Online Jewelry Design and Repair School

The Jewelry Design and Repair Program instructs the student in the skills necessary to create, repair, and modify jewelry, including stone setting, sizing, and polishing, in order to work for an established jeweler or start a business of their own.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Identify the tools and supplies needed to establish a jeweler's bench and perform successful repairs
• Identify the properties of precious metals, how to weigh the amount of precious metal in an alloy, and how to calculate value
• Design a pattern following appropriate design elements, and from raw materials create clean, well-formed and finished monogrammed jewelry including a bail
• Solder jewelry parts by choosing the correct torch, fuel, solder, flux, and flame for a particular job, and utilizing the proper soldering methods
• Enlarge or shrink rings by using a mandrel, adding an insert, or removing a piece of the ring to preserve the ring's design and roundness
• Comprehend how to cut and bend individual links and jump rings from raw materials
• Comprehend how to make a wax model by carving or casting in a rubber mold, mix and cure investment, burn off the wax model, and fill a cast with molten metal using the gravity pour, vacuum, or centrifugal casting processes
• Comprehend business and sales models used in the jewelry industry, the pricing structure of keystoning, and methods of work distribution and work flow
• Identify the chemical composition and characteristics of some common gemstones and the factors that contribute to their market value
• Demonstrate procedures for performing quality repairs on common items such as metal chains, quartz watches, and pearl necklaces, and the standards for pricing the work performed
• Build a sterling silver bezel-set ring by hand from raw materials
• Size, cut, and solder a 3-layer ring band, measure and place prong settings, and mount gemstones into the prongs

The advantages of learning at home; types of study materials; types of examinations; accessing and using the features of our website; determining what kind of learner you are; establishing a study schedule; using study tips; preparing for and taking examinations.

Choosing and organizing the workspace; constructing an inexpensive and portable work surface; descriptions and uses of saws, files, pliers, hammers, mandrels, dapping and forming blocks, vises and common household tools.

Amulets; jewelry to denote rank and authority; metals as coinage and in jewelry; acid testing gold and silver; alloys; characteristics and uses of platinum; finishing, polishing and cleaning jewelry metals.

Design elements; examining the metal; scribing; transferring the pattern; drilling a pilot hole; cutting out the pattern; trimming, finishing, and polishing.

Learning Aids:

• Saw Frame
• Packet of Saw Blades
• Brass Sheet
• Hardwood Bench Pin
• Packet of Jump Rings
• 6" Double Cut File
• Polishing Cloth
• High-Speed Twist Drill Bit
• Gesswein Catalog Request Form

Types of fuels, torches, and flames; "easy," "medium," and "hard" flow solders; using flux; repairing and soldering chains and bracelets; controlling flow; protecting gemstones.

Determining proper fit; using a sizing gauge; down sizing; upsizing; removing pits, blemishes and porosity; sizing stone set rings; sizing patterned bands; using a band sizer.

Fabricating common links; determining the amount of stock needed; making the center; choosing a lettering style; attacking the center.

Learning Aids:

• Propane Torch Tip
• Spark Lighter
• Easy Silver Wire Solder
• Safety Goggles
• Unlined Nitrile Gloves
• 20-Gauge Brass Sheet
• Cross-locking Tweezers
• 14-Gauge Round Brass Wire
• Pickling Compound

Casting in cuttlefish bone; wax model making; sprueing and investing the model; the electric kiln; casting under vacuum; casting with a centrifugal casting machine.

Making RTV molds; making rubber molds; wax injection.

Creating a design; making the wax model; making a mold for casting; pouring the metal; finishing the pendant.

Learning Aids:

• Round Brass Wire (3 pieces)
• Green Carving Wax
• Cuttlefish Bone (2 pieces)
• Lead-free Wire Solder
• Simulated Garnets (4)

The business plan; legal obligations; marketing; networking; sales options; the home office.

Types of retailing; major trends; functions of a retailer; organizational functions; store layout; function of sales personnel.

Craft earrings to match the pendant you made in Project 1.

Shorten a chain, remove a clasp and solder the links together to make a continuous loop.

Learning Aids:

• Brass Sheet (1" x 3")
• Brass French Ear Wires (2 pair)
• 2 Double Cable Chains
• Packet of Sawblades
• Padded Mailing Envelopes and Labels
• Wire Solder and Flux

Characteristics; carat weight; cut styles; diamonds, rubies and sapphires; other gemstones.

Evaluating items to be repaired; watches; pearl and bead stringing; engraving; fixing eyeglass frames; installing safety chains.

Forming the band; making a bezel; setting the stone.

Learning Aids:

• Steel Ring Mandrel
• Oval Black Onyx
• Sterling Silver Bezel Wire
• Needle File
• Pickling Compound
• Binding Wire
• Easy-Paste Solder
• Copper Tongs
• Medium-Paste Solder
• Round-Nose Pliers
• Sterling Silver Sheet, 1/2" X 3/4" X 26 gauge
• Sterling Silver Sheet, 1/4" X 2 3/4" X 20 gauge
• Color Supplement — Gemstone Gallery

Setting round diamonds and faceted stones; setting fancy shaped stones; setting stones in channel mountings; plate setting; prong replacement; prong retipping.

Design elements; design parameters; sketching; three dimensions; form and function; designing with findings.

Designing the ring; laying out the band; installing the heads; pre-polishing; setting the stones; finishing.

Resize two rings, making one larger and one smaller.

Learning Aids:

• Two-speed Rotary Tool and Bristle Brush Accessory
• Sterling Silver Settings (6)
• Sterling Silver Wire, 4"
• Round Cubic Zirconias (6)
• Gold-filled Wire, 9"
• Sterling Silver Wedding Bands
• Medium-Silver Paste Solder
• Easy-Silver Paste Solder
• Color Supplement — Jewelry Design
• Padded Mailing Envelopes and Labels

Work Experience Option