Master jewelry designers have invested time and money to gain the skills and the necessary knowledge to create their work. Some technological advances have made jewelry making more efficient, but not all. Jewelry design work can still be a labor-intensive process that requires much study to achieve excellent handiwork.
Studying jewelry design abroad gives you an opportunity to broaden your skills, meet other designers from different backgrounds and help you create different styles of work and/or different perspectives on your current work. There are many esteemed schools in the world where you can study jewelry design with the masters of the trade as part of a degree or a short course. Here are the five best jewelry design schools for you to consider:
1.Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester (RIT) NY, USA
RIT’s School for American Crafts Department offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts – Metals & Jewelry Design as well as a Master of Fine Arts.RIT, recognized as the top design schools, aims to prepare students for life after graduation by teaching core skills that can be used within the industry and with creative leaders with whom RIT maintains close connections. Invited Exxperts and specialists are invited as guest speakers to conduct discussions on topics such as design, professional practices and technical and aesthetic issues.The final year of the program involves students presenting their work in a senior exhibition. By the time students graduate they will have build a portfolio and a resume to showcase for potential creative projects and to present to potential employers.
2.China Academy of Art
Established in 2004, the school has gained a reputation for challenging students to produce their best. The school offers students a 4 year Bachelor program plus a 3 year Masters in the field of jewelry design. There are numerous laboratories of sculpture, glass, ceramics, and handcrafts in the jewelry studio. Through a challenging program, students are encouraged to think individually, master the basic design method and create their own unique pieces of jewelry.
3.Istituto Lorenzo De Medici – The LdM School of Design, Florence, Italy
The LdM School of Design is popular with overseas students who wish to learn more about jewelry design from this world-class institution. Students are taught a range of jewelry making procedures by experienced designers to become skilled in shaping materials before cleaning and setting valuable and semi-valuable stones into completed items.Students at LdM learn every step in the jewelry-making process and are supported to create innovative and beautiful jewely using a range of materials from design right through to the finished product.
4.Birmingham City University, Birmingham, U.K
Birmingham City University offers the chance to study for a degree at their prestigious jewelry design school situated in the heart of Birmingham’s renowned Jewelry Quarter. The school has unrivalled expertise, facilities and industry connections to offer many courses relating to jewellery design, including four full time programs running from 1 to 3 years. Students have many opportunities to submit designs for live briefs and graduates have gained international recognition through commissioned work and exhibitions.
5.Estonian Academy of Art
Estonian Academy of Arts offers the curriculum of jewelry and blacksmithing includes also artist’s project with an aim of developing creative ideas in students. The school enables students to strengthen their own ability under instruction of acknowledged professors. In the department of Design, students are allowed to broaden their skills and knowledge about the jewelry design. However, in the curriculum of jewelry encourages students to have a creative skill and be professional on the design materials.