As part of our dedication to becoming a centre of excellence for jewellery materials we will be holding a major international conference next summer.

The event will run 8 and 9 July 2019, at Goldsmiths' Hall. 

book here

 The Congress

This Congress forms part of a series of activities by the Goldsmiths’ Company to advance and disseminate knowledge and to encourage research and its exploitation in the field of jewellery & silverware technology. Its aim is to promote participation in new technologies and best practice that will lead to innovative design, improved quality and production efficiency and increase the expertise within our industry.

This new Materials Congress is supported by the internationally renowned Santa Fe Symposium® for jewellery manufacturing technology, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, now in its 33rd year. Its co-founder, Eddie Bell, is convinced that the Symposium has successfully served as an outlet for his drive to share knowledge and expertise within the industry with those who share his passion for the craft.  Eddie will be one of the Keynote speakers at this inaugural Congress.

The Materials Congress aims to bring his ethos to the UK and Europe. It will support the jewellery & silverware community and provide a collaborative, non-commercial forum to share knowledge and foster technological and operational innovation.

Keynote speakers

The following Keynote speakers have been confirmed:

Eddie Bell, Rio Grande Executive Vice President Emeritus and Co-Founder of the Santa Fe Symposium®.

Grant Macdonald, Founding Director, Grant Macdonald Silversmiths, London UK

Tim Burstein, Professor of Materials Chemistry & Corrosion, University of Cambridge, UK.

Chris Corti, MD, COReGOLD Technology, Reading, UK

Conference fees

The attendance fee will be £480 but current students will be free of charge. This aligns with the Goldsmiths’ Company ethos to educate and engage the future of the trade. The fee includes the catering arrangements described below, and conference proceedings.

Practical Information

Catering – lunch will be provided on both days of the conference.  There will be a gala dinner in the spectacular surrounds of Goldsmiths’ Hall on the night of Monday 8 July.  There will be accompanying entertainment.

Optional tours:  On Wednesday, 10th July, there will be tours open to all delegates to The London Assay Office (at Goldsmiths’ Hall), to the Goldsmiths Centre at nearby Clerkenwell, in the heart of the London jewellery industry and to a leading silver manufacturer.

Hotel Accommodation:  There is a range of hotels available near Goldsmiths Hall.  A list is available on request. Hotel/accommodation costs are not included in the price of the Congress.

Transport: There are good public transport links to Goldsmiths Hall – bus and underground railway. It is accessible from all main railway termini in London There are several airports serving London. The nearest are London City, London Heathrow and London Stansted whilst London Gatwick has direct rail links into London.

Speakers and working talk titles 

Day 1 

KEYNOTE: Eddie Bell, Rio Grande, USA - "What is Changing in Jewellery Making and Are We Keeping Pace?"

Teresa Freye, Techform, USA - "Platinum Jewellery Casting Alloys: A Comparative Study of Solidification Behaviours"

Coilin O’Dubhgaill, Mikana – "New Mixed Metal Products"

L R Owen et al, Camb Univ - "Order-Disorder Transition in 12ct Rose Gold"

Dippal Manchandra, Birmingham Assay Office - "Gold Allergy: Differentiating Myth from Reality"

KEYNOTE: Grant Macdonald Grant Macdonald Silversmiths - title TBC

Jorg Fisher-Buehner et al, Legor SpA Italy - "A New 925 Silver Alloy with Increased Tarnish Resistance: From R & D over real-life tests to manufacturing"

Day 2

KEYNOTE: Prof Tim Burstein Cambridge University - "The Tarnishing Conundrum of Silver"

Ulrich Klotz, FEM Germany - "Investment Casting of Platinum Group Metals"

Peter Oakley, Royal College of Art - "Ethical Gold: Why Manufacturing Methods Matter"

Jochen Heinrich et al, C Hafner GmbH, Germany - "Opportunities by Applying Powder Metallurgy and Additive Manufacturing to Palladium and Platinum Jewellery Alloys"

Calina Shevlin, Aterlier Guilloché Switzerland - "Guilloché"

KEYNOTE: Chris Corti, COReGOLD Technology - "Jewellery Alloys: Past, Present and Future"

Chris Manning, Silver Hand Studios, Canada - "Lead-free Niello for the Modern Jeweller"

Jim Binnion, JB Arts USA - "A New Method for Preparing 3D-Printed Acrylic Photopolymers for Investment Casting"

Lynne Bartlett - "Titanium, The Magic Metal"