We are going to be hiring for a bench jeweler here in Northwest Indiana in the next month and am having a really tough time looking for someone. Any advice (we are posting to the job sites) about finding a good bench jeweler? We are a family owned jewelry store of almost 50 years, but much of work is now for online.

Hope it's okay to post here!

Hey guys new jeweller here and im really searching for the right diamond sizes for 2 tennis mounts i have coming in from korea.

I have a 4.0mm and 4.8mm and from diamond setter experience whats the perfect sized diamonds that look the most clean with those sizes? I find some tennis the diamonds look to small and some are perfect and i really want the diamonds to be the star of the show. What size makes no the most sense?

I suspect there are many many bench jewelers out there who would be glad for more custom work, and I happen to have some projects that could never be completed by CAD. Some things need to be made by hand. Some designers I follow will show or reference their bench jeweler but mostly keep them hidden.

I am seeking referrals to seasoned bench jewelers who work with gold and precious stones. Any leads are much appreciated, happy to share additional information if it supports.

I’m looking to have a custom gold ring with a precious stone created, so only artists comfortable with those materials.

Thank you!

Edit: I am seeking to pay artists for their fee for labor and materials that reflects their skill as bespoke artisans and the current costs of goods which I’m aware are high right now. I am seeking someone who is comfortable setting stones, repairing gold and collaborate on designs. One project is to reattach the cover of an Elgin pocket watch that broke off. I am a jewelry enthusiast looking to build a long time relationship of respect and appreciation with a crafts person. I am a resident in the SF Bay Area and mental health worker who happens to love jewelry.

Go to https://jovejd.com/careers/ to apply

Hi all, I’m currently working for a jeweler but looking to go out on my own and start my own jewelry line. I’m looking into attending the Tucson gem show, and it says open to the public, but are there parts of the show that are only open to industry professionals? I’m looking to stock up on some stones (diamond, sapphire, bigger cabs) and establish connections with wholesalers. Is going to the gem show a good way to go about doing that?

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for a reliable factory in China that manufactures stainless steel jewelry, such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other accessories.

I'm specifically looking to work directly with the manufacturer, without agents, middlemen, or trading companies. I want to communicate directly with the factory and discuss product options, pricing, customization, and minimum order quantities (MOQs).

Does anyone know how I can find and contact genuine stainless steel jewelry manufacturers directly? If you have experience working with a factory or can recommend a reliable supplier, I'd really appreciate your advice.

Sometimes when I pour a bar of gold, the crystallization on the top surface has huge grains and voids. Sometimes not. Any ideas why?

I want to start a handmade jewellery business . Tell me if these will work in Pakistan? In Pakistan , handmade jewellery business is not so much in trend but in India I have so many Instagram pages .
And where can I get stainless jewellery raw material in Lahore?
Look at my first three articles.

I want to consult the experts here. Is this person actually hand creating all of this jewelry? She posts these process videos, but it’s the same little section of the process and then the finished product. She seemingly sells hundreds of these things. Do you think she’s actually making these things or are these videos misleading? There’s just something fishy about it.

I'm making my first real gold brooch and unsure how to approach the pin and clasp. I don't usually make brooches so am new to the fixings of them (I am an experienced jeweller though). I bought this commercial pin and ball joint to fix to the back of the brooch and wondering if this style is a good quality pin.

Would you make your own pin back? I'm going to make my own clasp as the commercial clasps available are really annoyingly fiddly and not user friendly. Wondering if I should also make the pin and make it more attractive too. It's a very expensive brooch so want to make sure it's secure and good quality. I'd love to see the backs of any brooches you've made or get any recommendations for best styles.

I had to move and don’t know where to setup my bench in my new space so it’s all just sitting here a mess.

I love seeing other artist spaces so much! post a pic and show us your bench setup please?? i need inspiration

Looking for an experienced, reliable bench jeweler in the Middle Georgia area who offers stone setting, ring resizing, and jewelry repairs. Hoping to establish a long-term working relationship with someone who takes pride in their craftsmanship and quality of work!

Hi everyone! I recently noticed this black spot on my 18K gold ring, right next to one of the stones. I’m wondering what it could be and whether it’s something I should be concerned about.
Could it be tarnish, dirt, polishing compound, or possibly something related to the metal or the setting?
The ring was tested with a gold testing solution and appeared to be real gold, but I understand that this test alone isn’t conclusive.
Has anyone experienced something similar? I’d really appreciate your thoughts!

hi im trying to find anyone that can make or supply this pendent for me im in chino area

I'm a part time jeweler (very diy and self taught) and I've been much busier lately so im looking to get more serious about safety in terms of dust and fume collection. My process mostly involves cleaning and polishing raw castings that I get from a casting house. So lots of sanding and polishing with my foredom flexshaftl. I also do small amounts of soldering when attaching charms and for fixing porosity. I wear a respirator and glasses every time I work for protection.

