On the 4TH July The Royal Mint launched its first jewellery collection ever, designed and made by in-house experts in silversmithing techniques at The Royal Mint .
The collection, envisioned by luxury jewellery designer Philippe Cogoli, has been made at The Royal Mint from start to finish, using traditional coin pressing techniques that pay homage to the heritage and expertise gained from over one thousand years of coin minting expertise. The designer, took inspiration from the design of the first ever £2 coin which was minted in 1997, and has deconstructed details of the design to create a truly unique collection that references the original coin. The range includes elements that capture and reflect the evolution of technology, with individual geometric designs.
The Motto collection is named after the “motto” that is stamped into the original £2 coin and attributed to Sir Isaac Newton’s famous saying “Standing on the shoulders of giants”. The geometrically designed range is made from sterling silver and includes unique items ranging from cufflinks and tie pins to earrings and bangles, along with other stylish silver gifts. The collection is a beautiful handcrafted range made in-house, a new and exciting step for The Royal Mint.
Helen Cooper, Director of Gifting at The Royal Mint, commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Phillippe Cogoli, a talented designer who has built on the heritage of The Royal Mint and the silversmith craft to create this beautiful new collection. The Motto collection is the first range of jewellery to be created by The Royal Mint’s experienced team and is an exciting development for The Royal Mint brand.”
Philippe Cogoli, designer of the Motto collection, added: “The main inspiration behind the Motto range was the fantastic design of the original 1997 £2 coin. When we saw the potential of the geometric pattern which is stamped onto the coin face, we realised that it reflects an evolution of technology. The idea was to transform the motifs, and design them in a way that is unique but also aligns with The Royal Mint heritage. It was a fantastic collaboration with The Royal Mint team and I feel privileged to have been chosen to work with them.
In contrast to Motto is the feminine, yet contemporary ‘Sprig’ collection is a first for The Royal Mint and marks an exciting development in their gifting range. The collaboration with Sarah Jordan was designed and made in the UK with the oak and acorn motif featured on many coins throughout history proved vital.
Taken from the original 1936 design of the silver Sixpence, the acorn design appealed to Sarah due to her childhood spent in the Derbyshire countryside. However, the motif was updated to create a sleek, unique theme which formed the basis of the Sprig range, from stud earrings through to a choker necklace.
Sarah Jordan has been designing and manufacturing jewellery for 30 years having won a number of prestigious awards including UK Jewellery Designer of the Year. Sarah set the trend of the organic, fluid style seen in the jewellery industry today which has been beautifully transferred into the Sprig collection.
The new collections are now on sale, available from www.royalmint.com/gifts
With the art of silversmithing having first emerged in Britain in approximately 300 A.D, both collections build on the amazing heritage of craftsmanship that is still alive in the UK today.
Silver has long been an important part of human lives. Having once been available only to the incredibly rich, imports from South America resulted in the precious metal becoming more widely available and the desire for fine jewellery increased. Silversmithing is an age-old tradition that has stood the test of time, innovating as technology has changed, ensuring the craft is still maintained to this day.
Pieces start from £80 and are available from www.royalmint.com/gifts
About The Royal Mint
The Royal Mint has an unbroken history of minting British coinage dating back over 1,100 years. Based in the Tower of London for over 500 years, by 1812 The Royal Mint had moved out of the Tower to premises on London’s Tower Hill. In 1967 the building of a new Royal Mint began on its current site in South Wales, UK, to accommodate the minting of UK decimal coinage.
Today, The Royal Mint is the world’s largest export mint, supplying coins to the UK and overseas countries.
The Royal Mint has also diversified into a number of other complementary businesses, building on the values that have been at the heart of the organisation throughout its history – authenticity, security, precious metals, craftsmanship and design:
I was lucky enough to attend their press launch and see for myself the elegant, classic and timeless designs. As well as the jewellery, later in the year, they will also be selling a fine china money box, a beautiful teddy bear and Sterling silver Christmas tree decorations.
creativecolour.org 