Specialist Diploma in Jewellery Design and Fabrication

This diploma is designed for maximum creative expression allowing creation of designs that are suitable for both shop showcases or design competitions. With jewellery design and CAD students learn important concepts related to the design and fabrication process. Gemmology classes ensure students understand the materials available to them and gain experience with their analysis and reporting.

A selection of important jewellery fabrication courses then allow students to immediately begin creating beautiful, durable pieces. These skills and techniques are then expanded upon with advanced classes in wire and thread design, metal clay fabrication and traditional metalwork techniques. Upon graduation, students have a variety-filled portfolio of professional quality pieces.

Upon receiving their diploma, students have the skills to:

• plan, design and fabricate jewellery with a variety of precious materials
• produce unique designs using a range of advanced techniques
• combine skills from multiple disciplines to create unique masterpieces or reproducible lines of jewellery.

Diploma in modules in this programme include:

JD100 Jewellery Design I

This subject focuses on converting ideas to professionally accurate 2 dimensional representations. Basic drawing techniques are learned and practiced, as well as counter sketching, perspective drawing and the drawing of top, side and end views. Advanced presentation and rendering techniques to bring designs to life are also covered.

TW100 Fabrication: Thread & Wire I

The use of thread and wire in jewellery fabrication continues to be popular because of the technique's wide variety of durable styles and methods. This course covers knotting with silk, polyester and hybrid threads. Wire techniques include the use of hard and soft wire of various gauges as well as flexible steel wire. Also covered are theories and examples of how to match techniques with gemstones as well as organic and man-made materials.

MC100 Fabrication: Metal Clay I (Silver)

This workshop enables students to create pure silver jewellery such as rings, pendants, earrings and brooches. The clay, paste and syringe methods are taught and practiced are as well as various gemstone setting techniques. Also covered are traditional and non-traditional jewellery finishing techniques and their design considerations.

GM100 Fundamentals of Gemmology

An understanding of gemmology enables students to appreciate the sources and rarity of the precious elements used in jewellery. Students learn gemstone classification systems and the different valuation methods used with coloured gemstones, diamonds and pearls. The properties of precious metals are also covered as well as the mass-fabrication methods employed in the industry. In addition to the essential theory, students also learn loupe
techniques and examine hundreds of natural, synthetic and imitation gemstones.

MS100 Fabrication: Metal-Smithing

This entry level course is best completed after gaining knowledge and experience with Metal Clay I and covers traditional uses of gold, silver, copper, bronze, and metal alloys. Traditional metalwork techniques used in jewellery are practiced, including repoussé, chasing, drilling, forging, fusing and soldering. Metal finishing techniques of various kinds are covered. Students also explore non-traditional materials suitable for jewellery-making.

JD200 Jewellery Design II

Building upon Jewellery Design I, this course begins with an introduction to the latest technologies in jewellery prototyping including equipment, techniques and services. Students then learn to use the most up-to-date jewellery CAD software on the market: Gemvision Matrix 6 to design and render jewellery, producing files ready for manufacture. Also covered are other popular jewellery software programs as well as prototyping machines and their limitations.

TW200 Fabrication: Thread & Wire II

Expanding upon the techniques learned in Thread & Wire I, students learn the design principles and calculations used to create multiplestrand thread-based jewellery, as well as wire techniques to create customized findings, clasps and accessories. At the conclusion of TW100 and TW200 students have finished pieces and the skills to create a very wide variety of high quality thread and wire designs.

MC200 Fabrication: Metal Clay II (Silver, Gold and more)

This course builds upon Metal Clay I and covers combinations of materials including sterling silver findings, gold leaf and glass. Students also learn to work with 22 karat gold metal clay and paste and how to integrate this material with their fine silver designs. The fundamentals of glass fusing are covered together with a range of  advanced stone setting and finishing techniques.

Course Delivery and Assessment:

JDMIS diploma modules are delivered in face-to-face training sessions. Each student also receives assignments and project work that must be completed outside of trainnig hours and may be completed on school premises if desired. Such assignments are graded and combined with attendance data and examination results to provide a final grade on each student's transcript. All examinations require students' personal presence in the school during pre-determined examination periods.