Jewellery designer-maker

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.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

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

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Art and Design - Jewellery designer-makers rely on strong visual design skills to create original pieces, from initial sketches to finished products. They work with colour, form, texture, and composition when designing rings, necklaces, bracelets, and other decorative items.
• Design and Technology - Jewellery designer-makers use hand and machine tools to cut, shape, solder, and finish materials like precious metals and gemstones. Understanding materials, manufacturing processes, and technical drawing is essential for turning a design into a wearable piece.

Also relevant

• Chemistry - Jewellery designer-makers work with metals, alloys, enamels, and chemical solutions used in processes like soldering, etching, and patination. Understanding how different materials react – for example, how metals behave when heated or combined – helps them achieve the finishes and effects they want.
• Mathematics - Jewellery designer-makers use precise measurements and scale drawings when designing and making pieces. They calculate dimensions, weights, and material costs, and need to work accurately at very small scales to ensure stones are set correctly and proportions look right.
• Business - Jewellery designer-makers often work for themselves, selling directly to clients or through galleries and online shops. Understanding how to price work, manage finances, market products, and build a customer base is important for making a living from their craft.
• Computer Science - Jewellery designer-makers increasingly use CAD (computer-aided design) software to produce detailed 3D models of their pieces before making them. Some also work with 3D printing and digital fabrication tools, where understanding how the software and technology work helps them push creative boundaries.
• Physics - Jewellery designer-makers benefit from understanding the physical properties of materials – such as how metals respond to heat, stress, and pressure during shaping and soldering. Knowledge of optics also helps when working with gemstones, as the way light refracts and reflects determines how a stone is cut and set.