Jewellery

Jewellery designers: produce designs to meet the requirements of a client (known as a 'brief' or commission) or for general sale; produce designs which are then made by other staff (if you work for a company); work as a self-employed designer, designing and making jewellery.

Self-employed designer-makers use a variety of crafts to make jewellery, including, mounting, setting and polishing.  They also need to sell their work, either directly from a studio or at craft fairs, or through shops or galleries.

Starting salaries can be around £16,000 a year. Experienced jewellery designers can earn from around £20,000 to over £50,000.

Earnings for freelance designer-craftworkers vary depending on how successful they are in selling their work. They often need additional income from another job to make a living, especially in the early stages of their career.

There are no set requirements for becoming a jewellery designer – your skills and experience can be more important than qualifications. However, most jewellery designers have a foundation degree, BTEC HND or degree. You could complete these qualifications in various relevant subjects, for example: jewellery; jewellery design; designed metalwork and jewellery; jewellery and metal design; 3D design: metals.

Talent and contacts are the key to getting work, and you will need to put together a portfolio of work that you can show to potential employers and course providers.

If you can show that you have design skills and creative ideas, you may be able to develop a career in jewellery design without a qualification.

The design field is very competitive and some vacancies are not advertised, so it is useful to network and make contacts within the industry, for example by attending trade fairs and exhibitions. The Goldsmiths' Company Directory website has an index of jewellery designers and makers, galleries and retailers.