Jewelry Design (One-Year Certificate)
The Jewelry Design Certificate program aims to familiarize students with:
• Fundamental techniques in designing and making jewelry, using both traditional and innovative methods
• Creative research to develop individual styles and aesthetics
• Comprehensive knowledge of the various areas involving jewelry, from history to current trends, as well as facts and theory on metals and gems.
The program is designed to give students an all-round view and knowledge of jewelry design. Students are guided to acquire a solid base in craftsmanship, and at the same time are encouraged to push the boundaries of their imagination.
Some of the techniques covered in the program are: basic jewelry construction in metal; wax carving and casting; stone setting; hand drawn jewelry design and rendering; digital 3D projection. Practical courses are composed of hands-on projects, including technical exercises as well as individual creative assignments. The theoretical courses in the history of jewelry, metallurgy and gemology give students a solid background in order to become professional jewelry designers.
Florence, with its long history and tradition in goldsmithing, provides the perfect environment to study jewelry design. In the Renaissance period many famous painters, sculptors and architects trained in the Florentine goldsmith studios, bringing a strong creative spirit in jewelry making. This spirit is still alive in Florence today.
The faculty is comprised of experienced professionals who are active in the jewelry industry as artists, designers, goldsmiths, stone setters, historians and gemologists. They bring their professional expertise to the classroom and transmit their great passion to the students.
Students who have successfully completed the One-Year Certificate in Jewelry Design, may move onto the Professional Year, thereby completing a two-year program in Jewelry Design.
ONE YEAR CERTIFICATE (Year 1)
1ST SEMESTER // FALL ONLY
- The History and Symbolism of Jewelry
JWY 150 F – 3 cr. / 45 hrs - Jewelry Design I
JWY 155 F – 3 cr. / 90 hrs - Metals in Jewelry Making
JWY 165 F – 3 cr. / 45 hrs - Wax Carving and Casting Techniques I
JWY 170 F – 3 cr. / 60 hrs - Jewelry Making I
JWY 180 F – 3 cr. / 90 hrs
2ND SEMESTER // SPRING ONLY
- Gemology
JWY 215 F – 3 cr. / 90 hrs - Jewelry Design II
JWY 235 F – 3 cr. / 90 hrs - Jewelry Making II
JWY 255 F – 3 cr. / 90 hrs - Jewelry Brand Identity
JWY 265 F – 3 cr. / 45 hrs - Stone Setting I
JWY 270 F – 3 cr. / 60 hrs
Course descriptions are available in the Academic Catalog.
FACILITIES
– Fully-equipped lab with machinery used in jewelry production
– Updated computer programs to develop rendering and 3D projects