“You have to be like a clock spring. Wound but not loose at the same time.” Dave Winfield
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The time to turn back the clocks is on the horizon - days have been getting longer for a few weeks now, and as we move towards the summer, time has been on our mind - especially in the workshop, where it’s not unusual to find a clock in the midst of construction.
It takes a lifetime to perfect the craft of silversmithing, and when it comes to making a clock, our master craftsmen employ techniques that have been perfected over centuries. Passing this knowledge down to younger silversmiths is an important responsibility, and we’re always pleased to see the finished work of craftsmen who are still growing in their capabilities. Given how complex the construction of a clock can be, with so many different silversmithing techniques in play within the same item, they are a popular choice for an apprentice’s final piece - a masterpiece that demonstrates the skills they’ve developed throughout their time in the workshop.
Because we have the capacity to use 3D printing to make prototypes, we’ve eliminated the barrier to innovation that once existed within the industry. With the option to realise new designs without the huge financial risks, younger craftsmen are free to use their imagination in the creation of exciting new pieces.
From mother-of-pearl clock faces to malachite bases, every element of our clocks will be conceived and created in our workshop by our craftsmen, and to see the finished piece is a point of pride for everybody who worked on it.
Clocks pass through our workshop on a regular basis, and the crafting of a single clock is always a labour of love. Clock designs are frequently composed of many small pieces of sterling silver and gold-plated details, each part of the puzzle lovingly refined and polished before being drawn together into the finished product, which is sometimes so large that it has to be assembled on the floor of the workshop.
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Grant Macdonald London’s designers can take any idea from your imagination and, using the traditional silversmithing talents of our craftsmen, realise it as a remarkable physical object. This blending of new technology and traditional craft skills enables Grant Macdonald London to create precious metal masterworks that would have been impossible to produce last century. That commitment to innovation ensures our workshops deliver remarkable, award winning pieces.