Jewellery designer-maker
Jewellery designer-makers create jewellery and decorative products, using materials like gemstones, precious metals, acrylics and enamels.
Also known as: Silversmith, jeweller
- Typical hours40 to 42 a week
- Green jobPotential
What you'll do
As a jewellery designer-maker, you would:
- discuss design ideas with your client
- produce designs and scale drawings by hand or with CAD software
- cut, shape and set precious stones and metals with hand and machine tools
- repair or restore jewellery and silverwork to its original condition
- finish items by polishing, enamelling and engraving
- check the quality of finished products
You would also market and sell your work, if you're self-employed.
Working environment
You could work in a creative studio, from home, in a workshop or in a factory.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- design skills and knowledge
- the ability to work well with your hands
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- customer service skills
- the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
- the ability to use your initiative
- excellent verbal communication skills
- ambition and a desire to succeed
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become a jewellery designer-maker
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- specialist courses run by a professional body
University
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- jewellery design
- jewellery and silversmithing
- design crafts
- art and design
- fine art
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- a foundation diploma in art and design
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You can do a college course to start your career in jewellery making, such as:
- art and design
- design crafts
- T Level in Craft and Design
You can also do short courses in specific types of jewellery making at a college, or with a private course provider like a jewellery studio or workshop.
Short courses vary in content, so it's important to check details carefully to make sure they cover what you want to do.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You may be able to start in this job through a Jewellery, Silversmithing and Allied Trades Professional Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
The British Academy of Jewellery also offers apprenticeships in jewellery and silversmithing in Birmingham and London.
The Goldsmiths' Company offers apprenticeships for young people aged 16 to 24 in London and the south-east.
Entry requirements
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
Other routes
You could do short, specialist courses run by organisations like the British Academy of Jewellery and Goldsmiths' Foundation Programme .
Courses like these can lead on to apprenticeships or training in further or higher education.
Career path and progression
If you're working for a jewellery design or jewellery-making company, you could become a:
- lead designer
- merchandiser
- buyer
- creative director
You might become self-employed and sell your designs to manufacturers or directly to clients. You could also create products from your designs and sell them through galleries, craft centres, in shops and online.
Career tips
Jewellery design is very competitive and not all vacancies are advertised. You may find it useful to make contacts within the industry to help find a trainee position or work. You could do this by:
- going to trade fairs
- attending jewellery and craft exhibitions
- joining online craft and design forums
Guides for this industry
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