Career in Jewellery Design

Today jewellery design as a career is steadilyyour own as a designer or a consultant.
grabbing international attention. India has produced(E) Salaries
award-winning jewellery and accessory designers.As with most creative fields, the work is tedious
(A) The Prospectsand the rise is steep. It is advisable for new
Growing at the rate of 30 per cent annually, theentrants to first find work with an established
gem and jewellery industry is the largest foreigndesigner, or jewellery house, and learn the ropes.
exchange earner for India. (The Gem &At this stage, the pay scales are not very high. A
Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)fresher could earn anything between Rs 10,000 to
envisages an export target of $16 billion in 2007).Rs 15,000. Once you have established a name for
In the last five years, India has moved up fiveyourself, you can command your own price,
notches to emerge as the third largest diamonddepending on the exclusivity of the design, and
jewellery market in the world. And now, like itsthe clientele you are catering to.
international counterpart, the relatively new(F) Study Routes
branded and "hallmarked" jewellery segment is allClass XII – one can look at any stream.
set to touch a new high. So, all in all, if you have aAfter Class XII - Courses in gem and jewellery
flair for design and can take the hi-precisiondesigning are short duration programmes. Most
detailing in your stride, it’s a great field to becourses can be taken after class XII. The
in. Jewellery design as the name suggests, dealscourses, mainly diploma, vary in duration.
with the designing of ornaments - precious,Accessory design course at National Institute of
costume or junk jewellery. Accordingly, jewelleryFashion Technology is a 3 year course. Accessory
designers work with precious and other metals,design offers specialization in leather goods,
gems, precious and semi-precious stones,jewellery and designing of accessories to
terracotta, glass and wooden beads, plastic,accompany garments.
cowrie shells, etc.Places to Study
Trained designers usually work for established1.) NIFT Campus, Opp. Gulmohar Park, Hauz Khas,
jewelers and are employed by precious andNew Delhi - 110 016 – 3 year diploma after
costume jewellery-manufacturing firms, buyingStd. XII
agencies and large jewellery exporters and2.) Srimati Nathibai Damodar Training (SNDT)
showrooms. Initially, it may be a good idea toWomen's University, Mumbai.
work with a couple of established jewellery3.) Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council,
designers to learn the ropes. Even hi-fashionRajasthan Bhavan, Jaipur - 302 003.
jewellery magazines like G & J that4.) Jewellery Export Promotion Council, D-15
showcase the latest trends in jewellery designCommerce Centre, Tardeo, Mumbai-400 034.
recruit upcoming designers. Yet another option is5.) Jewellery Design and Technology Institute
teaching — either as regular or part-time(JDTI), Noida offers four long term courses and
faculty in a reputed design school. Of course, withtwelve specialised short term courses.
some experience, you can even launch intoGemology
marketing of designer or costume jewellery onCourses in gemology are conducted at the
your own. Customized jewellery is highly in voguefollowing institutes
today. Consultancy has come up in a big way to1.) Gemology Institute of India, 29, Gurukul
cater to this demand. If you follow the regionalChambers, Mumbadevi Road, Mumbai - 400 002.
trends and have an in-depth knowledge ofCourses are in grading and cutting of gems and
gemstones you can become a consultant anddiamonds.
advise customers on what to buy and at what2.) Gemstones Artisans Training school, Jhalana
rate.Mahal, Jaipur - 302 017. Courses are in cutting and
(B) The Jobpolishing of diamonds and coloured stones.
1.) Design accessories for men's, ladies or3.) Indian Gemological Institute, Nirmal Towers
children's10th Floor, 26, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi - 110
2.) Create new designs for gold, silver and001.
precious metal jewellery4.) Indian Diamond Institute, Sumul Dairy Road,
3.) Specialize in leather designing /jewelleryKatargam Post Box 508, Surat - 395 008. (The
designing etcInstitute conducts courses in Jewellery Design and
4.) Carry out detailed research about themachine cast jewellery manufacturing, Diamonds
accessory to work onsorting/grading/bruting/ polishing/sawing and in
5.) Crafts people work to prepare each articlecomputer aided jewellery designing).
individually5.) St.Xavier's College, Geology Department,
6.) Sell through local outlets, at tourist destinations,Mumbai - 400 001. • Small Industries Service
emporia and through craft melasInstitute, 65/1, GST Road, Chennai - 600 032.
7.) Gemologists are experts in assessing theFashion Designing Colleges
quality, value and use of gems for jewelers. They(a) National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
are experts in grading, sorting and setting ofconducts several courses. Addresses for
gems in various metals.correspondence :
(C) Personality Traits1.) NIFT Campus, Hauz Khas, Near Gulmohar Park,
1.) CreativeNew Delhi 110016
2.) Eye for detail2.) NIFT, Tata Mills Compound, Dada Saheb Phalke
3.) Keen observationMg., Dadar (E), Mumbai 400014
4.) Fashion awareness3.) NIFT, Manjusha Bhavan, 181, Sector III, 1B
5.) PrecisionBlock, Salt Lake City, Calcutta 700091
6.) Meticulous4.) NIFT, Plot E/4, GIDC Electronic Estate,
7.) Awareness and understanding of gems /Gandhinagar (Gujarat) 382044
metals etc5.) NIFT, Opp. Hitech City, Madhapur, Jubli Hills,
(D) Career ProgressionHyderabad 500134
As a fresher, it is best to start your career6.) NIFT, Cooptex Building, Pantheon Road,
working for an established jewellery designer soEgmore, Chennai 600008
that you can learn the ropes. As an experienced7.) NIFT, The Karnataka State Co-op Mktg.,
professional, you can then look at starting out onFederation Building, No.