Jewellers Academy Podcast

If you already have a grounding in stone setting and you are ready to develop your skills further, this episode is for you.
Jess is joined by jeweller and Jewellers Academy mentor Iain Sainsbury to talk about what it really takes to move into more advanced stone setting and jewellery making. Iain has completed all three of the Jewellers Academy advanced stone setting Masterclasses himself and now supports other jewellers going through the programme.
In this episode, Jess and Iain discuss the three Masterclasses - Decorative Collets, Fishtail Setting and Tiara Wedding Bands - and how each one develops different technical skills at the bench. They also explore why advanced jewellery making is about much more than mastering one technique, and how learning complex construction, setting and finishing skills can give you more confidence in your own designs and commissions.
They also talk about the importance of practice, why you should not expect to get an advanced technique right the first time, and how mistakes are often an essential part of becoming a more skilled jeweller.
In this episode:
How advanced stone setting differs from learning the basics

Why complex projects can improve your overall jewellery-making skills

Decorative collets and developing precision, piercing and construction skills

Fishtail and pavé setting using traditional hand-pushed gravers

Creating tiara-style wedding bands for bridal jewellery

Why repetition and practice are essential at an advanced level

How detailed tuition can help when projects involve multiple technical stages

The value of learning alongside a community of experienced jewellers

How advanced techniques can help with future commissions and fine jewellery work

 
The Jewellers Academy advanced stone setting Masterclasses are open for enrolment until 31st October 2026, with immediate access to all three courses and lifetime access to the training.
 
About Iain Sainsbury
Iain Sainsbury is a British fine jewellery designer and goldsmith based in South Cambridgeshire, creating bespoke and one-of-a-kind pieces. His work combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, with a particular focus on precision, ethical sourcing and meaningful jewellery. He is also a Jewellers Academy mentor and tutor.
Connect with Iain
Instagram: @iains_jewellery
Website: iainsainsbury.com

What does learning jewellery making really look like behind the finished pieces?
In this episode of the Jewellers Academy Podcast, Jess is joined by jeweller and content creator Kelly Twigg of Willow and Twigg, the original Diploma Diary creator, to talk about the reality of learning new jewellery-making skills and why sharing the process can be just as valuable as sharing the finished result.
Kelly began her Diploma Diaries when she joined the Diploma in Silver Jewellery two years ago, documenting the projects she was making, the things she was learning and the moments when everything did not quite go according to plan. Since then, the Diploma Diaries have grown to include different students, tutors and jewellery-making techniques, giving an honest look at the highs, lows and breakthroughs that are part of learning a craft.
Jess and Kelly talk about why seeing other jewellers make mistakes can be so reassuring, how sharing your learning can help build connection and trust with your audience, and why experimenting with techniques outside your usual style can sometimes take your jewellery in a completely unexpected direction.
Kelly is also back on a Jewellers Academy Diploma this year, this time on the new Diploma in Wax Jewellery. She shares what it feels like to become a student again, why she missed the structure and community of learning alongside other jewellers, and how working in wax has given her more freedom to experiment and start again.
 
IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:
Why the Diploma Diaries were created and how Kelly became the first Diploma Diary creator
What it is really like to document your jewellery-making journey while you are still learning
Why sharing mistakes and difficult moments can be just as useful as sharing successes
How seeing other students learn can make online jewellery courses feel less isolating
Why process content can help customers understand the skill behind handmade jewellery
How documenting your learning can give you months, or even years, of social media content
What Kelly learnt from revisiting her original Silver Diploma Diaries a year later
The different perspectives shared by Emma René, Tori Foster and Jane Taylor through their own Diploma Diaries
Why trying jewellery-making techniques outside your usual style can help you discover new directions
Kelly's experience of starting the Wax Jewellery Diploma and learning to slow down, experiment and work in a completely different way
If you're currently on a Jewellers Academy Diploma, we'd love to see your own Diploma Diaries. You don't need to document the whole year. Share a project, a technique you're learning, something that went wrong, something you're proud of or simply a moment from your week at the bench.
Tag @jewellersacademy and use #DiplomaDiaries so we can follow your journey too.
 
