The role of a jewellery designer/maker is an exciting and unique role that is incredibly rewarding. This craftsperson is responsible for planning, designing and making wearable jewellery including the mounting, setting and polishing. The jewellery, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets, uses stones, jewels, gems, metals and other materials. Most jewellery designers work in workshops, production facilities, studios, retailers and repair businesses. Jewellery designers/makers tend to start off earning around £16,000, however experienced designers can earn anything from £20,000 to £50,000 per year.
To be a successful jewellery designer/maker, you need to have a specific skillset and knowledge base, including:
You can become a jewellery maker/designer through a number of different route. You can go through:
You can complete a university foundation degree, or a higher national diploma or degrees in:
To complete a university degree you will need:
College courses are an excellent place to start your jewellery designer/maker career, you can complete college courses in:
To enrol onto a T Level college course, you’ll need:
If you prefer to complete an apprenticeship you could take advantage of opportunities provided by the Jewellery, Silversmithing and Allied Trades Professional Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship. These are offered by institutions like the British Academy of Jewellery and The Goldsmiths'Company.
If education or an apprenticeship isn’t the ideal route for you right now, then you are able to complete specialised training and complete short, specialist courses, to become a jewellery maker. These courses are run by organisations such as British Academy of Jewellery and Goldsmiths' Foundation Programme. These kinds of courses can then lead to a suitable apprenticeships or training in further or higher education.
The day-to-day responsibilities of a jewellery designer/maker varies depending on where you work and whether or not you own your own shop.
Typical responsibilities of a jewellery designer include:
Securing a role as a jewellery designer/maker can be difficult as the industry is very competitive and not all vacancies will be advertised in a traditional way. One of the best ways to get the competitive edge is to make useful contacts in the industry. You can make these contacts through:
There are plenty of career progression opportunities for jewellery designers/makers, you could go onto become a:
The role of a jewellery designer/maker is a creative, diverse and exciting role that is incredibly unique. Although it can be difficult to get into, it is very rewarding and it has excellent career progression opportunities. If you’re considering starting a role as a jewellery designer/maker, begin by taking a course to see how much you enjoy it and to make sure you have the skillset to actually complete the role.