Carlsbad, California – The Gemological Institute of America’s Graduate Jeweler Diploma Program will be back next year with some new elements.
The programme, which is taught at the Carlsbad campus, has been on hiatus for 18 months to make revisions and update equipment. In late 2022, GIA hired educator, master goldsmith and jewellery designer Alan Revere to update the program.
The redesigned course will teach a wide range of skills in the hopes of creating a new generation of designers who can also repair and refurbish jewellery, helping to fill the current need for bench jewelers.
“This programme is a significant leap forward in jewellery making education, combining the basic technical knowledge of bench jewellery with a focus on creative expression and the application of these skills in the industry,” said GIA.
The 28-week programme focuses on traditional jewellery making, teaching essential skills such as sawing, piercing, measuring, layout, filing, forging, bending, twisting and advanced torch techniques, as well as soldering, annealing and brazing.
To meet the growing consumer demand for bespoke jewellery, students will also learn hand fabrication, wax carving and lost wax casting.
There will be creative projects that allow students to produce their own designs, as well as technical projects that involve jewellery repair, a skill that jewellers look for in an apprentice.
It also offers gemstone setting training and classes in casting, wax carving, laser welding, metallurgy and hand engraving, with expanded classes in fancy shaped stones and setting with gravers.
GIA’s classrooms have also been equipped with new equipment to enable students to practice and refine these skills.
“Our goal is to teach students safe practices and jewellery making techniques that exceed industry standards by raising the bar,” said Duncan Pay, GIA Senior Vice President of Education and Chief Academic Officer.
“Drawing on decades of experience in teaching the art of jewellery making, coupled with the expertise of master goldsmith and award-winning jewellery designer Alan Revere, we’ve developed a programme that not only hones classic technical skills, but also integrates state-of-the-art tools and equipment in our state-of-the-art classrooms.”
The project-based course teaches techniques that can be applied to fine jewellery making and retail jewellery repair, and allows students to build a portfolio to show to potential employers and clients.
The programme dates are 22 January to 1 August 2024, 13 May to 21 November 2024 and 9 September 2024 to 7 April 2025.
