On Saturday 18 April, Adam Jacobs led the first ever Masterclass delivered by a Goldsmiths' Company member at a National Saturday Club. As a Liveryman and owner of Jacobs Independent Jewellers in Reading, Adam felt it was a valuable opportunity to show how this charity partnership work connects so clearly with the Company’s wider purpose, as well as with Jacobs, independent jewellers, own commitment to jewellery design, craft and showcasing paths into jewellery as a career.
Working alongside our retail designer Caitlin Harper, Adam was able to give a group of 13 to 16 year olds at Andover College a genuine taste of professional jewellery practice - not just a demonstration, but the real thing.
The session began by sharing a little of their own stories. Adam’s route into jewellery was anything but straightforward - from St Paul's School to Bath University, via Vodafone, Marks & Spencer and Evidently, a marketing agency, before taking the reins at Jacobs in 2003. Caitlin's journey was equally unexpected: born in South Africa, trained at the University of Johannesburg, she spent time sailing and living in France before joining Jacobs in 2023. The students were fascinated, and it set exactly the right tone for what followed.
The brief was simple but demanding. Working in groups, and each given a set of real gemstones to handle and design around, the students were asked to create a piece of neckwear for a specific client - Caitlin herself. They interviewed her, asked questions, considered her style and personality, sketched their ideas, refined them, and then presented their designs to the room. It was the same process Caitlin and Natasha use every day in the Reading shop when helping clients with their jewellery designs.
The students concentrated hard throughout. By the end, the room was full of original designs, each one grounded in a real client conversation.
It was terrific to spend time with a younger generation and witness first-hand how powerful jewellery, gems and design can be in engaging creativity. The class really took to heart the combination of art and business, creating designs that were both practical and eye catching. We hope we inspired at least one person in the class to consider a path in this incredible industry.
