A career as a jewellery designer enables you to combine your creative talent and business skills with hands-on crafting ability
Jewellery designers design and often make jewellery using a variety of materials, including gold, silver and precious stones. You could either produce designs for mass production, make jewellery in small numbers or create bespoke pieces commissioned by a client. If you w
ork for a company, your designs will be made by other members of staff. Responsibilities
As a self-employed jewellery designer, you'll need to:
hold consultations with commissioning clients;
discuss a client's range of options and formulate original ideas;
sketch out ideas, sometimes using computer-aided design (CAD), to help the client visualise the finished design. If you make jewellery, activities will include:
mounting - making the framework for the piece of jewellery. This involves handling, forming and drilling metal, and opening out holes in which to place the selected gems;
model making (casting) - making an object or decorative detail using a mould;
stamping and presswork;
chasing - making a raised pattern on the surface of the metal;
soldering and fabrication;
polishing - ensuring the finish of the piece. You may also perform the following specialist processes, but often pieces of jewellery are sent on to companies (outworkers) for these processes to be completed:
stone setting - making adjustments to the mount to ensure the stones fit perfectly. This can involve very intricate work, such as removing tiny fractions of metal;
electro-plating - layering a precious metal onto a base metal;
enamelling - fusing powdered glass to metal in a kiln to create coloured patterns and pictures;
welding - joining pieces of metal using traditional methods or by laser;
engraving - carving lettering or patterns into precious metals by hand or by computer-aided manufacture (CAM). Promoting and developing your business is crucial in order to succeed as a self-employed jewellery designer. Many designers try to boost their reputation by networking, entering competitions and attending craft fairs. Other activities include consulting with galleries, store buyers and suppliers, and researching jewellery and fashion trends
