How to Become a Goldsmith

If there's one area I could really call myself a professional, it would be Goldsmithing. When asked what I do for a living, most times the follow up question I get is how I got into this line of work. Some people are born into it, where their family owned a jewelry store, and started to learn at a very young age. For the rest of us, there are a few routes in which people typically get into this career, and the route I chose was just one way, and I later learned, one of the most expensive ways to get into the trade. 

Go to College

The first way is the route I took, and it's one of the most expensive routes. I went to a local technical college who happened to offer a program in Jewelry Repair and Fabrication. That kind of program isn't very common for a local college, but the other kind of postsecondary school that would is an art institute. The area I moved to, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has MIAD, which has a metals course. One of the companies I smithed for hired a number of students from MIAD to start at the entry level goldsmith position, but there are smiths who had other ways in than a degree. It is definitely not a requirement for the position.

The down side for taking additional schooling to get there, besides the cost is, like a lot of jobs right out of college, the pay is minimal. As a matter of fact, Aldi cashiers make more than what I started out at, and I was working on some family’s heirloom jewelry. Then, you need to pay back loans while working at minimal wages, until you prove yourself to be a competent jeweler.

There are better ways that you don't have to spend a bunch of money on. Like...

Get a Job in a Jewelry Store That Does Repairs on Site

This way is the way I wish I would have done it. 

Get a job as a salesperson, that has a goldsmith in-house, and watch them work. Ask him/her a lot of questions. Ask for a demonstration. Some goldsmiths are pretty lonely, sitting at their bench by themselves, working on jewelry. Personally, I get excited when someone comes to talk to me, and sometimes I have a candy dish sitting at my desk to encourage people to hang out for a minute. I love the opportunity to show what I do, because most people have no clue how jewelry is repaired.

The best part about this route is you can get paid to learn. One of the shops I had worked in, there's one goldsmith that started the company in the offices. She came in to the shop to work for a couple days, for us to see if she would be a good fit, and she eventually started as a polisher. She now sizes rings and does other repairs. She was the first that I had met to get in that way, but not the last. Starting out this way is also a great way to see if you would like the work.

Purchase Your Own Tools and Teach Yourself

There are many areas to teach yourself with the internet these days, and metalworking is no exception. There are so many people posting videos of techniques from soldering to stone setting, but the downside is jewelers tools are not cheap, and there is no substitute for a good teacher. 

When I went to college, purchasing tools was a requirement for the course, and the tool kit was over $900. If it wasn't for financial aid, at the time, I would never have been able to afford it. If I would have gone to an art geared college, I definitely wouldn't have been able to afford it. 

You could start out smaller; with brass and copper to work on, and a plumbing torch, wire, pliers and beads. Even rocks you find on the ground. There's quite the variety you could make with just those few things, and it would cost around $50. Less if there's a Harbor Freight in your area.

To me, there's something so endearing about making jewelry with no formal training. The techniques used by new metal smiths are usually so unique, because they don't know why they shouldn't use them, that they develop a creativity and style all their own, that hasn't been discouraged by a master smith.

This way of learning is commonly done by people who sell their own jewelry designs. Some stores are reluctant to hire self taught jewelers, because they will have to re-train bad habits, which is harder to teach than someone fresh. For stores who have any significant warranty on their repair work, they have to have smiths who understand how to repair a piece of jewelry to withstand use.

Perseverance is Key

No matter which way you get into the trade, or even anything else you may be working on to improve your life, when you decide what route you want to go, always focus on making progress. Just figure out the things you can do to get where you're going, and start there.