Studying Jewelry Design

Jewelry design is a timeless industry. The salary range for jewelry designers is wide, from $21,000 to $80,000 ( 3L – 7L in India) per year according to Payscale. Those who go into jewelry design must be passionate about the art of making jewelry. An education in metalwork and jewelry design helps aspiring designers break into the field. A  degree program for those wishing to become jewelry designers is a Bachelor of Design (B.des), Bsc. in Jewelry design (3 years) in India or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Metals and Jewelry abroad. This degree can be obtained at art and design schools as well as other universities. Most programs focus on the same key areas of knowledge necessary for jewelry design: design history and current trends, selection of materials, rendering skills, design concepts, and marketing.

When choosing a program in jewelry design, it is important to pick a program that covers these areas of knowledge. Design degree information is available online for those looking for standard programs in metals and jewelry. The programs listed on the Design degree are with accredited schools. Finding an accredited program is important when obtaining a bachelor degree in jewelry design, or any other area.

A jewelry design student learns to work with a variety of materials to produce jewelry. Meticulous technique is the cornerstone teaching objective of any jewelry design program. Guide to Career Education details the work of a jewelry designer as well as the common design curriculum. Bachelor degree program students of jewelry design learn to cut gemstones, appraise the value of stones and metals, and to run their own businesses. In US certification by the Jewelers of America  is also highly recommended.

While a degree is not necessary for an entry-level position, it helps place students in higher job positions upon graduation. A bachelor’s degree program in jewelry making teaches design and technique skills normally learned throughout years of apprenticeship, as well as art history and marketing concepts that could only be taught in school. Most jewelers do not go further than a one-year apprenticeship in their design education. A degree in design makes graduates more competitive in the design job market.

Jewelry design is a slowly growing field. However, job prospects are better for major degree holders than those who only complete apprenticeships. Related careers include fashion design and merchandising, which involves many of the same design concepts of color and shape. Those who fair the best in the corporate jewelry business hold degrees, and are masters of the skills taught in a program of jewelry design.