Umhlanga’s HELÉNE GRIFFITHS flew our country’s flag high when she commissioned a Durban North engraver to design the first ever international Women’s World Car of the Year trophy
The first Women’s World Car of the Year competition saw the light in 2009 – and somehow, the honour was bestowed on me to be the sole South African judge, joining an illustrious panel of seven others from around the world.
Although this maiden event took place sans a major sponsor, an international accountancy company, Grant Thornton, audited the final votes from its Auckland office, free of charge.
Bob Child of Peartree Studios in Somerset, England designed the certificates for the winners of the different categories and artist and landscape architect Trish Menzies of Queensland in Australia designed the Women’s World Car of the Year logo.
I couldn’t just sit back and let this inaugural event kick off with no trophy for the overall winner, so informed the organisers that the trophy would hail from South Africa. This bold commitment left me no option but to call on my friend “The Frenchman”, owner of Precision Engraving & Framing in Durban North, Patrick Marot-Macquet.
I’ve worked with Patrick on several occasions and he has designed and made a number of trophies for me. He specialises in trophies, engraving and custom framing so I knew he was the man for the job. The only brief I gave him was that the trophy should be typically South African.
His design bowled me over: the trophy was sculptured from wood, representing our vast African bush areas. The oval form brings to mind the outline of a Zulu shield or horns representing South Africa’s wildlife. The Women’s World Car of the Year logo on clear perspex took pride of place between the outline of the shield/horns. The cherry on top was the incorporation of African beadwork, handmade by the women from the Valley of 1000 Hills and sponsored by Oscar Ngcobo, owner of Gone Rural Safari Curios – all so proudly South African!
I was in awe when I watched Patrick at work – all the engraving for this trophy was done electronically, from the calculation to get the logo dead centre to it being transferred to the laser engraver. The precision was unbelievable! He told me this type of engraving can also be done on wood and even cardboard.
Over the years Patrick has had many unusual requests, from engraving a couple’s photograph on wood for a wall-clock to making a trophy with a set of false teeth.
Although Patrick enjoys all aspects of his business, he says he’s in his element designing from scratch trophies such as the one for the Women’s World Car of the Year and seeing it through until completion.
It was a proud moment for me at the awards function in London, when I announced that the overall winner’s trophy hailed from South Africa and that it was designed, created and donated by Patrick from Precision Engraving and Framing in Durban North!
And a feather in our country’s cap when everyone admired it!