Glenn Chapman, local Goldsmith and owner of the Goldsmithy Ltd in Cranfield has been acknowledged in the new book “The Cartiers: The untold story of the family behind the Jewellery empire” for helping with his memories of his time as an apprentice at the Cartier watch case and small work workshop “Wright and Davies Ltd”.

Glenn began his apprenticeship specialising in watchcases and small work in February 1973 with renowned jewellers, Cartier London. He was the last apprentice to be trained at the company, which was based in Rosebury Avenue London.

The book was written by Francesca Cartier-Brickell – who is the great-great-great-granddaughter of the founder, Louis Cartier. After many visits to Glenn at The Goldsmithy, Francesca uncovered parts the history of her grandfather’s empire with the help of the then apprentice. The book was recently released and it unravels the story of how the company, then under her great grandfather and his two brothers was turned into a worldwide brand known for its luxury jewellery and watches.

Glenn Chapman, founder of The Goldsmithy says, “Wright & Davies, especially my teacher Alex Parkes taught me everything I needed to know about creating one-off pieces of jewellery and small work and instilled in me the will to become the goldsmith I am today”. 

Glenn continues, “The Cartiers are a legendary family within the jewellery industry and I consider it an honour to have been able to help with my thoughts about the early 1970s working at Wright and Davies and Cartiers. Making one-off pieces is an obsession of mine and this book does a fantastic job of giving others an insight into the traditional jewellery empire that I know and love.”

After many years making bespoke jewellery, Glenn went on to open his own independent Goldsmiths in 2008. The Goldsmithy is a locally loved goldsmiths who provide beautiful bespoke jewellery designs to a wide range of customers. The family-run business offers several bespoke services – all of which are handcrafted by Glenn and son Paul who have a passion for the jewellery industry. With services that include designing impressive jewellery from scratch and transforming old heirlooms into something new and exciting, The Goldsmithy has opened up the world of high-end bespoke jewellery to the local area, showing us that it can be more affordable than many might think.

Glenn and Paul’s hard work and success shows that there’s always a place for tradition in modern society. The Goldsmithy’s plans for the coming years include working with local businesses and organisations to produce bespoke commissions and continuing to educate people on the goldsmithing traditions –those Glenn learned at Wright and Davies Ltd.

For more information about The Goldsmithy, visit: goldsmithy.com

Issued for & on behalf of The Goldsmithy by BrandMission