Jewellers and goldsmiths fabricate and repair jewellery such as rings, brooches, pendants and bracelets. They use fine precision tools to cut, saw, file and polish jewellery.
The jewellery manufacturing industry can be divided into two types of production:
- Craftwork: Individual articles that are hand-made by skilled craftsmen
- Mass production: Moulds and machines are used in order to produce a large number of articles in the shortest time possible.
Jewellers who work in jewellery stores and repair shops provide a variety of services to their customers. Much of their time is spent repairing jewellery and watches and doing hand engraving. Typical repair jobs include enlarging or reducing rings, resetting stones and replacing broken clasps and mountings.
Some jewellers also design jewellery to be made either by hand or mass-produced. They make moulds to cast jewellery and dies to stamp it. Other jewellery workers may do the finishing work such as setting stones and engraving. A small number are also qualified gemmologists, who identify, appraise, classify and discriminate between all kinds of gems, including diamonds.
Jewellers and goldsmiths shape the metal with hand tools or cast it in moulds, to their own designs or those created by designers. They then solder together individual parts to form the finished piece. They may cast designs in precious metal and mount diamonds or other stones on the piece.
Jewellers and goldsmiths use pliers, files, saws, hammers, torches, soldering irons and a variety of other hand tools. They also use chemicals and polishing compounds, such as jeweller's rouge, for soldering or finishing.
Jewellers / goldsmiths work indoors at jewellery manufacturing concerns, retail jewellers’ / goldsmiths’ and at repair shops. The environment is usually pleasant, hygienic and well equipped.
Satisfying Aspects
- being creative
- doing precise detailed work
- pleasant working conditions
- working with the public
Demanding aspects
- the possibility of eye-strain resulting from a lot of detailed work
- the total concentration required when working with tiny objects
- working on one's own
- sitting for long periods of time, as well as physical and mental strain
Requirements
A goldsmith and jeweller should be/have:
- at least 16 years old
- artistic ability
- patient, accurate and neat worker
- perseverance and concentration
- careful and reliable
- mechanical, technical and practical aptitude
- enjoy precise, detailed work
- excellent eyesight
- good manual dexterity
- eye-hand coordination
School Subjects
National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course
National Senior Certificate meeting diploma requirements for a diploma course
Grade 9 Certificate for learnership
Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.
Compulsory Subjects: None
Recommended Subjects: Visual Arts, Mathematics, English
Training
Diploma: CUT, DUT, TUT, CPUT and UJ offer a course in Jewellery Manufacture and Design. This includes practical training as well as training in Gemmology (training in the identification, classification and discrimination amongst all kind of gems).
Certificate: Cape Town FET offers the course, Jewellery Manufacture.
There are four recognised learnerships:
- Precious metal working and mounting - 5 years (Including diamond mounting)
- Diamond and jewel setting - 5 years
- Engraving - 4 years
- Mounting and precious metal working - 3 years
Correspondence course at Technisa can also be followed. Practical training takes place under the supervision of qualified jewellers / goldsmiths.
Final examination: a compulsory trade test set by the Department of Labour to qualify as an artisan.
Short part-time courses in Jewellery Design and Manufacture are offered by privately run operations.
Further studies overseas, some of which can be done via distance learning include:
Gemmology in Scotland:
www.scotgem.demon.co.uk
Edinburgh University:
www.scotgem.demon.co.uk/edcce.html
The Gemmological Association of Great Britain: www.gagtl.ac.uk/gagtl
The Gemologist Institute of America (GIA): www.gia.org
Employer
- jewellery manufacturers
- retail goldsmiths and jewellers
- jewellery, clock and watch repair shops
- self-employment, skilled and entrepreneurial goldsmiths and jewellers can start their own businesses
Contact
Jewellery Council of South Africa
P O Box 1549
Houghton, 2041
Tel: (011) 544-7958 Fax: 086 5049 512
www.jewellerysa.com