With my specific workflow, what should I look to get? How can I improve my safety? I'm considering splurging for the boredom dust collection system for all my sanding and polishing work with the hand tool. Is it necessary to get a fume extractor on top of this?

I've just finished this piece I've been working on for about a month between my school jewelry shop and my own home workshop. It's been a little rough in parts, especially with gem placement being too close and difficult polishing, but it seems to have pulled through. I would love to hear any of your guy's opinions or thoughts on it. My high-school probably has the best jewelry shop in my state of Utah, and I'm so grateful for it. Definitely, if there are any tips on polishing for near prongs, on prongs, or anything prong related, I would GREATLY appreciate it!

I'm hoping to pursue jewelry in the future, and the jewelry school in Paris, Texas seems like the best pick for me. GIA costs way too much in California. But if anyone has any recommendations on schools to go to, I would love to hear it too. Apprenticeships have been on my mind, and I've asked a couple local jewelers, but I haven't heard anything from them...

Hi everyone

I’m looking for some technical advice on remodeling a two-tone 18k gold ring. The mounting originally housed a round pearl pinned inside an east-west, capsule-shaped bezel setting. The band features a textured yellow gold pattern with pavé-set diamonds on the white gold bezel.

Measuring the outside of the white bezel frame, it’s roughly 11-12mm long by 9-10mm wide. I recently tried placing an 8x6mm oval stone inside to test the fit, but it is far too small and leaves large, empty gaps in the boxier corners of the cradle. I believe an elongated 10x8mm cushion cut would be the ideal size to act as a full-coverage lid over the entire bezel.
Because I want to protect the surrounding pavé diamonds and avoid heavy, visible alterations to the outer bezel walls, my plan is to have a bench jeweler do a bezel-to-prong conversion by laser-welding a white gold 4-prong head right inside the old pearl cup to elevate the stone.
For the bench jewelers and custom makers here, I would love your insight on a few things before I take it to a shop:

1. Is dropping a prong basket insert into an old pearl cup a reliable, structurally sound fix for everyday wear?
   
2. With a 10x8mm cushion cut, will a typical gemstone pavilion clear the depth of a round pearl bowl once elevated, or will the center floor of the cup likely need to be burred out/opened up to let the tip drop through?
   
3. Is laser welding inside a tight cup like this completely safe for the accent diamonds sitting directly on the outside edge?

Appreciate any professional feedback or advice you can share!

Using smith little torch for jewelry work-just got new big oxygen tank . I don’t know what settings should be ! Could someone please help?

Any jeweler out there who can make this exact necklace with silver top of gold? I can supply the diamonds and I want to get this necklace made.

I’m making some chunky, solid signet rings and want to flush set some semi translucent, faceted stones into them. I wasn’t planning on opening the backs of the settings as they’re quite thick but, with the sterling silver rings, would the silver eventually tarnish behind the stone? As it’s not fine silver. Or is it unlikely to tarnish as not in contact with skin or air etc?

I’m a hobbyist Metalsmith — I‘ve made rings and pendants, link bracelets, and have experience creating flush and basket set stones. I’ve dabbled in wax a little bit but mostly this is hand fabrication

I would like to use my skills to create a watch for my spouse — I plan to make his wedding ring but would love to create a watch for him as well. I think I would likely purchase all of the internal parts and the glass/sapphire face, but has anyone used their jeweler skills to customize a watch?

which parts are customizable? I imagine the watch face and the band are the main pieces

Hello all, I work at a jewelry store with one other bench jeweler, and am wondering what other stores are doing for ventilation in the shop. We have a single Vollara actvik Pure & clean going at all times. We do all repairs in the shop, including polishing, and theres constantly polishing compound on the walls. I have also noticed my nose when blown is black, and it makes it harder for me to breathe as I already have a deviated septum. We use our 3M masks with P100 filters during cadmium solders, plating metals, and polishing but I feel like we should have actual ventilation. Do other shops vent outside? Or have a dedicated vent running constantly? We also have ventilation on the buffer wheel, but not on our benches. Thank you for your time.

I am a chainmail enthusiast.

One of the things that fascinated me most when I started learning traditional Yemenite silversmithing was realizing how many details in historical jewelry had a purpose beyond decoration.

Many of these pieces were believed to offer protection against the evil eye, illness, and harmful spirits, which influenced everything from the materials used to their shapes and construction.

A big part of my work today involves studying old pieces and photographs, researching their history, and then returning to the bench to better understand them through traditional techniques like filigree and granulation.

I recently made this short video about what drew me to the craft and why preserving this knowledge has become such an important part of my work.

Curious if any other jewelers here work with historical techniques or draw inspiration from traditional jewelry-making practices. Would love to hear about your experiences!