discover Jewellery classes in auckland

Frequently Asked Questions

• What materials are included in jewellery making classes?

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  Materials included vary by course level. Stage 1 of the Introduction to Jewellery Making course provides all materials and equipment. Stage 2 students pay for silver based on weight. Many single-day workshops include silver in the course cost, such as the Stacker Rings workshop and Make a Ring in a Day. The Jewellery Taster and Beginners Evening Course provide all tools and base metals plus a strip of silver. Some advanced courses, like Stages 4-9, include a $30 consumable charge per course.

• How long are jewellery making courses and what is the time commitment?

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  Course lengths vary significantly. The Jewellery Taster is a 3-hour single session. The Make a Ring in a Day Workshop is a full-day class. Multi-week courses range from 5 weeks (Introduction to Jewellery Making Stages 1-3) to 8 weeks (Learn to Make Jewellery and Designing Jewellery in Wax). Each Stage in the introductory series involves a 3.5-hour class per week, while evening courses typically run 2.5 hours per session. Intensive options like the Jewellery Summer School for Beginners run over 3 consecutive days.

• What is the cost range for jewellery making classes?

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  Single 3-hour taster classes cost $220. Full-day workshops range from $220 to $625 depending on materials and duration. Multi-week courses cost $513-$595 per stage or full course. The Introduction to Jewellery Making Stages 1-3 are each $513 (including GST). Evening courses like Learn to Make Jewellery are $595 for 8 weeks, or $625 for 7-week terms. Advanced stone-setting workshops and specialized courses vary in price based on scope and materials provided.

• Do I need previous experience to enroll in jewellery classes?

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  No formal entry requirements exist for beginner courses. The Jewellery Taster explicitly states there are no prerequisites and is designed for absolute beginners with no previous experience. Similarly, the Beginners Evening Course, Learn to Make Jewellery, and Jewellery Summer School for Beginners require no prior knowledge. However, some advanced courses like Gypsy Setting Workshop and Wax Carving for Jewels recommend intermediate-level skills or completion of prerequisite courses.

• What jewellery making techniques are covered in beginner classes?

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  Beginner courses typically cover: saw piercing and metal cutting using professional jeweller's saws; annealing and soldering using jewellery torches; filing and finishing; texturing and stamping with hammers and letter stamps; roller printing using a specialist mill to impress textures from feathers, leaves, fabric, and papers; and polishing. Students also learn ring sizing and basic gem setting. The Introduction to Jewellery Making stages specifically cover sawing, soldering, filing, basic gem setting, shaping with punches, and equipment use.

• What will I make in a beginner jewellery class?

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  In Stage 1 of Introduction to Jewellery Making, students create a cabochon gem-set silver ring and range of other samples. Beginners Evening Course students make a sterling silver ring with their own design. The Jewellery Taster focuses on making one simple sterling silver ring band. The Jewellery Summer School for Beginners includes a sterling silver ring plus another project such as earrings or a pendant. Make a Ring in a Day workshops produce a textured sterling silver ring band. The Stacker Rings workshop yields at least three bands to fit.