This foundation metal techniques course introduces students to the basic processes that goldsmiths have been using for centuries around the world. Beginning with an introduction to the tools and equipment of the jewellery workshop, and with an emphasis on safety, students are shown proper technique and ergonomics of working at the jeweller’s bench. Through practice and repetition of skills such as sawing, piercing, drilling, filing, melting, rolling, forging, soldering, forming, finishing, and basic stone setting, they begin to internalize the processes of making jewellery and gain confidence when working with tools and materials. They then move on to synthesizing these skills into more complex creative projects. Basic metallurgy and mathematical formulae associated with jewellery-making are also covered.

Drawing is a visual language that can be used to communicate and present ideas to clients, to makers, and within a design team. It can also be used as a tool to record and develop ideas and concepts. Through in-class exercises and homework assignments, students learn to apply perspective, technical drawing and various other techniques to develop concepts from thumbnail sketches to more presentable drawings that describe the shape, form, texture & finishes.

Taking a global view of the development of jewellery over the centuries, this course encourages students to examine the role that jewellery has played in different societies. What are the similarities and differences in the ways different cultures have used jewellery and adornment as: symbols of status, wealth and power; talismans and ritual objects; functional objects and fastenings; dowry and symbols of commitment? How have the histories of craft, art and design intersected and influenced each other? Through exposure to diverse works of art from many cultures and epochs, students begin to build a visual vocabulary with which to enrich their work, and awaken to the possibilities of jewellery and its functions.

This course introduces students to the many processes associated with lost-wax casting. Wax carving (precision and free-form), cuttlefish casting, sprueing, investing, centrifugal casting, moulding (rubber and silicone), and wax injecting are all covered. Students also learn advanced, efficient methods of finishing and polishing cast pieces. Special attention is paid to health and safety when working with these potentially dangerous materials and equipment

This first gemstone setting course builds on basic fabrication and bezel skills learned in Metal Techniques 1. Students will create intermediate settings into which they will set cabochon and faceted stones. Attention will be paid to ergonomics, and choosing the right setting method for the cut of stone and jewellery type. Terminology related to the various cuts of gemstones will also be covered.

In this first Design course students are introduced to the Elements and Principles of Westcoast Indigenous and Western design. Using the Elements (Formline Design, texture, line, shape, colour, pattern, space, and form), students begin to build an inventory of tools and techniques with which do compose their jewellery designs. Discussions of the Principles of Design (Balance, Rhythm, Emphasis, Scale and Proportion, and Unity) guide students to a deeper understanding of the ways in which the elements can be arranged effectively. Idea generation and conceptual design are also introduced. Through brief presentations, group discussions and hands-on exercises, students work towards designing a series of jewellery pieces to be created for the Capstone Project.

This course introduces students to gemstones commonly used in studio and production jewellery, including quartz, feldspar, tourmaline, garnet, chalcedony, jade, turquoise and lapis lazuli. Emphasis will be on practical knowledge and how it is applied in the jewellery workshop. Students will learn basic properties of these gem materials, what makes them appropriate for some jewellery forms but not others, how to handle them safely in the jewellery workshop, and how to perform basic assessments using simple tools and techniques. They will also learn how to source reputable wholesalers, and how to discuss gem materials with customers using proper terminology.

The Year One Capstone Project allows students to synthesize theory, techniques and knowledge acquired throughout the First Year to design a small, cohesive collection of jewellery for display in the Year-End Exhibition. The focus will be on independent work as students spend five full weeks in the workshop preparing the collection of jewellery they have designed in JADE 1125 Design 1. In consultation with faculty, each student will select materials, techniques and methods appropriate to their collection. Students will also design a display to complement their jewellery.

The second level of History and Culture of Jewellery familiarizes students with the development of movements in contemporary design and jewellery from the Nineteenth Century to the present. As global trade and travel increased, cross-cultural exchange and modernization led to the rise of many design movements whose influences are still being felt today. As traditional roles of craft, art and design were rejected, handmade objects became vehicles for individual expression, innovation, and even social critique. Through this course, students will be able to apply knowledge of historic design movements to their own design work, and also learn to understand the possibilities of jewellery beyond its commercial and aesthetic uses.

In this course, students learn to put their fabrication skills to use on more complex projects. Incorporating hollowform construction, advanced soldering, and hinges and mechanisms, they gain a deeper understanding of traditional goldsmithing skills. Efficiency and time management, as they relate to saleability of handmade items and jewellery services, are also addressed.

The second Gemstone Setting course introduces students to claw settings used in fine jewellery. Students will learn to fabricate and set basket and crown settings, and construct a solitaire ring. Sizing a ring with a stone in will also be covered.

This course is a continuation of Drawing 1. It covers advanced techniques and provides more practice opportunities to help students towards drawing at a professional level. An introduction to rapid visualization will be included using a variety of mediums to render common materials in jewellery design.

The second Practical Gemmology course introduces students to the gemstones most commonly associated with fine jewellery, including ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, and diamond. Other coloured stones and organic gem materials (such as pearl) will also be covered. Students will learn the properties of these gemstones, and how to work safely with them, perform basic assessments, and discuss them with clients in a professional manner.

The first Digital Jewellery Design introduces students to the latest digital design softwares and their uses in the jewellery industry. Through demonstrations and assignments, students will learn to use basic tools to visualize and build designs, and prepare files for digital printing.

In this technical course, students are encouraged to pursue their own individual interests by researching specialized techniques and presenting them to the class. Options for these research projects could include chasing and repoussé, anticlastic raising, granulation, engraving, pavé diamond setting, hollowware, advanced forging, fold-forming, lapidary, and inlay techniques. Basic enameling techniques and basic jewellery repair will also be covered.

In this final Gemstone Setting course, students begin to synthesize knowledge of traditional stone-setting techniques to create innovative settings for a variety of gemstone cuts and shapes.

In this second design course, students learn to work with a single concept and explore the options for expressing this concept through jewellery. Students are encouraged to try different approaches to idea generation and design variation to generate and refine designs for the Diploma Project. Critiques and group discussions help to strengthen their designs and expressions of concept. Students create formal design proposals, outlining detailed plans for the Diploma Project, which are presented to instructors for feedback and approval.

In this second digital design course, students begin to use the tools they acquired in the first course to create more complex, original designs using the latest technologies. Through technical assignments and one creative project, students will learn to create unique jewellery forms for 3D printing and casting.

This entrepreneurship course is designed to help graduates in establishing their own studio-based jewellery business. Registering a business, accounting and taxes, pricing (for wholesale, retail and custom jewellery markets), sourcing wholesale materials and services, and marketing are all topics included in this course. Students not intending to start their own businesses will benefit by gaining knowledge of the jewellery business and the diverse specialized areas where they may be employed. Visits to local businesses and presentations by guest speakers deepen students’ understanding and help them to forge connections within the jewellery industry.

At the end of the second year, each student is given 5 weeks of full-time in the workshop to create a small collection of jewellery objects based on a single theme or concept. Having worked through the designs in the Design 2 course, they follow the plans they have created for themselves, using a selection of the techniques they have learned throughout the 2 years. Emphasis is placed on each student finding their own unique style of jewellery. Students will each create their own display in which the jewellery will be presented at the Year-End Exhibition.