Design3D Finished Work
Craft
3D Finished Pieces (11 categories)
The following information applies to ALL craft sections, please read this carefully.
Each Craft section is split into JUNIOR and SENIOR.
Entries in this section must be physical pieces. 3D renders will not be accepted.
Entries will be judged on technical ability and excellence of craft skills. However, and where appropriate, originality, creative interpretation and presentation will be taken into consideration.
Materials and methods of manufacture used must be specified i.e. hand, production, technological processes, CAD, RP, CNC, Laser sintering etc.
If several specialist craftspeople for different sections enter an item, these details need to be submitted on the entry form where indicated.
Where relevant, articles entered must be in a finished condition. Entrants are encouraged to submit in precious metals wherever possible and such entries must conform to hallmarking legislation if applicable.
Work entered in these sections can also be entered in any of the relevant Design sections & we strongly encourage entrants to do so.
Silversmiths | 3D Craft
Sponsored by Grant Macdonald Silversmiths
We are delighted to be partnering again with Grant Macdonald Silversmiths as a Named Award Patron for this section.
The Brief
The silversmiths craft section welcomes entries of larger-scale work, functional and/or decorative objects.
Tableware, vessels, bowls, and centrepieces are examples of finished objects that can be entered into this section to be appraised on their craftsmanship.
Image: Luke Potts - Vase and Clock, Gold & The Grand Macdonald Silversmiths Award (Junior)
Judges will be looking for:
Technical achievement
Degree of skills demonstrated
Balance and consistency of form
A consistent finish of exterior and interior surfaces
An Unmissable Opportunity
Subject to Grant Macdonald’s consideration, the winning entrant/s could be offered a period of workshop experience.
Polishers | 3D Craft
Sponsored by Special Patron Lindström
We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with our Special Patron, Lindström.
The Brief
The craft of polishing, by hand and/or mechanical means, is to achieve a highly reflective and smooth surface/s.
The polishers section seeks to identify and reward high-quality finishing in any item of 3D jewellery, silverware or smallwork created in metal.
Image: Benjamin Ryan - Queen Elizabeth II - Silver Rose, Gold Award (Senior)
Judges will be looking for:
Appropriate surface finishing to enhance the final piece
Quality and effectiveness of different surface finishes and contrasts, where appropriate
Quality of finishing on exterior and interior surfaces
An Unmissable Opportunity
The Benevolent Society Skills Bursary
Open only to entrants in the Polishing Section.
The GC&DC is delighted that, after sponsoring an initial bursary award in 2024/25, The Benevolent Society will continue to support skills training and career development in the profession with an annual award.
For the 2025-26 competition, the bursary will be dedicated to the allied trade section of polishers. This will be a structured course tailored to increase, inform, and strengthen traditional polishers' techniques, processes, and skills.
Expert industry judges in the polishers’ section will also include a representative of The Benevolent Society, who will select an appropriate entrant piece for this wonderful opportunity. Polisher entrants will only be eligible to apply for this bursary through the competition online application process.
For this bursary, entrants must comply with the following:
21 years of age (or over) on 1st September in the year of entry to the competition
Permanent UK resident
Entrant is currently working in or anticipates working in the allied trades covered by the British Allied Trades Federation when the course is completed.
The candidate will complete an application form
Applicants to the polishers section wishing to be considered for the Benevolent Society Bursary will need to provide additional information on the following form:
https://forms.office.com/e/7MFfpz7AxU
The Benevolent Society
The Benevolent Society, the charitable arm of the British Allied Trades Federation, provides support in the form of bursaries for those who are either studying or wish to acquire further skills/qualifications. The area of study should be within an area pertinent to either beginning their careers in the industry sectors or career progression within these sectors.
Chasers | 3D Craft
The Brief
Chasing is a traditional embossing technique used to create form, relief and decoration by pushing metal back and making a design protrude forward. This is also in conjunction with repoussé (‘push up’) by hammering on the reverse side of the metal to bring it forward to produce three-dimensional patterns and effects on metal surfaces.
This section identifies and rewards high-quality chasing in any item of 3D silverware, objet d’art, smallwork or jewellery created in metal.
Any chased article may be submitted using hand chasing and/or repoussé techniques from sheet metal.
Image: Paul Kircos - The Camanachd Cup, Gold & The Birmingham Assay Office Award (Senior)
Judges will be looking for:
Technical achievement
Degree of skills demonstrated
Quality and effectiveness of chasing
3D creative interpretation
Work that demonstrates exploration and experimentation.
