are a poignant way of strengthening connection.

The symbolism of flowers became a popular hobby in Victorian Britain when flowers were used to deliver messages that couldn’t be spoken aloud. The way the flowers were tied, the colour of the bloom, and the manner in which they were presented all had different underlying meanings.  The Victorians looked at the humanistic qualities of each flower to assign certain meanings to them, and it’s not difficult to see why they gave bluebells the meaning of kindness, peonies bashfulness, rosemary for remembrance, and tulips for passion. Many of these meanings remain today. I love the idea of this ‘silent dialogue’ using flowers to convey messages of the heart and mind.

 

By exploring the meaning of flowers we can discover a rich tapestry of symbolism and sentiment that transcends language barriers and crosses cultures. The magic of the natural world provides endless fascination to me, so join me as I unravel the secrets of flowers and their meanings…

 

The Meaning of Cherry Blossom

Cherry blossom trees produce cloud-like bursts of flowers in March and April and have long been a symbol of Spring and new beginnings. Celebrated as the national flower of Japan, cherry blossoms (or ‘Sakura’) are honoured across the country with festivals known as hanami (literally meaning ‘flower viewing’).  With a fleeting bloom of often little more than two weeks, cherry blossoms are also a beautiful reminder of the delicate nature of life and a sense of mindfulness and being present in the moment. There are more than 430 varieties of cherry blossom trees, with the Yoshino variety being one of the most popular. Whilst most cherry blossom trees are pink, some are white, but all are delicately beautiful and create a spectacular show in Springtime.

Cherry Blossom Jewellery

Cherry blossom represents renewal, hope, and new beginnings. My cherry blossom flower locket makes a perfect gift to celebrate life’s most precious moments, to be passed down through generations. Cherry blossom is also the birth flower of March so this delicate flower makes a thoughtful gift for anyone celebrating their birthday at the onset of Spring.

 

The Meaning of Daffodils

A symbol of Spring, hope and new beginnings, the cheerful daffodil never fails to bring a sense of warmth and joy after a long winter. Whilst the humble daffodil may seem fragile with its papery appearance, it has become a symbol of strength and tenacity as it is the first flower of the season to be able to rise up despite the frosts which often occur in early spring. The ancient Greeks associated the flower with self-love, while in Victorian England, daffodils were given as gifts to express admiration and respect. Traditionally, daffodils are also given to those celebrating a 10th wedding anniversary.

 

Daffodil Jewellery

With cut flowers being a go-to wedding anniversary gift, I love the idea that by giving my Daffodil Locket, the celebration of this romantic milestone is marked in a way that lasts a lifetime.

 

The Meaning of a Rose

Known as the “queen of flowers,” roses have a rich symbolism. Over the years, roses have come to symbolise some of our strongest feelings, such as love, passion and admiration and each colour variation of the rose carries with it its own unique message. Red roses symbolise love and passion, while pink roses stand for admiration and gratitude. White roses often symbolise purity and innocence, whilst yellow roses signify friendship and joy. The unmistakable Tudor Rose is known as the “Rose of England,” and this continues to be one of the most identifiable symbols in the UK today.

 

Rose Jewellery

Loved by all ages, Rose Locket is one of my most popular designs and makes for the perfect birthday, anniversary or christening gift. For the wild at heart, I also make a dog rose locket. Unlike traditional cut roses, carefully grown for perfection for bouquets, these innocent-looking pink and white roses can be found adorning hedgerows and woodlands, growing tall and free in the wild.

 

The Meaning of Daisies

Daisies are simple yet charming flowers symbolising innocence, purity, and new beginnings. They are often associated with childhood and are considered symbols of loyal love and simplicity. It is thought that the daisy gets its name from the Old English phrase “daes eage,” or “day’s eye,” because of the way the flower blossoms at the first sign of dawn. This is also where the phrase ‘fresh as a daisy’ originates. In Norse mythology, the daisy is known as the sacred flower for the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. Because of this, daisies have also come to symbolise childbirth, motherhood and new beginnings, making the daisy a poignant flower to give to someone welcoming a new baby, also known as a ‘push present’.

