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The Jewelry Designer: A Career in Precious Metals and Gems Blog

Jun 15, 2022

Do you dream of working on pretty, shiny things every daylong? A career as a jewelry designer might be right for you!

No matter what your passion, skills level, or style If you're looking for ways to be a jewelry designer and want to be a jewelry designer, it's important to determine the best way you're able to follow to help make it occur.

What is a Jewelry Designer?

Fine jewelers, for example are jewelers who work using precious metals (gold silver, platinum, etc.) and gemstones (sapphires, rubies, diamonds, and so on).

Fashion jewelry makers create less expensive pieces that appeal to the masses and often resembling the design of fine jewelry but with material like plastic and diamonds.

Designers who work as freelancers create limited, often made-to-order collections. They also work in collaboration with clients and brands to create individual designs.

Jewel Designer Jobs Description

What exactly does a jeweler accomplish during their normal task? There are many distinctions in the industry they work in, a standard job description for a jewelry designer will include all or a few of the following essential tasks:

  • Sketching jewelry designs by hand or by using software for digital design
  • Monitoring seasonal trends and consumer fashion preferences
  • The process of selecting, sourcing, and evaluating the quality of materials
  • Testing new products and evaluating them for quality, comfort and endurance
  • Reshaping and repairing the pieces that are already in place

As for jewelry creation itself, some designers--especially a small-scale fine jeweler or a freelance designer--do craft their pieces by hand. Some designers use companies to make the pieces that they sketch and design.

How do you become a Jewelry Designer

A design degree, an art degree or a jewelry design degree can all be useful as a stepping stone to becoming a jeweler, but they're not the only option for doing this. Similar to many (if not the majority of) professions in the arts, lots of jewelry makers choose non-traditional paths to success, and many are self-taught in their skills. They'll require creativity and to succeed, however it's up to you whether or not you take a formal course or to create your own route to success.

Jewelry Education for Designers

An associate degree or bachelor's degree in jewelry design, art, gemology, or another related field is a popular jumping-off point for aspiring jewelry creators. A variety of skills beneficial for jewelry designers are:

  • Gemology
  • Fashion and art history
  • Jewelry casting
  • Metal working and engraving
  • Wax carving
  • Jewelry appraisal
  • Jewelry repair
  • Graphic design
  • Retail psychology

A specialized jewelry design degree isn't always essential. However, there are benefits of this option. For starters, you'll gain extensive knowledge about the making of jewelry as well as the industry of jewelry design, such as the use of jewelry design software. Additionally, you'll have access to experts and mentors who can help guide you as a beginner and who can help you connect with appropriate possibilities.

A way to determine if a degree is worthwhile to help you achieve your goals as a jewelry designer is to examine the prerequisites for the kinds of work you would like to do and companies you may want to partner with. It should provide you with an idea of whether an art or similar degree makes you a skilled candidate.

Learning about Jewelry Design Experiential Experience

If you're planning to get into the field without obtaining an education, the goal is to seek alternate ways to gain industry knowledge and valuable experiences. Fortunately, you can find numerous online classes guidebooks, guides, and other resources that are devoted to jewelry design. It is also possible to sign to attend workshops or one-off classes that touch on specific areas and techniques that appeal to you.

Equally valuable is on-the-job experience like working for or interning with an artist, jeweler designer, or in the jewelry repair shop. Other opportunities that provide you with good experience include positions in jewelry manufacturing and marketing. These types of experiences will allow you to learn many of the ins and outs of the industry of jewelry design as you work to develop the skills you need to design through workshops and online courses. classes.

Networking in the Jewelry Industries

Establishing relationships with established jewelry makers is always a positive practice. This could result in mentorship or an apprenticeship.

There are a variety of options to begin building your networks, with one of the easiest options is to establish any social media accounts that is related to jewelry design, and participating in forums and communities on the topic. There are also trade shows, craft fairs, and even conferences. There, you're likely to get acquainted with jewelry makers who are eager to speak about their projects.