Smallworkers & Modelmakers | 3D Craft
Sponsored by Cleave & Company
The Brief
We are delighted to be partnering with Cleave & Company, who are sponsoring this section.
Smallwork and Modelmaking covers the production and manufacture of pieces of objet d’art made in metals and often have precision, detail and scale.
Smallwork incorporates boxes, containers, accessories, objets d’art, timepieces, and scale models. They can include an intricate mechanism, hidden features, or a highly decorative surface.
Pieces can also be more functional and composed of several parts that make up the final article. However, they can have no function at all and be purely decorative.
Image: Justin Richardson - 432 Facet Tank Gents Watch & 828 Octavo Evening Ladies Watch, Gold & The Ottewill Silversmiths and Jewellers Award (Senior)
Judges will be looking for:
Accurate fitting of parts with fine tolerances, complexity of the piece and working to scale
Quality of construction and soldering
Where appropriate the inclusion of chenier, flush and book joints
Control of flat surfaces and parts that are attached by soldering
Where appropriate the use of non-permanent joining of parts by screw threads or bolts and nuts
An Unmissable Opportunity
Subject to Ottewill’s consideration, the winning entrant could be offered a period of workshop experience.
Modellers | 3D Craft
Sponsored by Cookson Precious Metals
We are delighted to be partnering with Cookson Precious Metals, who are sponsoring this section.
The Brief
Modelling is the art of sculpting objects, figures, animals, flora, etc., from a variety of materials.
Any sculpted subject, including medals, may be submitted in any media, e.g. wax, plastics, wood, plaster, etc. Entries can be created using hand and/or technological techniques.
Entries in this section should be castable or be possible to take a mould from the entry for reproduction using casting techniques.
With any finished work, you must list all processes undertaken following the modelling stage up to completion, i.e. chasing, filing, carving, polishing, etc.
Image: Jane Frost - Roman Village Double Ring, Silver & The Cookson Precious Metals Award - Modellers (Senior)
Judges will be looking for:
Quality of modelling skills
Scale, proportion and artistry
Creative interpretation
Work that demonstrates exploration and experimentation
Jewellers | 3D Craft
Sponsored by Principal Patron Brown & Newirth
The Brief
The jewellers’ section is designed to identify and reward high-quality skills demonstrated in fine jewellery.
Entries normally include precious metals in any colour or combination, but they can be in base metals. Jewellery can contain semi and/or precious gemstones and/or decorative techniques such as enamelling and engraving.
Image: Marco Paonessa - Siddhi Necklace, Silver Award & The Brown & Newirth Award (Senior)
Judges will be looking for
Complexity of the piece of work
Quality of construction and soldering
Degree of skills demonstrated
Creative interpretation
If CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, and/or 3D printing are used:You must state which processes you have used and the extent to which this has been utilised.
Materials and methods of manufacture must be specified, e.g. hand, production, any technological processes, etc.
Diamond Mounters | 3D Craft
The Brief
Diamond mounting is the framework/mount in which diamonds or gemstones can be set.
Entries will be judged on hand-skills, and not CAD produced pieces or parts thereof.
Pieces should preferably be unset and where possible, unpolished (areas that require pre-polishing prior to construction is acceptable).
Image: Blythe Jolley - Ellis - Art Deco Lapel Pins| Brooch, Gold Award (Junior)
Judges will be looking for
Complexity of the piece.
The demonstration of hand piercing, particularly back holes (A jour), pierced motifs, and fretwork.
Quality of construction and soldering.
The inclusion of edging, gallery work, symmetry, devices, i.e. Clasps, catches, articulation and En tremblant.
A consistent finish of all surfaces to a pre-polished stage (minimum 1000 grit) or pumice grade.
Setters| 3D Craft
The Brief
Setting is the process of securing precious and semi-precious gemstones into various items of jewellery, smallwork, silverware and accessories, using a range of setting and carving techniques (e.g. 3), but this isn’t a mandatory requirement.
The Judges welcome all setting entries, they prefer is to see a good variety of different setting techniques (e.g.3) but this isn’t a mandatory requirement.
Image: Alysha Strong - Dragonfly Brooch, Silver Award (Junior)
Judges will be looking for
Rub-over edges that are uniformly in contact with the stone without gaps, and inside edges cut-back with a clean bright cut
Stone spacing to be even with the tables level with each other, grooves on the inside of claw settings to match the stone girdle
Micro setting with uniform spacing, level tables and bright cutting is symmetrical, and any decorative cuts or threads are also aligned and symmetrical.
