THE TROPHY / DIE TROPH ÄE / LE TROPHÉE Rolex grand slam magazine expertise includes particular knowledge of fine jewellery, royal regalia, ceremonial and silver special commissions. With in-depth experience she has studied and inspected important private collections both in the U.K. and abroad, and has had the privilege of handling national treasures and valuable heirlooms. Having already gained a deep insight into unique prestigious pieces, Corinna Pike furthered her career and drew on a love of painting botanical studies and landscapes. In recent years she made the transition to artist designer of bespoke jewels and presentation silver; this has formed an important part of her work, which includes designing diamond tiaras and sporting trophies. As an artist, her individual approach is to work completely by hand with pencil and gouache watercolours. Painting a tiara she says is “like creating a landscape of diamonds”. She produces intricate hand-painted designs of regal diamond jewels, bespoke pieces for royalty and world class sporting trophies. Corinna Pike’s artwork is characterized by the use of sinuous forms inspired by nature. In designing the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping trophy, Corinna Pike was inspired by organic forms as well. The trophy consists of a cup and cover and is made of sterling silver. A delicate ribbed spiral stem curves around the middle section moving up towards a tulip shaped vessel with a lid surmounted by a twisted shape finial. The form of the trophy thus resembles the growth of a flower. It has double scroll handles and stands upon an integral silver plinth. The Rolex Grand Slam logo is hand engraved on the front. Its overall height is 45 cm and it weighs exactly 2.016 kg. The value of this one-of-a-kind trophy is, on the other hand, inestimable. One discovers that in designing by hand and producing a unique piece of artwork like this and putting heart and soul into it, the designer develops a personal relationship to the trophy. The stage of hand-painting the design meticulously with pencil and gouache watercolours on card is important. A computerbased design would not enable Corinna Pike’s design approach to incorporate curved forms inspired by the natural world and to create sinuous flowing harmony in her designs. Thinking three-dimensionally is very important for a trophy designer as their artwork needs to be designed through the eyes of a sculptor. This is particularly true for silver since it is one of the most highly reflecting metals. Silver provides a fascinating mirror effect that allows the trophy designer to play with shapes and reflections as seen in the Rolex Grand Slam trophy. The trophy does not only reflect its environment but also itself, making it a masterpiece. The complex production process of the Rolex Grand Slam trophy involved numerous work steps completed by various craftsmen implementing the design. The designer’s concept must always be followed exactly at each of the steps and must not be misinterpreted as a draft. In contrast to jewellery designs which are drawn in original scale, trophies are painted in a smaller scale that later needs to be enlarged. The craftsmen then exactly follow the line of the design concept. Each part of the trophy had to be manufactured separately and then soldered together. One minimal deviation from the design concept could result in having to start over again. Once the pieces of the trophy have been assembled, the raw silver must be polished. This extremely delicate work could ruin the trophy and can only be done by an expert trained silver polisher. Finally, the engraving is added. It can take up to 16 weeks from the design to the completion of a worldclass trophy such as that for the Rolex Grand Slam. As the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping continues in 2014, the trophy will be on display to competitors and spectators at all three legs of the Grand Slam. Each rider competing in the Rolex Grand Prix at Aachen, Spruce Meadows and Geneva will have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the coveted trophy as they ride into the arena. Whether their high hopes and expectations are met remains to be seen. We are looking forward with excitement to the first winner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping carrying off this wonderful award. 54
Rolex Grand Slam magazine - Number 2
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