Jewelry
designing as a career is steadily grabbing international attention.
India has produced award-winning jewely and accessory designers.
JDTI,
launched in 1999 has four long-term courses and 12 short-term modules
at present. Two-weeks' crash courses are also conducted regularly. The
minimum qualification is 10+2 and admission is open to anyone interested
in making jewelry design and craft a career. The faculty comprises educationists,
professional designers, technicians and also craftsmen who demonstrate
the practical aspects. There is a well-equipped workshop where all practical
projects come to life.
Jewelry designers or the accessory designers have to be creative, have an eye for detail, keen observation, fashion awareness and precision. Accessory designing requires working with expensive and precious materials and therefore a meticulous and precise approach is required.
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Class XII (any stream)
Courses in gem and jewelry designing are of short duration. Most courses can be taken after class XII. These courses, mainly diploma, vary in duration. Accessory design course at National Institute of Fashion Technology is a 3 year course and offer specialization in leather goods, jewelry and designing of accessories to accompany garments.
Jewelry Designing
- NIFT
Campus, Opp. Gulmohar Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi - 110 016.
- Srimati
Nathibai Damodar Training (SNDT) Women's University, Mumbai.
- Gem
and Jewelry Export Promotion Council, Rajasthan Bhavan, Jaipur -
302 003.
- Jewelry
Export Promotion Council, D-15 Commerce Centre, Tardeo, Mumbai-400
034.
- Jewelry
Design and Technology Institute (JDTI), Noida offers four long term
courses and twelve specialized short term courses.
Gemology
Courses in gemology are conducted at the following institutes:
- Gemology
Institute of India, 29, Gurukul Chambers, Mumbadevi Road, Mumbai
- 400 002. Courses are in grading and cutting of gems and diamonds.
- Gemstones
Artisans Training school, Jhalana Mahal, Jaipur - 302 017. Courses
are in cutting and polishing of diamonds and coloured stones.
- Indian
Gemological Institute, Nirmal Towers 10th Floor, 26, Barakhamba
Road, New Delhi - 110 001.
- Indian
Diamond Institute,
Sumul Dairy Road, Katargam Post Box 508, Surat - 395 008. (The Institute
conducts courses in Jewelry Design and machine cast jewelry manufacturing,
Diamonds sorting/grading/bruting/ polishing/sawing and in computer aided
jewelry designing).
- St.Xavier's College, Geology Department, Mumbai - 400 001. · Small Industries Service Institute, 65/1, GST Road, Chennai - 600 032.
As
with most creative fields, the job is tedious. It is advisable for new
entrants to first find work with an established designer, or jewelry house,
and learn the ropes. At this stage, the pay is are not very high, ranging
from Rs. 3500 to Rs. 5000. But once successful in establishing a name,
the designer can command his/her own price, depending on the exclusivity
of the design, and the clientele one is catering to.
Accessory
designers are trained as stylists for men's, ladies or children's accessories.
They specialize in various fields of accessory designing to create new
and attractive designs for their clients. In the traditional, studio-based
design sector, crafts people work to prepare each article individually.
Their work is sold through local outlets, at tourist destinations, emporia
and through craft melas.
Jewelry designers create new designs for gold, silver and precious metal jewelry. Large exporters employ designers or select designs from eminent freelancers. Gemologists are experts in assessing the quality, value and use of gems for jewelry They are experts in grading, sorting and setting of gems in various metals.