Judith Lockwood
To celebrate International Women’s Day on Saturday 8 March, we put out an open call to women within the Company's membership, asking them to tell their stories, share what motivated them to join us, and fill us in on interesting facts about their lives, careers and aspirations. We were lucky to receive responses from a wide range of members, which we will be publishing in the lead up to International Women’s Day 2025.
Our third member interview is with Freeman, Judith Lockwood.
Tell us about you and your career
I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful to be working in an industry that I love, am still passionate about and is my life. For over 30 x years I have been a part of the jewellery trade and industry, involved predominately in sales, brand-building and distribution. Working with some incredible companies and people from around the world (Gucci, Cartier, Hearts On Fire Diamonds, TI SENTO) being in the diamond business and manufacturing.
I didn’t really know what I wanted to be or do at school, only that I didn’t want to go to college or university. A leaflet on the 6th form careers notice board caught my eye “Trainee Retail Management Scheme”. I closed my eyes and randomly picked three x companies to write to – Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer and Austin Reed (a family-owned, traditional men’s tailoring retailer). Somehow at 18½ I was accepted, left home and went to work, the youngest on the scheme, not a graduate and as green as grass, naïve and with no fear.
In those early years I discovered what I wanted to do and be. I loved learning and selling, spending time with customers, giving the best customer service, developing relationships, gaining new experiences, being part of a team, training and mentoring, running a department and being in charge, business, and travelling.
Retail led to becoming a “sales-rep” in the grocery trade, on the road with a company car learning wholesale with Twinings Tea and Smiths Crisps. A strong FMCG (fast-moving commercial goods) background and discipline that still holds true to me today. Which in turn led me to the world I live in today.
A job advert in my Dad’s Yorkshire Post – “Gucci Timepieces sales-executive” caught my eye. I was too young, lived in the wrong area, didn’t have relative experience, but I applied anyway and was offered the job in the interview. We were an all-girl team – unique in 1990, working for an MD who was a visionary and who had made Filo-Fax huge back in the 80’s.
Working alongside the Wholesale Manager (Phil Ryder, a fellow Yorkshirman) of Cartier at a customer Christmas event, I asked had they filled an advertised wholesale vacancy. I was told no, they hadn’t found the right candidate… Next day I applied. Arnaud Bamberger the MD of Cartier interviewed me. He grilled me furiously about an 18ct range of watches Gucci had just launched. I wasn’t having any of it and defended Gucci most vehemently. Arnaud must have seen something in me, the lack of fear but respect for him, the willingness to stand up for what I believe in, spirit. A month later he personally phoned me to offer me the position in wholesale, selling precious and jewellery watches, complications and high horology pieces and luxury accessories to the finest jewellers across the UK and Ireland. I later learned that I was the first female ever to take this wholesale role within Cartier.
A love, passion and understanding of watch movements and moving parts, led my career in a new direction as I saw a role advertised in the Thursday’s Telegraph (as they used to be) for a Retail Operations Manager position with Honda UK (Motorcyle Division). Honda could not understand why I would want to leave Cartier and had concerns that this was a quite a “different world”. I clearly didn’t think so. I explained that my other love and hobby was riding motorbikes and spending weekends running a bike racing team even learning how to rebuild a cylinder head when the valves dropped and that I knew many of their dealerships from the racing paddock and industry people already. I got the job, joining a team of 14 x men in Motorcycle Division and the only female still today to hold this position in the entire motorcycle industry.
Today I have my own business which is 11 x years old – Mesmeric Distribution Ltd and my team (Angela and Micheline) and I work with TI SENTO, a high-quality, sterling-silver brand to 150 x UK doors of independent family jewellers, many of whom were my customers from my Gucci and Cartier days and also respected multiple business.
If I look back on my working life and career which spans over 30 x years in the jewellery industry I realise that I owe so much of it to people that I know who have nudged, inspired, mentored and encouraged me. Today as well as my Mesmeric Distribution “day job” I hold a board position as Supplier Director for The Company of Master Jewellers (the largest independent buying group of jewellery retailers in the UK).
Giving back to me is important, so I give time and volunteer, so I am a Council Member, Trustee and Vice Chair of the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council, sit on the Membership Committee of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’ and have recently joined the Birmingham Assay Office as a Guardian of the Standard of Wrought Plate.
How did you first come to hear about the Goldsmiths’ Company?
Many years ago I had been to a trade dinner in the Hall and previously to a Goldsmiths’ Fair. The Goldsmiths’ Company seemed another world to me and even though I am in the trade I hadn’t considered that I would or could ever be a part of it. Then Gordon Hamme (a friend, mentor and Liveryman) suggested that I to apply to a public call-out to become a Council Member of The Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council. As a consequence of this I began to learn a lot more about The Company, its history, its values and what it stood for.
Why did you become a member of the Company?
Again it was Gordon Hamme I have to thank for suggesting that I should apply to become a Freeman. My initial reaction to be honest was why? Gordon soon put me right on that. I then spoke to a few people including Brian Hill (consultant with the GC&DC) and they helped me realise that even though I wasn’t a maker or craftsperson I had something to offer. I hoped that I could in turn bring something to the Company. I wanted to be part of an institution that is responsible and important to the trade and industry that I live and breathe. I feel as though I have come home by being a member and that is testament to every person I have met so far within the membership of the Company trade or non-trade. It is everything I hoped it would be, which is welcoming, respectful, encouraging and a great leveller of people.
What are you involved in at the Company?
As a member I find the Company is very good at communicating with newsletters to the membership. This includes opportunities to either attend at events or to apply for committees. After a year of being a Freeman I saw one such call out and applied to become a part of the Membership Committee and have now sat on this for over year. We work with the membership both Freeman and Livery and there is a genuine trajectory to grow the reach, opportunity and breadth of new applicants for trade and non-trade.
Our role is to support and listen to the Company members, but also to work with the Wardens and Court to ensure the stability, future resilience and relativity of the Company moving forward through ensuring we have people who will give time, contributions, skills, actions, advice to the benefit. There are many wonderful opportunities within the Company to attend events, and I have been able to go to Freemen’s receptions, the Christmas Carol Service, the Christmas Lunch and Freemen’s dinner – each time meeting new and interesting people.
How would you describe the Company in three words?
Welcoming, inspiring, changing.
What women have inspired / been important to you in your life and career, and why?
My Mum of course, she always said “just do your best” and I try to do that every day.
A teacher called Mrs Fisher, she was tough but fair and she told me “you can do anything if you set your mind to it”.
My sister Alison and friend Val keep me grounded. Val and I have known each other since we were 11 at secondary school, born one day apart. We come in and out of each other’s lives but she keeps me totally grounded, I admire her work ethic and she introduced me 10 x years ago to York City FC, we are season ticket holders and we go regularly together.
What advice would for women who are interested in joining the Goldsmiths’ Company?
Just as I did, apply. Read about the Company, learn about it more, or feel free to ring me, email me, meet me for a coffee and a chat. I am more than happy to do this and encourage you to be a part of something alive and wonderful.