 

Daisy Jewellery

The perfect piece for all ages, my Daisy Locket always receives a lovely reaction when opened up. The perfect heirloom gift for any special occasion, as a gift for April birthdays or just to say ‘I love you’! If you are looking for a unique christening gift, Daisy Locket is also available in miniature; the ideal way to cherish and remember your child’s special day.

The Meaning of Sunflowers

Sunflowers are known as a symbol of strength, long-lasting happiness and an instinct to seek positivity. Sunflowers always follow the direction of the sun and so this cheerful, bold flower has also come to symbolise admiration and loyalty. Not only explicit in its beauty, many cultures have relied on the sunflower for its medicinal purposes with the golden oil serving as an anti-inflammatory and for pain relief. With the seeds providing such nourishment, Sunflowers are also sometimes used as a symbol of Veganism.

 

Sunflower Jewellery

A joyful representation of the sun itself, Sunflower Locket is the perfect sunflower jewellery gift to say, ‘you are my sunshine’ to someone very special. In this striking and eye-catching opening Sunflower pendant, 12 hand-engraved gold petals sit snugly within beautifully sculpted silver ‘sepals’. As the locket stem is pushed up, the petals unfold to shine around the iconic dark centre, sprinkled with twinkling brown diamonds.

 

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The Meaning of Heather

Heather typically blooms between July and September and commonly grows in shades of white, purple, and pink. This flower has come to symbolise protection and good luck and holds particular prominence in Scotland where it competes with the thistle to be the most iconic Scottish plant, covering many a Highland hillside. One legend about white heather is that it grows upon the resting place of a faerie, and it is said that you can attract the faeries by making an offering of Heather to them on Belthane (1st of May).

 

Heather Jewellery

A symbol of luck, protection and the fulfilment of a dream, Heather makes for a beautiful sentiment to commemorate change; a new career path, embarking on a new adventure or perhaps a loved one is moving away from home. In my Heather collection you will find Heather Locket as well as a pendant, earrings and bracelet; all a perfect gift to wish someone luck.

 

The Meaning of the Lotus Flower

One of nature’s most mysterious flowers, the lotus and its symbolism carries a lot of weight in many cultures. In Hinduism, this beautiful flower represents beauty,  spiritual enlightenment, purity, prosperity, fertility, and eternity. For the Egyptians, the flower represents the universe. The lotus has a unique life- cycle quite unlike any other plant. Rooted in mud, the lotus submerges every night into river water and miraculously re-blooms the next morning, sparklingly clean. This gives the flower a symbol of rebirth, determination and achievement.  A lotus seed is able to germinate after two centuries which also gives this special bloom a meaning of perseverance and hope. In Buddhism, the Lotus flower in bloom represents enlightenment and purity of the body, mind and soul – a reminder that true beauty is found above the murky waters of materialism and desire.

 

 

Lotus Flower Jewellery

Such special meanings make Lotus jewellery a perfect gift for a soul mate, or to celebrate and acknowledge a hard-earned achievement such as graduation or retirement. With the Lotus flower in bud and in bloom representing the soul before and after enlightenment, Lotus Locket is the perfect piece for a daily reminder to be grounded in your values.

 

The Meaning of Peonies

The beautiful bashful peony flower signifies romance, elegance, honour, wealth and abundance in the language of flowers. The peony is the traditional floral symbol of China and these breathtaking flowers are known for their lush, generous bloom. In ancient times the peony’s roots and seeds were frequently used to treat headaches and asthma, and also to relieve pain associated with childbirth.

 

Peony Jewellery

Often referred to as the ‘king of flowers’, Peonies are symbolic of honour, romance and happy marriage. The peony is one of the most popular flowers for summer wedding bouquets and is also known as the official flower to celebrate a 12^th wedding anniversary.  With its beautiful craftsmanship and heirloom qualities, Peony Locket is a gift to be passed down through generations.

 

The Meaning of a Poppy

The iconic pop of colour, delicate tissue-like petals and much-loved rattling seed-pods make this beautiful flower a firm favourite with adults and children alike. Red poppies are a symbol of remembrance in the UK and worn as a show of support for the Armed Forces community, especially on 11th November (Armistice Day). In Asian countries, a red poppy is also associated with success, good fortune, and romantic love.  The poppy also has soporific powers and has come to symbolise dreaming and imagination. Many of us get caught up in the realities of day-to-day life and the humble poppy is a reminder that imagination and creativity are key to living a fulfilled life.