Follow Kelly's journey on Instagram this year @willowandtwigg and discover other Diploma Diaries at @jewellersacademy
Find out more about the Jewellers Academy online jewellery diplomas:
https://www.jewellersacademy.com/diplomas

Scared to show your face on Instagram? Jewellery designer Lauren Gunning knows the feeling.
In this episode, Jess speaks to Lauren about how sharing her personality helped her grow to nearly 30,000 followers, having originally set herself a goal of just 1,500. They explore finding confidence on camera, building connections through honest, imperfect content and the pricing mistake that almost made Lauren give up her jewellery career. Lauren also shares how she transforms found sea glass into gems and builds her business around family life. An encouraging conversation about being yourself, valuing your work and giving your jewellery business a chance to grow.
In this episode, we discuss:
Lauren's journey from her grandmother's bead collection to starting a jewellery business.

How she turns found sea glass into handcrafted jewellery.

Moving beyond product photographs and showing the maker behind the jewellery.

Overcoming the discomfort of seeing and hearing yourself on camera.

Growing an Instagram community through humour and honesty.

Learning to price handmade jewellery to support a sustainable business.

Returning to jewellery making after having children.

Discover Lauren's jewellery and connect with her on Instagram through her website:
Lauren Gunning Jewellery
Explore jewellery courses, free tutorials and business support:
Jewellers Academy

What makes a jewellery business newsworthy and why would a journalist want to write about yours?
In this episode, Anna Campbell is joined by PR and visibility expert Amanda FitzGerald, also known as Major Visibility, to explore how jewellers can uncover the compelling stories already hiding inside their businesses.
Amanda explains why announcing a new collection is not always enough to attract media attention. Instead, journalists are looking for engaging human stories, unusual details and ideas that matter to their readers right now.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why press coverage remains valuable in the age of social media and AI

How to turn your personal journey into a compelling PR story

Why your materials, provenance and creative process matter

How meaningful commissions and customer stories can attract attention

Ways to use local heritage, specialist niches and collaborations

How to connect your story to a trend, event or awareness day

How to identify the right publication and journalist

What to include in a short and effective press pitch

When and how to follow up with journalists

Why local, niche and online coverage can be so valuable

Amanda also shares the remarkable story of her mother Janet Coles, whose bead business grew from a hand-drawn A4 mail-order sheet into a million-pound company, with press coverage playing a major part in its success.
If you have ever wondered, "Why would anyone be interested in my business?", this episode will help you recognise the stories that make your jewellery brand distinctive—and give you the confidence to share them.
About Amanda FitzGerald
Amanda FitzGerald is a PR and visibility expert who helps business owners get seen, heard and recognised through press coverage, podcasts and speaking opportunities. She is passionate about helping women become more confident about self-promotion and turn their expertise into meaningful visibility.
Find Amanda online:
Website: https://amandapr.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaprexpert

If you're getting back to your jewellery business after the summer, you might already have a long list of things you think you should be doing.
But going from zero to overwhelmed isn't the way to build momentum, especially when you're heading towards one of the busiest times of the year for jewellery businesses.
In this episode, Jessica Rose shares her favourite ways to ease back into work, jewellery making and business after a summer break.
She talks about:
why starting small can make it easier to get back into the flow
simple rituals for resetting your jewellery bench and workspace
what to do when your motivation has disappeared
the power of choosing just one thing to move your business forward each day
how to decide what really matters between September and Christmas
choosing three key goals for your jewellery business
focusing on high-impact tasks rather than trying to do everything
preparing your jewellery, website, commissions and marketing for Christmas
creating start-of-day and end-of-day rituals that make running your business more sustainable
how to keep making progress when you only have a small amount of time available
If you've had a proper summer break, been juggling work around school holidays or simply found yourself out of your usual routine, this episode will help you get back to the bench without piling on the pressure.
Remember: you don't have to do everything today. Start with one thing and build from there.
Follow Jewellers Academy on Instagram to join our September challenge, where we'll be sharing one manageable prompt each week to help you reconnect with your audience and build towards the Christmas sales season.
https://www.instagram.com/jewellersacademy