The Yorkshire Rose collection is based on one of the earliest designs created by founders William and Julia Shaw, who began their jewellery-making business in Barnsley in 1988.

The pieces will be handmade in the company’s Dodworth workshop and available in a range of precious metals with options for customisation.

Each item in the collection will be hallmarked by Sheffield Assay Office and accompanied by packaging designed specifically for the range. The business has also worked with manufacturers Curteis and Dahlinger to supply chains and presentation boxes respectively.

The launch will take place both in-store and online and will feature an invitation-only event, with gift bags for attendees.

The event will also mark the start of a charity raffle, with proceeds going to Barnsley Hospice and Barnsley RSPCA. The first prize is a white gold and diamond Yorkshire Rose necklace.

WJ Shaw was founded by husband-and-wife jewellers William and Julia Shaw and is now run alongside their daughter Heather Shaw. The company specialises in bespoke design, manufacturing and repairs, and operates with a team of six staff across sales and jewellery production.

The NAJ Awards are an “opportunity to champion extraordinary talent” within the UK jewellery industry and highlight the business owners, teams and professionals “going above and beyond for the trade and their customers”.  

The awards will be held on Sunday 25 June, as part of this year’s NAJ Summit.

The 2023 NAJ Awards has expanded to ten categories, with four new awards available: Workshop Employee of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Marketing Campaign/Event of the Year, and Store Design of the Year. 

The categories include:

• Team of the Year (sponsored by TH March)
• Workshop Employee of the Year
• Salesperson of the Year
• Rising Star of the Year
• Designer of the Year 
• Jewellery Retailer of the Year
• CSR Initiative of the Year
• Marketing Campaign/Event of the Year
• Store Design of the Year
• Supplier of the Year

Heather Callaway, NAJ chair, said: “The NAJ Awards recognise and celebrate the exceptional talent within the jewellery industry. Whether championing a business or an individual, these categories showcase talent wherever it is found.”

Claire Davies, Curteis operations director, added: “We’re excited to partner with the National Association of Jewellers for this year’s NAJ Awards. Curteis has a rich history of supporting the jewellery trade, and we look forward to celebrating with the finalists on the big night.”

UK jewellery manufacturer Curteis Ltd has recently become a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), the world’s standard-setting agency for the global jewellery and watch industry.

Curteis said its membership reflects the company’s commitment to responsible business practices and the wider sustainability agenda, aimed at creating positive impacts along the jewellery supply chain.

Curteis added that it continually looks at ways to adapt and change procedures and processes to safeguard trust amongst customers, and that the RJC certification adds another layer to that trust.

Curteis worked alongside consultant Sarah North from Jewelbuild to achieve the certification.

Claire Davies, Curteis operations director, said: “As a jewellery manufacturer, we are delighted to achieve our accreditation. The RJC certification enables us to demonstrate to our customers that our practices and processes meet the highest standards set by the RJC.”

The manufacturer said it has continued operating within government guidelines since the lockdown began, making changes to operating procedures ‘as required’. 

In its latest update, it assured customers that “the phone has been attended as normal”, and it is continuing to ship once a week or more depending on volume of orders.

It will continue to send out stocked items amid the ongoing crisis, and will be “constantly monitoring” the orders, looking at steps to reinstate production “very soon”.

Curteis is also welcoming customers to now place orders they were holding back due to a temporary pause in production at the beginning of the outbreak.

It encouraged orders to be placed online, over the phone or via email, and said it would allow the group to “make the necessary steps to ensure we work most efficiently”.

Curteis said: “We look forward to hearing of the Prime Minister’s full recovery, an improving national picture and working towards an end to the current lockdown.

“But in the meantime, we continue to assess all aspects of the business day by day and would like to assure our customers we are doing our utmost to keep the channels open for you.”