 

Poppy Jewellery

My poppy jewellery collection channels memories, healing and sweet dreams. The lockets, pendants, earrings and rings can be paired up to make a stunning gift for that special someone, or why not gift yourself?  Poppy Locket and rings are made to order but the earrings, pendants and bracelets are often in stock or ready within a day or two.\

The Meaning of the Thistle

In Celtic countries the thistle flower symbolises resilience, strength, determination, protection and pride. It is Scotland’s national flower and one of the country’s most easily-recognisable emblems with its hues of purple and pink being symbolic of regal splendour. The thistle embodies the nobility of spirit and birth, and has been employed as a good luck charm not just in Scotland but also in Romania and in numerous regions all over the globe. In France, thistles were believed to offer protection against witchcraft. With their bright purple puff of colour, Thistles attract insects and are an important pollinator for bees, making this underrated beauty, often discarded as a weed, a wonderful symbol for the underdog.

 

Thistle Jewellery

Featuring 16 moving petal clusters and over 200 ‘prickles’ on the outer pod, my Thistle Locket is the most intricately detailed of all the lockets in the closed position. Whilst being worn, just a hint of the silver petals show at the end of this very tactile pod. Once turned upright, the stem is then pushed upwards to reveal the delicate flower into bloom. The perfect gift to symbolise bravery, courage and protection.

The Meaning of Tulips

With their cheerful appearance and bright kaleidoscope of colour, tulips are a flower which has been admired by many for centuries. Although neat, long rows of colourful tulips with a windmill alongside may be what first comes to mind when you think of this flower, tulips aren’t native to Europe and the Netherlands at all but actually originated in Central Asia. Intrinsically linked with the meaning of love, the flower itself is only part of the symbolism and much like the rose, each colour of tulip also has its own meaning. A yellow tulip symbolises good luck and cheer, pink tulips stand for congratulations, the classic red tulip is for love, white tulips are used in condolence, whilst a purple tulip means refinement, elegance and admiration. The tulip is the birth flower of the month of April and has appeared in famous fairytales, like in Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina.

 

 

Tulip Jewellery

Tulip Locket was originally made for a special exhibition held at Malvern Spring Festival in 2016. The Tulip-themed exhibition was held by UCARE (Urology Cancer Reseach and Education) to raise funds for the charity and 10% of all subsequent orders for this design also go to the charity.

The language of flowers is one of the most heartfelt ways of communicating, either between friends, family members, or romantic partners. Jewellery has always been one of the most sentimental of all gifts to give and with the added knowledge of what some of the flowers represent, I hope to create pieces that serve as not only beautiful reminders of the people in our lives, but the milestones and values we treasure in our lives.

My Pick of Five of the Best Glamping Sites in Cornwall

Glamping in Cornwall is one of the best ways to explore the hidden corners of this beautiful county. From the wilds of myth-laden moorland to hidden coves whispering tales of pirates and merfolk, Cornwall has more than its fair share of untamed and truly unique natural landscapes to explore. Whether you choose a yurt, cabin, treehouse or tipi, glamping is a way of reconnecting with nature whilst retaining all those personal touches, making glamping in Cornwall more popular now than ever before.  

On my daily dog walks and out running in my local area I love seeing the seasons change and always feel inspired by the wildflowers, rolling hills and leafy trails.  Surrounded by wildlife, there is something so magical and grounding in the fleeting sight of deer, pheasants and foxes, the comforting breeze of birdsong and occasional flickering of bats and the coo of owls at dusk. Cornwall is famed for its beaches but if like me you’re also drawn to the lush greenery of meadows and woodlands then Glamping is the best way to truly immerse yourself into Cornish wildlife during your visit. 

