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timjo In reply to KubusRubus [2013-12-12 08:00:21 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, there is some, though the really skilled jewelers seem to be few and far between...

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KubusRubus In reply to timjo [2013-12-12 15:05:40 +0000 UTC]

There are rare autodidacts, but as in my example, if I had the chance again to apprentice I would jump at it. Some people do not have the "innate ability" so to speak, I find that either you have to do something wrong 100 times or someone teaches you how to do it right and you get it right in 25  

(I have no idea who stuck the "professional" label on my profile, I am a hobbyist) 

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timjo In reply to KubusRubus [2013-12-12 18:40:14 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, I've been studying metalwork in various schools for some seven years now, so I've picked a few things in that time. Helps to have good teachers too, trial and error doesn't really work if you want to make the really high quality stuff. Too many little things that you can't read about in books etc. Still need a lot of practice too.

I think you can change that label somewhere in your profile... Not sure where though.

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KubusRubus In reply to timjo [2013-12-14 03:11:26 +0000 UTC]

From age 14 to 18 I worked in a production facility, 14k and 12k. First I was a driller/assembler/first quality control person, later they sent me to soldering but the company shut down soon thereafter. Anyway, I fucked up my life in a lot of ways, for a very long time. Some years ago, a girl told me to go to this site, so I did, and if I hadn't I would not be alive right now. In a very literal sense. So I do what I do, I call myself "a person that makes things". I would love to finally learn German and go to a real jewelry school, but that is all pipe dreams. I'll go to FIT in my native NYC and learn "Jewelry Design" rofl.

I really don't care enough, but I've asked my fiancee, she says you cannot.

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timjo In reply to KubusRubus [2013-12-18 16:27:48 +0000 UTC]

I hear there are high quality goldsmithing schools in Germany so it might very well to be worth it to learn some german and go there. Although I've also been told that only in Finland goldsmiths are trained properly with all necessary skills for making jewelry from start to finish. Elsewhere stone setting and polishing is something taught separately.

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KubusRubus In reply to timjo [2013-12-21 01:19:03 +0000 UTC]

Well, you can't exactly learn "some German" they will not accept you if you aren't fluent, even if you already happen to be a world famous jeweler (as happened to Lewton-Brain). He later translated Brepohl's book.

I don't know how it is now but in USSR they did teach you jewelry from the ground up (as well as just engraving, just pave, just enamelling and etc), in Sweden it seems to be the same case though I don't know about stone-setting.

I am making an entirely uneducated guess, but I have a feeling there are good schools in France as well.

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timjo In reply to KubusRubus [2013-12-21 09:51:03 +0000 UTC]

Didn't know they require fluency, but I guess it makes sense. My schoolmate (who was born in Germany) has plans to go back there to learn engraving, but of course she's already fluent so language won't be an issue. Anyway, never hurts to learn a foreign language. It might be difficult though, unless you actually go and live in the country for a while...

Probably many countries have good schools, but language might be a problem. Each probably has their own quirks and specialties too, so some research is probably needed before applying...

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KubusRubus In reply to timjo [2014-01-03 04:58:05 +0000 UTC]

Yes, they are very particular, you could even say "uptight" about knowing the language. Now there's a dying art, engraving, I could never get the hold of a graver right except for the "diamond cut" criss-cross on production bracelets...

Yes, definitely, also money is needed, and it would be nice if it was lacking, but I am in the red.

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timjo In reply to GeshaR [2013-11-24 19:12:25 +0000 UTC]

Thanks a lot!

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