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Category Archives: Jewelry

Jewelry for Beginners

When making metal jewelry for the first time, there are three basic materials that you need. Of course, as your skill set improves, the quality of materials that you will need will increase. But this is what will get you started on some very basic designs on jewelry for beginners.

Stamped shapes are small, flat shapes of metal ranging in size from ½ inches to much larger in diameter. These shapes are commercially stamped from up to 20 gauge sheets of silver, brass or copper and sold in various shapes. These shapes can include anything you can think of from squares, rectangles, diamonds, circles, hearts, and free forms and so on. Many of these pre-made shapes will have a small hole drilled at the top so that a jump ring can be inserted and the metal can be hung from a chain or wire.

Metal chains come in a variety of materials from brass chain, gold chain, sterling silver chain, copperplate chain, nickel-plate and more. Metal chain for jewelry making is normally sold by the foot and comes in numerous designs, shapes and sizes of links. The links of the chain are normally designed so that there is plenty of space within the rings to attach jump rings along the length. Chains can be bought at jewelry supply stores, online retailers and by catalog. Most websites that sell jewelry in catalogs have pictures that show the actual size and likeness of the items, such as a brass chain. Prices can vary from a few cents to much more by the foot depending on the metal used, the weight of the chain, the size of the links and the fluctuating metal market price.

Wire is used to make hooks for modern necklace fastenings, and for short and long hooked hangers for necklaces and earrings. Thicker wire can be used to make a neck circle or band, worn alone or with a center pendant. Wire can be formed into spiral designs and twisted in several patterns. It can range in thickness ranging from 9 to 24 gauge, and in round, half-round, rectangular, and square shapes. Wire is sold in lengths as short as a foot. Suppliers normally price wire by the foot.

The metals that are used for wire are brass, copper, silver, gold and filled gold. Copper and brass can be purchased at your local hardware store in a number of different gauges wrapped around a wooden spool. For the most part you can only buy silver and gold wire through some type of jewelry craft supply resource.

The most important ones are those that are going to make your life as a jewelry maker much easier, ones that you can use on almost every piece. Then, as you get more proficient and want to try out new techniques you can expand on your jewelry-making tool collection.

Jewelry making is a great hobby; it’s something that can be done at home in your spare time, whether that is 5 mins (a pair of earrings) or a few hours (a more intricate necklace).

It’s easy to get started, as everything you need is widely available, either online or in craft or hobby stores, and it has low start-up costs – all you really need are the few tools we’ll talk about below plus the beads and findings of your choice.

Jewellery Maker

So, you want to design and make your own jewelry? Being creative, having a mind full of great ideas, being able to translate these ideas to paper, and being able to convert your drawing into a tangible item: these are basic requisites for a jeweler. Becoming a jewelry maker or designer also requires a lot of work, patience, practice, and training.

Professional jewelry-making is a recognized skill. To become a professional and successful jeweler, you must be fully trained. You must take courses to gain a certificate or a degree. Having a professional jeweler as a mentor is a bonus. He can share with you industry insights not taught in the classroom.

First, you have to finish high school. Art, math, chemistry, and mechanical drawing are often prerequisite courses for the jewelers’ programs in most post-secondary institutions, so enroll in these courses. If possible, enroll also in a computer-aided design (CAD) course, and obtain some experience in CAD applications. AutoCAD is a computer software program that makes the drawing process more advanced and detailed.

Browse college and university websites for schools that offer technical and practical training for jewelry designing and jewelry making. Once you have chosen the school you’d like to enroll in after high school, complete the application process for that post-secondary degree program.

Once you’re enrolled in a post-secondary educational institution, enroll in drawing and jewelry design courses. According to Education Portal, students who are enrolled in drawing practice rendering jewelry design on paper with pencils and markers. Other schools also incorporate AutoCAD in their curriculum, so if it’s offered in your school, it’s an advantage to take it. Enroll in jewelry design courses in which you’ll be taught the art and craft of design as well as the principles of fine, bridge, and costume jewelry. In these types of courses, you will learn the rules specific to the design of necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants, and other types of jewelry.

Don’t forget to enroll in courses that focus on metal work. These types of courses often introduce students to certain properties of metal, including platinum, gold, silver, and rhodium. Coursework can include metal and laser welding, cutting, sawing, forging, soldering, polishing, and hammering, to name a few. These are basic skills that you’ll need before you’re already a jeweler.

Gemology courses are a must! In gemology courses you’ll learn the properties and uses of precious and semi-precious stones. You’ll also learn gemstone theory and practice, the tools necessary for cutting and polishing gems, and the techniques of using such tools.

You’re education won’t be complete if you haven’t enroll in a course on jewelry production skills. Learning how jewelry is made, from rendering to fabrication, is a great skill to have for all aspiring jewelers. Here, you’ll be applying some of the things you’ve learned in the other prerequisite courses. This course is often taken near the end of the degree program.

Having completed the program on jewelry design and jewelry production, you’re probably expecting a lot more! I’m sorry to burst your bubble…

Expect a training period in your first job after graduation. Many graduates learn and practice their skills through informal apprenticeships and on-the-job training. You can apply as an apprentice or as an on-the-job trainee in a small retail shop or in a large jewelry manufacturing firm. There, you’ll probably be assigned to work on a certain area, specializing in a specific skill. But, if you don’t want to be an “employee,” you can always start your own business, if, of course, you have the much-needed capital.

If you feel you still want additional training, why not enroll in the Jewelry Maker?  This is a jewelry-making facility at White Cross Industrial Estate in Lancaster that was opened by two local business women who are also keen silversmiths. The Jewelry Maker runs one-day events, courses, and workshops in silver jewelry making, silver clay, beading, casting, and stone setting. The courses are taught by Janet Fraser, who has more than fifteen years of experience in designing and creating jewelry, and they are targeted to an individual’s particular skills, from the beginner right up to the accomplished jewelry maker. The facilities are also available on an hourly basis for walk-in workshops for more experienced silversmiths who no longer need tuition. The premises include professional work stations equipped with all the tools required to produce beautiful hand-made jewelry. Silver beads, silver clay, and stones can be purchased at very competitive prices and are usually bought on a project-by-project basis. There is also a facility for students to display and sell items they have made.

Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced jeweler, there are new things that you can learn. Just keep those creative juices pumping!