The Flower Hut Stithians

Hidden away deep in the Cornish countryside not far from my studio, The Flower Hut is a real hidden gem. Flower farmer Beth not only produces the most stunning flowers for gifts and events, but is also the most warm and welcoming host of her flower farm glamping site in central Cornwall. I got to know Beth after she first delivered flowers to my door in 2021 and I love visiting her to buy gifts and chat – always inspired by her incredible knowledge of flowers and how to grow them. On her countryside glamping site you will find a cosy bell tent (‘Blossom’), their newest addition glamping cabin (‘Forget Me Not’)  and my favourite, ‘Petal’ the shepherds hut. As well as woodburners to keep you cozy in the evenings, you can also indulge in their two outdoor hot water rolltop baths so you can star gaze whilst sipping a glass of bubbles.  A beautiful retreat, perfect for flower lovers.

Seventh Rise Tregothnan Estate

Reconnecting people and the wilderness since 2012, Seventh Rise is based on the grounds of a 300-year-old ‘Woodsman’s’ cottage, set above the river Fal on the South coast of Cornwall.  With outdoor skills and wild food cookery on offer, this incredible wilderness retreat in the forest also boasts a huge fire pit, hunting lodge, tree house, shepherd’s hut, outdoor kitchen, archery range, bushcraft area, outdoor feast table, indoor communal barn and outdoor hot showers with river views. I’ve enjoyed one of their foraging days here and can honestly say there is something truly other-worldly about this place in the most beautiful way. Sitting around the fire pit cooking up a meal with all of our foraged finds (in the biggest paella pan I’ve ever seen!), laughing and eating with strangers was a truly grounding experience and I just can’t wait to go back and stay longer. The perfect place to stay in Cornwall for re-wilding and feeding your soul. 

Wrinklers Wood,  Mithian Downs, St Agnes

If a big dose of luxury is what you’re looking for with your Cornish glamping experience, then Wrinklers Wood’s ‘Chui’ luxury treehouse near St Agnes ticks all the boxes. Relax in the wood-fired hot tub and immerse yourself in nature as badgers and foxes scamper through the forest floor below you. Inside there is a wood burner which invites you to hunker down after a day exploring this stunning stretch of Cornwalls North coastline. Definitely more ‘glam’ than the typical canvas and groundsheet affair! Oh, and when you visit St.Agnes you have try the incredible sausage rolls at St.Agnes Bakery – an absolute must when we dog walk in this area! 

Lost Meadow Treepod Mount, Bodmin

If you’re looking for a truly unique way to get back to nature, then how about sleeping in a spherical, wood-clad bedroom hanging in the woods? This low-impact, high-adventure treepod is miles from anyone on the edge of Bodmin Moor and provides Cornwall glamping at its most wild. It’s a curiously immersive experience, feeling at one with nature whilst curled up and cosy in your small, dark cocoon like space. But if you tread quietly as night falls then you might see the deer out grazing or kingfishers hunting on the stream that runs alongside. This glamping experience in Cornwall is like something straight out of a children’s story book. 

Cabilla Cornwall, Bodmin Moor

Wake up slowly, wrapped up warmly and delight in the sound of nature. Cabilla on the edge of Bodmin Moor is a very special place whose sole aim is to connect everyone in the world with the restorative power of nature. The Koyts (cabins) are inspired by Cornish ‘Quoits’, which were a type of portal or spiritual chamber dating from the Neolithic period. With a focus on healing and connection, at Cabilla you can experience some of the UK’s leading yoga and breathwork practitioners, somatic therapists, sound healers and chefs. Wander the 100-acre temperate rainforest and keep an eye out for the beavers which have recently been reintroduced to this breathtaking location.

If you’re planning to visit my little studio in Cornwall, why not make a week of it and get back to nature with one of Cornwalls wonderful glamping experiences. If you have a favourite glamping spot in Cornwall that I’ve not mentioned here, please feel free to share them with me over on my Instagram and Facebook 🙂

Thanks so much for reading, 

With love

Victoria x

 

What is the Meaning of a Jewellery Hallmark?

A hallmark is the little stamp you see on jewellery, usually hidden inside a ring or in other discrete places such as an ear wire or clasp. Primarily the main purpose of these marks is to act as proof of the purity of the metal for the buyer. But hallmarks can tell you so much more than that. Much like a certificate of authenticity for a piece of art, hallmarks can also tell you about who made the piece, what date it was made and even about significant historical events that were taking place at the time, such as the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

In the UK, items made from gold, silver and platinum (and most recently, palladium too) must all be hallmarked by one of the four Assay Offices by law. This law was introduced in the early 1300s by King Edward I, and the UK is one of the only countries in the world to make jewellery hallmarking compulsory.

Why Do We Hallmark Jewellery?

As well as providing a range of information on the provenance of a piece of jewellery, hallmarking also distinguishes real precious metal jewellery from counterfeits. With gold plating and the sometimes nuanced difference in the colour of precious metals, a hallmark can instantly tell you exactly what metal you’re holding.

Pure gold and silver are too soft to withstand the stresses of everyday wear so are rarely used to make jewellery. Most precious metals are blended with different alloys to give added strength and durability. A hallmark not only helps us to identify the fineness of the metals used, but also confirms that the piece has been independently tested to conform to quality standards.

 

What Makes a Hallmark?

In order to be classed as ‘precious’, a piece of jewellery (over a specific weight) must be comprised of a minimum amount of the precious metal in question, and this is described as its ‘fineness’. The fineness mark guarantees that the percentage of the precious metal in your jewellery will never be less than the fineness depicted in its hallmark. For example, you may be familiar with a ‘925’ mark on silver jewellery and this is the fineness mark for Sterling silver.

On any hallmarked piece of jewellery, you will find three compulsory marks which tell you:

• The person or company who made the piece (the ‘Makers’ mark)
• The fineness of the metal
• The Assay Office where the jewellery was tested and hallmarked

Optional extra marks include Traditional fineness marks, date marks and commemorative marks.

The four UK Assay Offices each have their own unique mark depicted by a lions head for London, an anchor for Birmingham, a Rose for Sheffield and a Castle for Edinburgh.

Maker’s Marks

Much like a painter would sign a painting, jewellers and silversmiths have a ‘makers mark’ stamped onto their pieces – usually their their initials (mine is a VW) or some other emblem or logo which certifies that the piece was made by them, and this can change over time. Iconic jewellers Tiffany & Co. has featured several maker’s marks throughout their 186-year history, including ‘Tiffany & Co.’ and ‘T & Co.’  Modern Cartier jewellery is always engraved with the Cartier logo, along with a serial number unique to each individual piece.

For me, a hallmark is something to take pride in. Not only as a sign of quality of the materials used, but as a physical indentation of my ‘signature’ on my work. With limited space on jewellery, these marks are very small, but with larger silversmithing pieces, hallmarks are often scaled up and celebrated in a prominent position.

What does 18ct (carat) Mean?

The measurement of purity of gold alloyed with other metals is called ‘caratage’. The term ‘24 carat’ denotes pure gold with no other metals, whilst ‘18 carat’ gold contains 75% gold and 25% other metals (often copper or silver), therefore, 18ct gold is represented by the number ‘750’ and so on. The current hallmarks for each metal carat used for jewellery in the UK are as below:

• Gold – 9ct (375), 14ct (585), 18ct (750) and 22ct (916)
• Silver – Sterling silver (925) and Britannia silver (999)
• Platinum – 950
• Palladium – 500 and 950

Commemorative Jewellery Hallmarks

Commemorative hallmarks carry a specific narrative and can pinpoint a particular time in history, which can add unique value to a piece of jewellery or silversmithing.  When new hallmarks are introduced in celebration of a special event, jewellers and silversmiths can request this additional mark on their work. The UK Assay Offices have a long tradition of capturing special events with the creation of commemorative hallmarks. When Her Majesty The Queen became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee in 2021, the London Assay office commissioned a mark to celebrate her seventy years of service. The commemorative hallmark depicted an orb and reflected the traditional fineness mark for platinum. 

 

A mark to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III on 6th May 2023 depicts the King’s head against an oval background and it can be applied to gold, silver, platinum or palladium items until 31st Dec 2024. If you would like to add this mark to your Victoria Walker jewellery piece, please contact me (subject to additional cost and lead time). 

The hallmarks you will find on Victoria Walker jewellery are my makers mark (VW), the London Assay Office mark (a lions head), a date mark (represented by a letter inside a shape) and usually a traditional fineness mark too (a crown for gold). One of the many pleasures of working with such a durable material as metal is knowing that the piece will be enjoyed for generations to come and hopefully still be worn and loved long after I’m gone. It’s lovely to know that collectors of my work (and those who inherit it) will always have the origins of where it came from right there in the metal, told through these tiny story telling marks.

