Looking back on my recent trip to Basel this year I realise I came home feeling rather more up beat than I had done on the last couple of annual trips. There was alot more to look at and I got the feeling that people where feeling more inspired and positive and this really showed when I was looking around the halls. I brought some stunning yellow and white diamonds, which I intend to put into some ring designs I am working on at the moment. This year was a real family affair with my wife Tanya, my son Thomas and my daughter Natasha joining me. It was very special to be able to spend some time together with just the four of us, which doesn’t happen as often as I would like.

So all together a successful trip. The only down point was when I was walking past the Indian Pavilion and spotted an out and out copy (all be it inferior to the extreme) of my “Damask” necklace. Plagiarism is alive and well! It was manufactured by Glorious Jewellery (I) Pvt, Ltd  I had my solicitor serve a notice on the company so hopefully that is the end of the problem. But I find myself asking, where is the personal pride of people that steal other people’s designs. I totally understand how sometimes designers may be inspired by the same things and inadvertently end up designing pieces that may have the same feel and a similar look. But to absolutely and with out shame make and exact copy of someone’s work is beyond me. When we invest time, money, heart and soul into our pieces they are very dear to us.

Obviously we all are in business to earn a living but a note to all those unscrupulous people who have no design skills of there own – without the passion, talent and inspiration of the people in this business who strive constantly to design, develop and evolve there would be no industry.

David

I am extremely pleased to be taking part in this new, innovative and ground breaking charity event in aid of Action for Children and Elephant family.The concept could not fail to capture everyone’s attention including mine. Not only is The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt aiming to raise up to £1 million for each charity, it is also looking to achieve a Guinness World Record for the biggest ever Easter hunt.

I have been designing and making fine jewellery in London for over 30 years now but the challenge of designing a two-and-a-half foot fibreglass egg was a first for me as you can imagine! I decided to adorn the egg with a motif which is the main element in my legacy collection. This collection was inspired when both my children joined my business and I wanted to mark this event with a classic and timeless design. I felt using this design which is so close to my heart had the perfect synergy with the charity.

I was touched and honoured when Coutts sponsored my egg and to know it is to be displayed outside Coutts on the strand. The eggs will be displayed for 40 days and nights before heading off for auction. Knowing so many people will see it is incredibly exciting and of course it will do a fantastic job of raising awareness for the cause.
The story has been featured in City Wealth magazine which is released on Thursday and you can also read more about it on the Coutts website under the press release section.

www.coutts.com
www.citywealthmag.com
www.thebigegghunt.co.uk
www.elephantfamily.org
www.actionforchildren.org.uk

I am extremely excited to announce that a selection of my collections and one off pieces will now be stocked and show cased in Garrards.

The synergy, style and history of Garrards sit perfectly with my pieces.

As anyone whom is familiar with my jewellery and views on British brands and British manufacturing will know having David Marshall London placed in their store in London fits perfectly with my company ethos. Buying one of my pieces can be done with the confidence it is made in our workshop in London by our master jewelers, combining skills that have been used for centuries along with new state of the art technologies.

Garrard was launched in London in 1735 and, as a result of its superlative quality and craftsmanship, has enjoyed royal patronage from its start. Garrard served as Crown Jeweller for over 150 years.

Garrard & Co (formerly Asprey & Garrard) was founded by George Wickes in London in 1735. Wickes set up business in Threadneedle Street in the City of London in 1722; the company moved to Panton Street off Haymarket in central London in 1735 as a goldsmith and provider of jewellery and other luxury items to aristocratic patrons. Wickes was an accomplished silversmith known for his work in the rococo style, and gained the patronage of Frederick, Prince of Wales. Two apprentices of Wickes, John Parker and Edward Wakelin, purchased the company following Wickes’ retirement in 1760, replaced by John Wakelin and William Taylor in 1776. Following the death of William Taylor, Robert Garrard became a partner in the company in 1792. Garrard took sole control of the firm in 1802, with his sons Robert Garrard II, James and Sebastian succeeding him in running the company, trading as R., J., & S. Garrard (or Robert Garrard & Brothers) until James’ retirement in 1835, when the company became R & S Garrard. The company remained in the hands of the Garrard family until the death of Sebastian Henry Garrard, great-grandson of Robert Garrard senior, in 1946. In 1843, Queen Victoria appointed Garrard to the position of Crown Jewellers, leading to the production of numerous pieces of silverware and jewellery for the Royal Family, as well as the upkeep of the Crown Jewels.

More recently, Garrard has been noted as being the maker of the sapphire engagement ring given by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge to his wife Catherine, the ring once belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

I look forward to a very long and happy association with Garrards and hope you will go to their store and “check us out”

David

www.garrard.com

It was action stations early Friday morning as photographers, make up artist, hairdresser and model all met at Cobham Hall in Kent for a full day shooting our new life style images and jewellery shots for our website, new brochures and new advertising campaign.

Cobham Hall is a leading international boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18, and is located in a historic country estate in Kent. A great Elizabethan house, with seventeenth and eighteenth century additions the area east of the house has a small temple and a pumphouse designed by Humphrey Repton which is where we chose to photograph our Legacy Collection. The model was wearing country chic style clothes supplied by an amazing company called Moloh. As you will see when we post the pictures soon the traditional style clothes which have a timeless but contemporary design where the perfect compliment for the “Legacy” which was inspired when both my children joined the family business this year and uses my company logo as the main component in the design.

Just as the rain started we went inside to shoot the bridal shots with the model wearing a romantic and whimsical dress which was complimented by flowers which where supplied by Chic Events who this year are shortisted finalists in The Kent Wedding Awards in the florist of the year category.  With this look we chose pieces from our new “butterfly flutterby” collection.  The butterfly is the perfect subject for a delicate and pretty piece of jewellery but manages to make an impact at the same time and I am confident the butterfly creations will appeal to your sense of romance.

Finally onto the evening gown shot taken on one of the grand staircases in the hall. For this we chose a simple gown, which left all the talking to our platinum and diamond chandelier earrings, deco pendants, deco bangle and an amazing ring from my selection of important one off pieces.

So there we are a successful day and watch this space to see the stunning images, which I will post soon.

David

Finishing Touches

www.cobhamhall.com

www.moloh.com

Chic Events—www.cherrytrees.co.uk

Allow me to introduce you to Bertie and Angus, two korthal Griffon pointers.
A silver wedding anniversary gift from my wife.

We have just returned from an amazing trip to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. First stop was Paris where we went to the launch party for Faberge. We where invited because I had been commissioned to make an egg for them. Next stop was a night in Puligny-Montrachet and then onto Monaco where we stayed at the Metropole hotel.

On the Friday night we went to see Janet Jackson at the Le Sporting Monte Carlo, this is a great, venue very civilized with a four course dinner and a roof that folds back so you watch the concert in the open air. Then onto St Tropez where we stayed at the Le Yacca.

If any of you are going to St Tropez I highly recommend this hotel its very chic and very relaxed just the way I like it! On our actual anniversary our family and friends had flown in to celebrate the day with us. We had a table for 20 people at Le Club 55 one of my favorite places. It was a fantastic afternoon and it was wonderful to have my family with us. Then home stopping off in the stunning village of Beaune another of my recommendations.
Definitely a trip to remember.