As of last night, BBC Two’s All That Glitters has aired its first two episodes, and PJ has asked the industry for its consensus on the Bake Off-style jewellery show.
There has been much talk of the time limits the jewellers are given for the challenges. Nicky Wade Evans commented on Facebook: “Yes, the time allocated to complete the pieces is just crazy.”
Lucy Cornwallis added: “All the more credit to the participants for achieving as much as they did within those constraints and with the added stress of a studio environment.”
Meanwhile Kristina Smith of Ark Jewellery said on Twitter that the show is “flying the flag for small businesses” but added that her friends believe there needs to be more banter on All That Glitters.
Love the show and it is flying the flag for small independent businesses. Episode 2 really showed how difficult and skilful jewellery making is. However my friends think the show could do with more bunter and more comedians, the judges they say are a little dull.
— Ark Jewellery by Kristina Smith (@ArkKristina) April 21, 2021
Elsewhere, Tianna Kowcun said via Facebook: “Enjoyed it [and] wish I could afford to get all the materials and tools they used.” Kathryn Hick concurred: “Loved it. Inspiring, informative and funny. Got serious tool envy though.”
The CMJ’s Frances Hopes weighed in: “It was great and I hope will pique interest in jewellery design in the general public. This can surely (we hope) only be a good show and perfect timing to highlight the skills of British jewellery design and independent jewellery retail.”
Finally, bespoke jeweller Stephen Saliba added that he had received a potential commission of the back of the show.
I just had a potential commission get in touch after watching it so that is good. I am not in the UK anymore so haven’t seen it but I am so glad they didn’t call it The Great British Jewellery Off. Lol
— Stephen Saliba (@StephenSaliba) April 15, 2021
Goldsmiths’ Company librarian, Eleni Bide, gave her opinion on the first episode below, discussing the difficult and unrealistic time constraints the designers are working to:
INDUSTRY VIEW: All That Glitters’ ‘tight timeframes’ are not ‘normal’ for jewellers
