Stonesetting for returning jewellers: advance your skills through new techniques

About this course

The course develops stone-setting alongside core jewellery-making techniques. Participants work through structured projects covering cold connections, cabochon bezel settings, tube settings, and setting irregular stones or found objects, before developing a personal jewellery project. Teaching combines demonstrations, practical studio work, group discussion, peer learning, handouts, slideshows, video resources and individual tutorials. More experienced learners can pursue self-directed projects with tailored feedback. Progress is reviewed through regular one-to-one discussions rather than formal assessment.

What you'll learn

• Apply cold connections, cabochon bezel settings and tube-setting techniques
• Set irregularly shaped stones and found objects
• Develop and realise a personal jewellery project
• Make informed design decisions while developing jewellery pieces
• Use specialist jewellery tools and equipment within a shared studio

Is this course right for you?

This course is intended for improver-level learners with prior jewellery-making experience, including piercing and soldering skills. It also supports returning learners and offers a combination of guided projects and independent work, with more experienced participants receiving tailored one-to-one support.

• Prior jewellery-making experience is expected, including piercing and soldering
• Returning learners are explicitly supported
• More experienced participants can develop self-initiated projects

Before you go

• Basic materials, including copper and brass sheet metal and wire, cabochons, gemstones and cubic zirconia, are provided for learning and practice.
• Basic tools and equipment are available in the shared studio.
• Precious metals and gemstones are not provided. Participants may bring their own materials, and additional metals can be purchased on site.
• Learners developing finished work may need to purchase silver for their project.
• Participants are expected to follow studio health and safety procedures and keep shared work areas and equipment clean and tidy.