Instructions
- Step 1: Focus on the type of jewelry that you want to make Focus on the type of jewelry that you want to make. Bracelets, rings, necklaces, and brooches can be made from varieties of stones and metals. If you can’t decide, take an introductory class for an overview.
- Step 2: Visit jewelry magazine and association web sites Visit jewelry magazine and association websites. Many offer extensive lists of teaching venues and individual classes.
- Step 3: Decide if you want to be a professional or amateur Decide if you aspire to be a professional or amateur jewelry-maker.
- Step 4: Find the right school for aspiring professionals Find the right school if you’re an aspiring professional. Professional jeweler organizations like Jewelers of America and the Gemological Institute of America offer bench certification programs.
- TIP: There are bench certification levels, from Bench Jeweler — for jewelry repairs only — to Master Bench Jeweler.
- Step 5: Find the right informal jewelry-making class Find the right informal jewelry-making class if you want to learn at your own pace and prefer a more non-commercial emphasis. Attend a local jewelry-making club and ask members about informal classes taught by jewelry professionals.
- FACT: Researchers using computer imaging concluded that the Hope Diamond was cut from a larger stone that was part of France’s Crown Jewels.
You Will Need
- Introductory class
- Internet access
- Bench certification program
- Jewelry-making club
