Jewellery designer

A Jewellery Designer is a skilled artisan who creates unique pieces of jewelry, combining artistic vision with craftsmanship to produce wearable art. They design rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other accessories, using various metals, gemstones, and materials to bring their creations to life. Jewellery Designers often work for high-end brands, as independent artists, or for custom jewelry companies. Their work requires a deep understanding of materials, aesthetics, and market trends, as well as the technical skills needed to transform ideas into beautiful, durable jewelry pieces.

Here are some duties performed by jewellery designers:

• Develop original designs for jewelry pieces, using sketches or computer-aided design (CAD) software.
• Select materials, including metals, stones, and other decorative elements, based on quality, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
• Create prototypes or samples, often working with metalsmiths, gem setters, and other craftspeople to bring designs to life.
• Conduct market research to understand consumer preferences, current trends, and competitive designs.
• Work with clients on custom jewelry pieces, translating their ideas and preferences into bespoke designs.
• Adjust designs based on feedback and ensure that the final product meets quality standards.
• Stay up-to-date on industry trends, including innovations in materials, techniques, and sustainable practices.
• Source materials and work with suppliers to obtain high-quality stones and metals.Present collections or individual pieces to clients, stakeholders, or at trade shows.

The following job titles also refer to jewellery designer:

jewellery designer and maker
jewellery artist & designer
jewellery artist
jewelry designer and sculptural artist
jewelry artist and designer
jewelry artist
jewellery artist and designer
jewelry artist & designer
jewellery designer and sculptural artist

Jewellery Designers may work in design studios, jewelry stores, or from home studios if they work independently. They may spend considerable time sketching or using design software, as well as working with tools to prototype pieces. Many designers work closely with jewelers and other artisans to produce final pieces. The work can be intricate and detail-oriented, requiring focus and precision, especially for custom or fine jewelry. Designers working in large companies might follow a regular schedule, while freelance or custom designers may have more flexible hours based on client demands and project timelines.

Jewellery Designers typically have a background in jewelry design, metalsmithing, or a related field, often holding a bachelor’s degree in fine arts or jewelry design. Courses in gemology, CAD software, and metalsmithing are valuable, as is hands-on experience in a jewelry workshop. Many designers gain practical experience through internships or apprenticeships, allowing them to build portfolios and develop craftsmanship skills. A strong portfolio showcasing design originality and technical skill is essential for career advancement. Continuous learning is important, as trends, techniques, and customer preferences in the jewelry industry evolve frequently.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Jewellery designer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to jewellery designer.

glass artist
digital artist
drawing artist
conceptual artist
street artist

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of jewellery designer.

• Art history: The history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.

These skills are necessary for the role of jewellery designer.

• Use jewellery equipment: Handle, modify, or repair jewellery-making equipment such as jigs, fixtures, and hand tools such as scrapers, cutters, gougers, and shapers.
• Repair jewellery: Make jewellery repairs, such as enlarging or reducing ring sizes, soldering pieces of jewellery back together, and replacing broken or worn-out clasps and mountings.
• Mark designs on metal pieces: Mark or engrave designs on metal pieces or pieces of jewellery, closely following design specifications.
• Trade in jewellery: Buy and sell jewellery, or serve as an intermediate between potential buyers and sellers.
• Adjust jewellery: Reshape jewellery mountings.
• Cast jewellery metal: Heat and melt jewellery materials; pour in moulds to cast jewellery models. Use jewellery-making material such as spanners, pliers or presses.
• Smoothen rough jewel parts: Smoothen rough parts of pieces of jewellery using hand files and emery paper.
• Create jewellery: Create pieces of jewellery using precious materials such as silver and gold.
• Heat jewellery metals: Heat, melt and shape metals for jewellery making.
• Select gems for jewellery: Select and purchase gems to use in jewellery pieces and designs.
• Ensure conformance to jewel design specifications: Examine finished jewellery products to ensure that they meet quality standards and design specifications. Use magnifying glasses, polariscopes or other optical instruments.
• Record jewel processing time: Record the amount of time it took to process an item of jewellery.
• Select metals for jewellery: Select and purchase precious metals and alloys to use in jewellery pieces
• Contextualise artistic work: Identify influences and situate your work within a specific trend which may be of an artistic, aesthetic, or philosophical natures. Analyse the evolution of artistic trends, consult experts in the field, attend events, etc.
• Collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions: Coordinate the artistic activities with others who are specialised in the technical side of the project. Inform the technical staff of the plans and methods suggested and obtain feedback on feasibility, cost, procedures and other relevant information. Be able to understand the vocabulary and practices concerning technical issues.
• Examine gems: Closely examine gemstone surfaces using polariscopes or other optical instruments.
• Build jewellery models: Construct preliminary jewel models using wax, plaster or clay. Create sample castings in moulds.
• Record jewel weight: Record the weight of finished jewellery pieces.
• Cut gem stones: Cut and shape gemstones and jewellery pieces.
• Define artistic approach: Define your own artistic approach by analysing your previous work and your expertise, identifying the components of your creative signature, and starting from these explorations to describe your artistic vision.
• Develop jewellery designs: Develop new jewellery designs and products, and modify existing designs.
• Calculate value of gems: Determine the appraised value of gemstones such as diamonds and pearls; study price guides, market fluctuations and grades of rarity.
• Gather reference materials for artwork: Gather samples of the materials you expect to use in the creation process, especially if the desired piece of art necessitates the intervention of qualified workers or specific production processes.
• Mount stones in jewels: Mount gemstones in pieces of jewellery closely following design specifications. Place, set and mount gemstones and metal parts.
• Clean jewellery pieces: Clean and polish metal items and pieces of jewellery; handle mechanical jewellery-making tools such as polishing wheels.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of jewellery designer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Assess conservation needs: Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.
• Plan art educational activities: Plan and implement artistic facilities, performance, venues and museum-related educational activities and events.
• Develop educational resources: Create and develop educational resources for visitors, school groups, families and special interest groups.
• Develop artistic project budgets: Develop artistic project budgets for approval, estimating deadlines and material costs.
• Develop educational activities: Develop speeches, activities and workshops in order to foster access and comprehension to the artistic creation processes. It can address a particular cultural and artistic event such as a show or an exhibition, or it can be related to a specific discipline (theatre, dance, drawing, music, photography etc.). Liaise with storytellers, craftspeople and artists.
• Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
• Present exhibition: Present an exhibition and give educational lectures in a comprehensible way that is attractive to the public.
• Participate in artistic mediation activities: Participate in cultural and artistic mediation activities: announce the activity, give a presentation or talk related to a piece of art or an exhibition, teach a class or a group, lead artistic mediation activities, lead or participate in a public discussion.

2163 – Product and garment designers

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References

1. Jewellery designer – ESCO
2. A guide to jewellery designer responsibilities – Indeed.com UK
3. Jewellery designer job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
4. Featured image: By Ankur.Tambde – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0