It's impossible to predict where opportunities can be found. If you're pursuing a degree, make sure you build connections with your instructors Be open to seek out referrals or extra support.

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How Much Does a Jewelry Designer Make?

The average jewelry designer salary for jewelry designers in the U.S. is approximately $55,000 annually. The variables that affect this figure include the designer's area of residence, their level of skill, and experience, and also their popularity among consumers or businesses.

Getting the most experience and understanding as is possible is crucial to getting to the top of what you could earn as a jewelry designer. Other ways to raise your salary include becoming proficient with designs software or branching off into additional but similar career options like jewelry sales, styling, appraising, and consulting.

Types of Jewelry Designer Jobs

As a jewelry designer, you can work for the jewelry shop and manufacturer of jewelry, or a repairs shops for jewelry. It is also possible to work for yourself as freelancer. Each of these types of job opportunities is accompanied by its own set of skills and expectations. These should be considered in advance if you're not quite sure yet where you want to end with.

Fine Jewelers

Certain designers utilize their artistic talents to create original and custom pieces for jewellery stores that specialize in fine pieces. They typically work directly with customers for their designs to come to life . They must also be comfortable following customer preferences and meeting deadlines. In addition to unique and customized designs, jewelry designers who work with fine jewelers also may be involved in the remounting of vintage stones in new designs and providing skilled engraving on the hand.

Retail Manufacturing

Jewelry designers with an interest in fashion jewelry can choose to work with retail manufacturers to develop large-scale collections for their brands. They must have an in-depth comprehension of the mass jewelry production process and their fingers on the pulse of trends that are currently in the news and coming. The design process for retailers probably won't mean working with the finest metals and precious stones, but it does have its advantages, such as the possibility of designing trendy pieces that are more cost-effective for consumers.

Repair of Jewelry

An expert in jewelry repair doesn't create new jewelry out of scratch, however they do help refresh and redesign the existing pieces. Their job consists of basic repairs like polishing, changing the size, and remounting in addition to restoring antique jewelry. Some may also offer custom redesigns, plus appraisals of previous work.

Freelance Jewelry Designer

When you work as a freelancer, it's possible to be in complete control of your projects you work on and how much you're working. Additionally, you'll have the greatest liberty to express yourself in your own personal fashion. Make sure you are able to plan how to market and grow your company. Don't think that you're responsible of your budget and tax affairs.

Get Inspired by Famous Jewelry Designers

Each creative area has its artistic masters. The jewelry makers of both the past and the present have set the bar for bejeweled jewelry for all that come after them, and are an excellent source of inspiration as you build your personal design style.

Jeanne Toussaint

Hired by Louis-Francois Cartier himself to serve as creative director of Cartier in the early half of the 1900s, Toussaint is the person responsible for the luxury Parisian company's iconic panther image that made its first famous appearance in a brooch designed for duchess Marie of Windsor in 1948.

Elsa Peretti

A Italian jewelry designer, who designed several of Tiffany &Co's most famous collections. Her work has been exhibited in museums like the British Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in both Boston and Houston.

Mikimoto Kokichi

If you're a lover of pearls, then you must be a big fan of Kokichi who was the founder of the eponymous Japanese luxury pearl company. Kokichi was the first to invent cultured pearls (as opposed the natural ones) and continues to be one of the most sought-after names in pearl jewelry design.

Harry Winston

The American designer was nicknamed the "king of diamonds" because of his knowledge in diamond sourcing and diamond jewelry design. His first jewelry store opened in New York in 1932, it has since expanded to more than 40 shops around the globe.

David Yurman

Once a sculptor, Yurman parlayed his artistic talents into designing jewelry, and his business hasn't looked the same since. The designer is known for a variety of classic items, such as gold chain link necklaces and his gold and silver cable bracelet.

Explore a Jewel of a Career

Some of the top jewelry designers started somewhere. Enhance your abilities, get all the knowledge you canand then discover how to begin your own jewelry career. design.

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