Career as a jewellery designer; how to get started, responsibilities, jobs and more

Have you as a person ever personally been drawn towards jewellery design and wanted to create and wear designs of your own? In India, jewellery plays an important role in most auspicious and religious occasions with people buying for themselves or as gifts. In fact, many people these days are constantly on the lookout for new and innovative design. Jewellery design is the art or profession of designing and creating jewellery. This art has varied over the centuries, from simple beadwork in antiquity to intricate metalworking and gemstone cutting in modern times.

In India, Jewellery is often associated with specific memories, moments and occasions in a person's life. Not only do they throw a significant light on a person’s status, but they are also connected to personal human emotions. Jewellery designers utilise their creativity and love of the craft and thereafter combine it with their business skills to create and sell jewellery that appeal to their customers.

Responsibilities of a jewellery designer

Some of the day to day responsibilities of a jewellery designer are:

• Creating and drawing draft designs using computer software or by hand
• Being aware about the competition in the world of trade in this profession and thereafter creating designs as per the trends and choices of the customer
• Meeting and managing customer expectations and accepting their feedback for improving the designs
• Discussing budget and range of options to explore to prepare the designs
• Make correct use of metals and design jewellery pieces as per market demands
• Ensure that the projects are completed on time and as per the set guidelines

How to become a jewellery designer

Step 1: Get a bachelor’s degree:

Budding jewellery designers who want to make a full fledged career in the industry should ideally complete their bachelor's degree in jewellery design, accessory design, gemology, or any other related subject. Earning this entry level degree can help you to

• Learn about different software and techniques
• Meet and connect with industry professionals
• Gain end-to-end knowledge of the industry

Step 2: Practice beyond your study hours

As a fresher in the field, once you complete your education and step up to apply for part time jobs, in order to stand out of the competition consider adding and sending a few sketches of your design along with your detailed resume. This will let the employer gain much deeper insights into your work, your thought process and your creativity - making you beat the rest of the candidates in the corporate world. As a young student you can always start building your sketching portfolio and also look for apprenticeships where you have the opportunity to learn from and work with experts in the industry.

Step 3: Grow your professional network

Jewellery designing is considered to be a collaborative effort. Building and nurturing a network of creative professionals will not only enhance and upgrade your design process, but will also educate you about the industry trends before they become a mainstream media topic. Building the right connections can also help you bag your first role - or a better role when you want to make a shift.

Click here to know about Riddhima Kapoor Sahni's view on jewellery designing

Top companies

While it is a highly competitive market, and there are a whole range of options suited to different experience levels, for someone looking to build a career as part of a big brand, some of the top companies recruiting jewellery designers are:

• Kalyan Jewellers
• PC Chandra Jewellers
• Tanishq
• Malabar Group
• The Jewel Bar
• Diani Jewels

Jewellery designers specialise in designing and manufacturing jewellery. The entire jewellery designing process is complex and requires substantial technical know-how. Jewellery designers are trained individuals having in-depth architectural and functional knowledge of various materials, manufacturing techniques, wearability and market trends to keep the customers satisfied. So are you ready to design your first piece now?