Argentium Silver Guild Member, Machi de Waard's innovative Argentium silverwork and self-made tools earned her prestigious accolades in the jeweller
In the luminous spotlight of London's Goldsmiths Hall on March 4th, the prestigious Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Awards unveiled its winners, celebrating the pinnacle of talent in the realms of jewellery and silversmithing. Among the shining talents, Machi de Waard stood out, securing accolades that affirmed her exceptional skill and creativity in a competition often dubbed the Oscars of the jewellery and silversmithing world.
The awards, an annual homage to the pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship and design, saw Machi clinching a silver in the Smallworkers design category and a bronze in the combined Smallworkers and Modelmakers category. Her award-winning creation, a set of six intricately scored silver miniature vessels—half of which are inventive static vessels and the other half, cleverly designed boxes—demonstrated her mastery. Remarkably, each piece was brought to life using scoring tools crafted by Machi herself, and all were made from the high-quality Argentium silver.
Machi's journey to this moment of recognition has been marked by a recent milestone: the completion of her Master’s in Jewellery & Metal at the prestigious Royal College of Art. There, her degree work received high praise, earning a spot among the top 14 craft graduate works in the UK in 2023, as celebrated by the Craft Council's Héloïse Parke. This accolade not only highlights Machi's dedication to her craft but also her innovative approach to materials and design, setting her apart as a beacon of excellence in the jewellery and metal arts community.
Watch the awards ceremony here: