Mappin and Webb Launch Event, London

When luxury jewellers Mappin and Webb needed high performance lighting to illuminate their latest collection at an exclusive press event, they turned to architectural spotlight manufacturer and regular collaborator Precision Lighting.

The illustrious event, at London’s famed Spencer House, involved the iconic retailers launch of their forthcoming silver Wildfell jewellery collection to the attentive jewellery press.

The collection, which celebrates the 240^th anniversary of the brand, commemorates Mappin and Webb’s illustrious history and royal heritage.

The presentation of the Wildfell Collection was set in Spencer House’s opulent Palm Room, featuring marble statues and domed ceilings, and dressed with blooming flora. The effect was a charming enchanted garden atmosphere that provided a suitably lavish ambience for exhibiting the 18ct gold and sterling silver jewellery.

Precision supplied 10 surface mounted spotlights from the discreet Pico range to spotlight this incredible range; with a luminaire head diameter of just 18.5mm, the spotlights were in elegant proportion to the jewellery, and ensured focus was on the retailers’ merchandise rather than the light source.

The 12° optic of the Pico luminaires supplied cast a narrow spot of light, ideal for pinpointing the exquisite features of the rings, bracelets and necklaces presented.

Careful care was also taken to ensure that the precious metals in each component of the Wildfell collection was properly lit with the correct colour temperature. Ensuring that the items in the collection were lit by suitably coloured light, this careful tuning added visual excitement to the range and communicated the accurate craftsmanship with clarity, with each piece focusing the interest of the absorbed media in attendance.

As Matthew Nourse, Technical Sales Manager for Precision Lighting, explains: “Given that the collection contained both gold finery, as well as sterling silver elements, we used colour correction filters to tune the light to an appropriate temperature for each item.

“For the 18ct gold jewellery, our standard 3000K LEDs provided a gorgeous warm light, heightening the sumptuous appeal. For the silver merchandise, fitting the correction filters produced a light closer to 4000K, perfect for providing a fresh aesthetic perfectly suited for making sure the glistening merchandise glowed, drawing the curiosity of the invited guests”.

In keeping with the requirement for a lighting solution that was closely honed to the needs of the retailer, the Pico fittings were mounted in pairs on display plinths that showed off the jewellery; the luminaires shared a driver so that the lighting on each plinth could be accurately dimmed to the level required for each item in the range.

The unique features found in the brushed aluminium Picos provided further control for the event. With a constant torque tilt mechanism making sure the highly finished spotlights kept a precise aim on the Wildfell pieces.

Precision’s support of Mappin and Webb was not limited to lighting the fantastic new collection. Six architectural spotlights from the Discus 11 series were used to cast light into three ornately decorated alcoves of the Palm Room of the mansion. The effect, provided by the broad distribution of the 30° flood optic employed, draws attention to the elaborate detailing on the domed ceilings of each alcove.

The Discus fittings were fitted with diffusing lens to disperse light across the ceiling, and the reflectance of the gilded detailing echoed the warm gold of the jewellery and created a magnificent setting for the launch event, reaffirming the luxury and the heritage of the Mappin and Webb name.

The Discus, whose compact design has won admirers from across the lighting design community, was selected for the minimal appearance and small form factor. Installed in an inconspicuous location and surrounded by foliage as part of the event’s furnishings, the result was an unobtrusive light source that provided the Palm Room’s domed ceilings with a glow comparable to a bright summer’s day; beautifully mirroring the Wildfell’s English countryside influences and contributing to a whimsical ambience.

Mappin and Webb chose to work with Precision after prior successful collaborations. Having previously worked together on both the jeweller’s Regent Street showroom, and the launch of last year’s collections, the luxury retailer knew that the pinnacle of British engineering, combined with a committed support service that Precision are renowned for, would again be an ideal fit for illuminating the skill and talent of their artisans.

The result was a launch event that was as spectacular as the jewellery presented, and thanks to a renewal of this successful partnership, the new collection was launched with the finery looking its very best.

Visit Mappin and Webb’s website today to find out more about their beautiful ranges of luxury goods and jewellery.