Career in Jewellery Designing

 Prashant Karar

Jewellery designing, manufacturing and trading has been an integral part of the human society since five thousand years and more. Our country is no exception. In fact, our country is world renowned for its jewellery and jewellery designs since ancient times.

Earlier a few select families ran the business of jewellery designing and jewellery making. Moreover, the technical knowledge associated with this profession was kept a closely guarded secret and passed on from generation to generation. However, all that has changed with the changing times. The current boom experienced by this industry has commercialised this art and opened new vistas for job seekers.

Jewellery today is more of a fashion statement and  also a reflection of what you are. In this context, different personalities and different senses of style have revolutionised the traditional gold jewellery and modernised it according to the taste of the new era.

Now-a-days jewellery designing as a career is flourishing like never before. This profession is not only rewarding but also available for anyone who has a creative bend of mind. People these days have become very image conscious and the demand for jewellery is no more for the purpose of financial security but a  trendy fashionable wear that can go well with different occasions.

Jewellery designing is a creative art that combines knowledge of conceptualising jewellery design and then manufacturing various jewellery products. Many institutes in India offer long-term, short-term and even distance learning programs in jewellery designing.

The study in this field teaches you basic skills like stone cutting, engraving, polishing and testing the quality of precious metals and gems. Special skills like electroplating, metal colouring, anodising, enamelling and stone setting are also taught to students of jewellery designing.

There are many jewellery designing courses available all over India. For joining a diploma course, you have to complete your graduation in any field and for short-term courses the minimum qualification can either be class 10 or a 10 + 2 level. It is advisable to pursue a program in jewellery design, like Bachelor of Design (B.Des) from a renowned design school such as National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) or National Institute of Design (NID).

After completing your bachelor’s degree in design, BDes, from a recognised design school you should look for an internship with a renowned jewellery house in India or abroad. Alternatively, you can do a master’s course in designing also.

These courses will impart knowledge about different types of stones, design themes, presentations, jewellery costing and jewellery making. Some of the courses use computer aided programs for designing jewellery and accessories. On the technical front, you get to learn the art of working with precious metals, alloys and the mathematics that goes into the making of flawless jewellery items.

In this way, students get to learn both technical and aesthetic traits of jewellery designing. Once you complete your course, you are a qualified designer who can make custom-made and designer jewellery.

The successful completion of the course will open door for unlimited job opportunities for aspiring jewellery designers due to the recent boom in the gem and jewellery industry. Talented designers can even design and launch their own range of exclusive jewellery.

Diploma programs in jewellery designing are available in some of the leading institutes in India. These courses are available after completing graduation in any stream. However, a good grounding in creative arts is a plus point.

Like many other creative fields, it is essential to have an inbuilt creative frame of mind to move towards a career in designing jewellery.

If you are a person with a fair sense of design and creative imagination and have the skills to understand latest trends with sound technical knowledge, then this is a right career option for you. You can learn everything else while getting trained.

 A one to two year study program can cost you anywhere around Rs 65,000 to Rs 1.80 lakh and short-term courses can cost you  between Rs 15,000 to Rs 65,000. Scholarships and financial aid is not available for these courses.

 Job Prospects

The boom in the gems and jewellery industry has brought innumerable employment opportunities for jewellery designers. After the successful completion of the course, one can easily find a job in this industry. You can also start your own freelance designing business or set up your own retail and trading unit.

 Good job opportunities and lucrative salaries make it just the perfect time to consider jewellery designing as a career option. Pay packet of a jewellery designer can differ depending on the education and experience. 

For a starter, you can expect salary to be around Rs 8000 per month. With experience, it can increase to Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 or more. Top-rated designers can easily fetch salaries in excess of Rs 1 lakh a month.

 If you are working as a freelancer, then your earnings will completely depend upon your creativity and your skills in marketing your work. Here there is no limit for how much you can earn.

Jewellery designing is a growing sector of the Indian economy and it earns a lot of foreign exchange for our country. Moreover, in India, people have become more conscious about the jewellery they wear, it’s no more a mere investment but a style statement and this has lead to a great demand for creative hands who can design jewellery for different moods and occasions. As a result, many institutions have come up for jewellery designing to supply high-quality professionals and to fulfill the unending demand for expert jewellery designers.

Jewellery designing in India can be described as one the fastest growing industrial segments. India is known as biggest consumer of gold as it consumes 20% of the world gold consumption with the revenue of $13 billion.

A new breed of jewellery designers has emerged of late due to the rising market demand for branded ornaments. Employment opportunities for the professionals are enormous in this field as the Indian gems and jewellery industry provides 1.3 million jobs to people across the country. And what’s more exciting is the fact the growth in this industry is expected to continue in the coming years.

 International Focus

The global fashion industry welcomes professionally qualified jewellery designers from across the world. There is a perpetual requirement of creative minds that can create designer jewellery and other fashion accessories for fashion shows and for fashion retailing.

With a good experience, you can find a lucrative job in an international jewellery export house or a jewellery designing firm.

 Positives/Negatives

·The market demand in India for jewellery designers is so high that it seems like an evergreen career path.

·Jewellery designing is a highly rewarding profession.

·Jobs vacancies for jewellery designers are usually not advertised therefore you will have to put in a great deal of effort to get a foothold in this industry.

·The initial cost of setting up your business is high.

 Different Roles, Different Names

As a jewellery designer you can specialise in any particular aspect of jewellery designing. Following are different names given to varied specialisations and their different roles:

.Jewellery designer or artist: A professional whose primary responsibility is ideating new jewellery designs andthen  rendering or drawing those designs.

·Goldsmith: Expert in making any standard or traditional range of jewellery.

·Fashion jeweller: One who specialises in designing jewellery for the fashion Industry.

·Manufacturer: Runs either a small unit or a mass production house. Markets their own line of branded jewellery.

·Repair person: A professional who specialises in the art of mending various jewellery products or accessories.

.Lapidary: An expert in setting of precious and semi-precious stones in various jewellery products.

  Top Companies

·        Renowned jewellery brands such as Tanishq, Swarovski, Nakshatra, Gili

·        Jewellery making and designing units

·        Jewellery shops and showrooms

·        Top notch goldsmiths

·        Antique and art auction houses

 Tips for Getting Hired

·         Since vacancies in this field are not advertised, it is practical for a designer to build a good network within   the industry by attending trade fairs and exhibitions.

·        A strong portfolio is a vital factor in getting a job.

·        Outstanding creativity, artistic mind and experience with a topping of a good jewellery designing course can  give you a head start in this industry.

·         It is good if you have done an internship in a designing studio or assisted a well known jewellery designer.

(The author can be reached at kararprasanta@ gmail.com)