Enamellers & Enamel Painters | 3D Craft
This section encourages and promotes the craft skills of traditional enamelling (powdered glass fused to metal at high heat) in any or a combination of the disciplined techniques, e.g. champlevé, cloisonné, plique à jour.
The Brief
This section is open to any enamelled or enamel-painted item of jewellery or related article of silversmithing, smallwork or objet d’art that uses traditional enamelling techniques on metal.
Where applicable, if entries contain elements of engraved work, they are also encouraged to enter their work in the craft section Engravers.
Entrants to the enamelling sections — both craft and design — are also encouraged to consider applying for the Phil Barnes Enamelling Bursary as a part of their entry. Please see below for further details.
Image: Alexandra Raphael - The Honest Bowl, Gold Award (Senior)
Judges will be looking for
Technical ability and excellence of enamelling craft skills
Degree of difficulty/complexity
Quality and effectiveness of finishing
Originality of the design / motifs
Creativity in the application of enamel
An Unmissable Opportunity
Entrants to the enamelling sections — both craft and design — are also encouraged to consider applying for the Phil Barnes Enamelling Bursary as a part of their entry.
This bursary provides an excellent incentive for all aspiring enamellers to participate in the competition. Everyone who enters work into either of the enamelling sections will be able to apply for the bursary, which offers a marvellous opportunity to learn alongside a master enameller.
This annual bursary has been established in memory of master enameller Phil Barnes by his wife, Linda. Phil was a lifetime entrant to the competition during his long and illustrious career, promoting and encouraging the highest standards of traditional enamelling skills and techniques. This bursary and legacy will positively support the next generation of enamellers by offering some workshop experience with an established master enameller.
Lapidary & Carving| 3D Craft
Sponsored by Gemmology Rocks
We are delighted to announce a new partnership with Gemmology Rocks, who are enthusiastically sponsoring this important specialist competition category as a GC&DC Named Award Patron.
We look forward to working with Gemmology Rocks to promote, encourage and celebrate the art and potential of lapidary and gemstone carving, including precision faceting, glyptics and all lapidary craft[KG1] in competition entries.
Image: Janet Barber - Moth Orchid Brooch, Gold & The C W Sellors Fine Jewellery Award (Senior)
The Brief
Lapidary is the art of cutting, carving and polishing gem material in shaping stone, minerals or gemstones into decorative items.
The brief encourages you to submit individual pieces of lapidary in your chosen gem material; any style of cutting, carving and finishing may be used. This is an opportunity to demonstrate technical excellence, creativity and an innovative approach to lapidary.
The material, method and style of cutting used must be specified within your online application. If CNC milling was used, then the entrant must have milled and finished the material by themselves with minimal technical assistance.
Gemmology Rocks is offering any lapidary & carving entrant the opportunity to work with reclaimed gem material to use for their intended competition entry. This is primarily larger pieces of quartz and topaz, but other materials may be available. Please email chat@gemmologyrocks.com with the subject: GCDC gem material, or use this link to see what’s available and how to source it.
Judges will be looking for
Technical excellence
Innovative use of gem material
Creativity, which enhances the inherent qualities of the chosen material and process
Engravers, Die Sinkers & Seal Engravers| 3D Craft
Engraving and seal engraving are the art and craft of cutting and carving onto any metal surfaces to create decorative imagery such as lettering, pictures, textures, etc. Seal engraving involves reverse deep cutting to produce a positive 3D impression.
The Brief
This section is open to any article of jewellery, silversmithing, objet d’art or smallwork that features decorative hand engraving, as well as seal engraving or dies.
Copper-plate engraving should be accompanied with a sample of the print. All dies and seals should be accompanied with an impression.
Image: Isabel Freeman - IPheasant Plucker Flask, Silver Award (Junior)
Judges will be looking for
Quality and effectiveness of hand cutting on lettering and pictorial work
Technical and artistic excellence of engraving, seal engraving or die sinking skills
Understanding of cutting to give true representation i.e. light, fabric, depth, breadth, relief. Fine shading & cross hatching
Design originality and creativity
At least 2 styles of lettering and to be threaded out
11 Jan 2026
Online Entry Form Submission Deadline
13 - 14 Jan 2026
Entry submission @
The Goldsmiths’ Centre
EC1M 5AD
9th Mar 2026
Awards Ceremony @
The Merchant Taylors' Hall,
EC2R 8JB
23 - 27 Mar 2026
Awards Exhibition & Events @
The Birmingham Assay Office
B1 3AX
1 July - 10 Sept 2026
Awards Exhibition & Events @
The Goldsmiths’ Centre
EC1M 5AD