Celebrating the Simple Joy of the Daffodil

Nicknamed Bell Rose, Lent Lily, and the fabulously brilliant ‘Daffadowndilly’ by some, few things signify the arrival of spring quite as beautifully as the Daffodil. Daffodils bring with them a sense of joy, optimism, and happiness as they pop up all over the wildlands and village greens of the UK in early March. The cheerful appearance of this British wildflower heralds the end of the long winter, their golden trumpets providing a fanfare to celebrate the warmer, sunnier months to come.

Despite the papery fragile appearance of its outer petals, the simple Daffodil is a symbol of strength and tenacity. Clusters of Daffodil bulbs have been known to survive in the ground for generations, their yellow flowers appearing just in time for Spring decade after decade. Even if flowering season coincides with enough snow or frost to flatten their stems, Daffodils pick themselves up again as soon as temperatures rise. When designing Daffodil Locket, I loved the idea that this strong sense of character and a powerful metaphor for life could be carried through this piece when gifted to a loved one.

Daffodils Across the UK and Beyond

Daffodils prefer a temperate climate to grow which is why there is such an abundance of them here in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly where warmer temperatures are enjoyed all year round. In fact, around 80% of the world’s Daffodils are grown here in the Duchy and a staggering 900 million stems are grown in Cornwall every year!

Fentogallan Flower Farm on the Fal estuary is not far from my studio in Truro. The family has been farming this land for over 130 years and now grows over 400 varieties of Daffodil across 200 acres of beautiful Cornish countryside. Their Cornish Daffodils are sold across the UK and they also ship to the United States, so do check them out if you’d like a little bit of Cornish sunshine in your home.

In Wales, the Daffodil is celebrated as the countries national flower and traditionally worn on St David’s Day – the day Wales celebrates its patron saint on 1st March. With the exception perhaps of the Sunflower, few flowers seem to radiate such sunshine and positivity as the Daffodil. With the timely arrival of these joyous blooms after a long winter, Daffodils are also widely celebrated as a symbol of new beginnings and further afield in China, the Daffodil has become the symbol flower of the Chinese Lunar new year. Here, it’s believed that if the flower blooms during the Spring festival then it will bring wealth and good fortune for the year ahead.

The Beauty of Daffodil Jewellery 

Arguably the most important Daffodil jewellery that first comes to mind is the Marie Curie pin – a symbol used by the charity who’s incredible work helps provide vital end of life and palliative care, at home and in their hospices. Each Spring in the UK, cheerful volunteers can be found walking the streets dressed in yellow selling Daffodil pins to raise money and awareness. You can support the charity all year round by buying their Daffodil pins and other Daffodil gifts on their online shop.

When gifting Daffodil jewellery, this flower is the perfect gift for a March birthday, when the flowers are in full bloom. Traditionally, Daffodils are also given for those celebrating a 10th wedding anniversary. With cut flowers being a go-to wedding anniversary gift, I love the idea that by giving my Daffodil Locket, the celebration of this romantic milestone is marked in a way that lasts a lifetime.

Daffodil Locket Raffle for the Earthquake Appeal

Throughout March 2023 I ran a raffle to raise money for the Turkey/Syria Earthquake appeal. Rather than making a single donation, I wanted to use my work to try to raise a bit more and hundreds of you donated to my Just Giving page for a chance to win in. Entry was just £10 and the total raised came to a fantastic £4,734. The locket was my donation so every penny that was donated went straight to the Disasters Emergency committee and I’m so pleased we were able to raise this much together.

The raffle ended on Monday 3rd April 2023 when a lucky winner was picked at random – Congratulations to Laura Kjelland in California and a huge thank you to everyone who donated, however much you were able to give.

I chose the Daffodil Locket for this raffle due to its warm spirit and sense of hope, something beautifully captured in this poem by A.A. Milne –

Daffadowndilly

She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,

She wore her greenest gown;

She turned to the south wind

And curtsied up and down.

She turned to the sunlight

And shook her yellow head, 

And whispered to her neighbour:

“Winter is dead”.

 

Thanks so much for reading, and for any support you are able to give to the raffle.

With love

Victoria x