Study the Jewelry Arts at GIA
GIA has been the starting point for many successful jewelry business owners, designers and jewelers. Our jewelry design and manufacturing programs offer you the opportunity to help you start a career as a jewelry designer or bench jeweler or enhance your current skills.
Jewelry Design and Manufacturing Programs
Jewelry Design & Technology
The Jewelry Design & Technology (JDT) diploma program covers topics essential to becoming a jewelry designer in today’s high tech industry. You’ll take designs from concept to near final production by developing models and photorealistic renderings using popular computer-aided design (CAD) software. 3D printed models will help you to evaluate and refine your design. The program covers digital sketching, jewelry design theory and engineering fundamentals that will help you create quality, manufacturable jewelry.
Ideal For: Individuals who want an in-depth program that is designed to help launch a career in CAD design or product development. Graduates leave with a portfolio of digital and physical designs that are ready for presentation to potential customers or employers. Knowledge gained in this program may be useful for business owners or anyone working closely with designers.
Program Length: 27+ calendar weeks (program length may vary based on holidays or other scheduled breaks)
Where to Earn: Study on campus in Carlsbad or New York
Image: CAD rendering and final project design by JDT graduate Fargol Zod.
Jewelry Design & Technology
Learn skills essential to becoming a jewelry designer including CAD modeling, 3D printing, design principles and engineering.
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Jewelry Design
The ability to produce a design concept with pencil and paper is an important skill that can enhance your expertise as a designer. The Jewelry Design certificate course teaches the development of design ideas, technical hand-drawing and jewelry engineering fundamentals, as well as color hand-rendering with watercolor and gouache pigments. At the completion of this course, you will have a portfolio of your work and a digital copy to show prospective employers and clients.
Ideal For: Individuals who want to start a career as a jewelry designer or hand renderer. The skills and techniques covered are useful for both experienced and aspiring designers, as well as anyone who can benefit from being able to draw accurate and functional designs including sales associates, jewelry store owners, and custom designers.
Program Length: 9+ calendar weeks (program length may vary based on holidays or other scheduled breaks)
Where to Earn: Study on campus at GIA campuses worldwide
Image: Hand rendered design by Jewelry Design graduate Anna Lewiarz
Jewelry Design
Turn your ideas into realistic hand-drawn sketches that convey the beauty and emotion of your jewelry concept.
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Comprehensive CAD/CAM for Jewelry
The Comprehensive CAD/CAM for Jewelry certificate course covers the fundamental computer-aided design (CAD) skills necessary to become a CAD/CAM technician. You’ll learn to develop digital models, including photorealistic renderings using popular CAD software. The course also covers subtractive and additive Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) methods.
Ideal For: Individuals who want to learn essential CAD skills and start a career as a CAD/CAM technician. This course is a great way for experienced designers to build their knowledge of CAD and to help enhance their current design process.
Program Length: 7+ calendar weeks (program length may vary based on holidays or other scheduled breaks)
Where to Earn: Study on campus in Carlsbad, London or New York
Comprehensive CAD/CAM for Jewelry
Learn the fundamentals of computer-aided design (CAD) software with a focus on jewelry engineering.
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Graduate Jeweler
The Graduate Jeweler diploma program offers a hands-on learning experience in a professional environment that will prepare you for a career as a bench jeweler. You will create and repair jewelry in a safe and sustainable manner within a clean, modern, well-equipped classroom that includes a laser welder. Practice setting a variety of stone shapes in mounting styles such as channel setting, bezel setting, and prong setting, in base metals, silver, white gold, yellow gold and platinum.
Ideal For: Individuals who want to learn many of the essential skills needed to start a career as a bench jeweler. This program is also useful for current industry professionals looking to sharpen their bench skills and anyone who can benefit from better understanding the techniques needed for a wide variety of bench jewelry projects including jewelry business owners, manufacturing executives, jewelry buyers, quality assurance specialists and stone setters.
Program Length: 27+ calendar weeks (program length may vary based on holidays or other scheduled breaks)
Where to Earn: Study on campus in Carlsbad
Graduate Jeweler
From setting gemstones to basic repairs, you’ll learn many essential skills needed to start a career as a bench jeweler.
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