Festive Focus: Bdaily meets the creative director of Saunders & Pughe

Can you introduce yourself and your business to our readers?

“Marianne Saunders, creative director of Saunders and Pughe Goldsmiths, with over 20 years’ experience of designing and making fabulous jewellery in Corbridge.

“We specialise in rare and precious coloured gemstones from all over the world and fine diamonds. Director and Goldsmith Robert Pughe is renowned as one of the region’s top goldsmiths, creating bespoke designs to customers’ specifications in silver gold, and platinum.

“Our wonderful sales team of highly trained staff pride themselves in delivering the best advice.”

What was your company’s biggest achievement of the year?

“Winning the Gemmological Association of Great Britain’s, Bruton Medal for Best Graduate for the Diamond Diploma, was definitely a highlight.

“We were shortlisted for UK Sales Team of the Year by Retail Jeweller Magazine, one of our Goldsmiths, Ross Bonner, was a National Association Jewellers ‘Workshop Hero’ Finalist and we were selected to join The Company Of Master Jewellers, so 2018 has been pretty good!”

How would you approach 2018 differently, given the chance?

“We have always run our business by ‘word of mouth’ only, and I think we have been guilty of not shouting about our skills enough.

“We are now trying to be more active on social media and hope that we will reach a wider audience, blowing the trumpet for great British made designs.”

What are your company’s plans for the new year?

“We travelled to Sri Lanka in August with a trade group of British Jewellers and have come back with exceptional sapphire, moonstone, alexandrite and spinel, we are really looking forward to setting these into some beautiful pieces of jewellery.

“We shall be strengthening our bonds with the Responsible Jewellery Council and Fair Trade gold products and gemstones, we are always looking for ways to offer sustainable and responsible sourcing for our luxury goods and plan to continue to expand in this area.”

What’s your favourite Christmas song?

“The opening bars to Mariah’s ‘All I Want For Christmas is You’ never fails to jingle my bells!”

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