There’s something about September that always feels like a fresh start. Summer begins to wind down, routines return, evenings get a little cooler, and suddenly there’s more time to think about the things you’ve been meaning to try.
If learning a new skill has been sitting on your list for a while, autumn could be the perfect time to finally do it.
At Silver Works Jewellery School in Dublin, our jewellery-making courses are designed for everyone from complete beginners picking up a jeweller’s saw for the first time to experienced makers looking for the space and guidance to develop their own designs.
And the best part? You don’t need to consider yourself particularly artistic or creative to begin. Jewellery making is a practical craft made up of skills and techniques that can be learned, practised and developed over time.
Why Take Up a New Hobby This Autumn?
Once the busy summer months are over, autumn gives us a natural opportunity to reset our routines.
Instead of spending another evening scrolling or watching something on Netflix, having a weekly creative class in the diary gives you dedicated time to switch off from everything else and focus on making something with your hands.
Jewellery making is particularly satisfying because you can actually see your skills developing. From learning how to saw through metal to your first attempt at soldering or setting a gemstone, each new technique builds on the last.
It can be relaxing, challenging and incredibly rewarding – particularly when the end result is a piece of jewellery you made yourself.
Whether you want to discover a new hobby, meet other creative people, develop existing skills or even explore whether jewellery making could become something more serious, there are several ways to get started at Silver Works this autumn.
5-Week Introduction to Jewellery Making Course
Best for: Complete beginners who want to learn the fundamentals
If you’re ready to properly get stuck into jewellery making, our 5-Week Introduction to Jewellery Making Course is the place to start.
This curriculum-led, skills-based course is designed for complete beginners as well as anyone who has previous experience but feels a little rusty.
Across five weeks, you’ll be introduced to foundational goldsmithing techniques including piercing and drilling metal, forming and texturing rings, soldering, bezel stone setting and polishing.
You’ll work on set projects under the guidance of experienced goldsmiths, ultimately creating either a silver pierced pendant or a silver ring with a rub-over bezel setting.
Classes are kept small, giving you plenty of opportunity to ask questions, get individual guidance and build confidence at the bench as the weeks progress.
If your goal this autumn is to go from “I’d love to learn how to make jewellery” to actually understanding the fundamental techniques behind the craft, this is a brilliant place to begin.
Jewellery Skills Days 1, 2 & 3
Best for: Learning the core skills without committing to a weekly five-week course
Love the idea of our Introduction to Jewellery Making Course but struggling to commit to a class every week?
Our Jewellery Skills Days break many of the core skills from our Introduction course into three separate four-hour modules, taking place once a month across three consecutive months.
Each day focuses on a different part of the jewellery-making process:
Skills Day 1 – Piercing, Drilling & Ring Making
Learn how to cut designs from metal using a jeweller’s saw, drill accurately and begin forming, shaping and soldering rings.
Skills Day 2 – Platform Fabrication, Bezel Making & Soldering
Build on your skills by learning how jewellery structures and settings are constructed, including creating a bezel to securely hold a gemstone.
Skills Day 3 – Polishing & Stone Setting
Bring everything together by learning how to professionally refine and polish metal before placing and securing a gemstone into its setting.
It’s an ideal option if you want structured jewellery-making tuition but need something that fits more easily around work, family or a busy schedule.
5-Week Taster Course
Best for: Anyone who wants to try a little bit of everything
Not sure which area of jewellery making you’ll enjoy most?
You don’t have to choose yet.
Our 5-Week Taster Course lets complete beginners and hobbyists explore several different jewellery-making techniques before deciding where they might like to take their skills next.
Across the five weeks, you’ll try wax carving, metal clay, soldering, piercing and professional finishing and polishing.
You’ll carve and texture a wax ring ready for casting in silver, discover how metal clay can be transformed into jewellery, practise soldering, learn piercing techniques and finish your cast silver ring.
Different teachers lead the sessions, giving you the opportunity to learn from several experienced jewellery makers and discover different approaches to the craft.
By the end, you’ll have experimented with a wide range of techniques and created four pieces of jewellery yourself.
For the creatively curious who don’t quite know where to begin, this one is hard to beat.
7-Week Design & Make Course
Best for: Experienced students ready to work on their own designs
Already know the basics? Autumn can also be the perfect time to challenge yourself and take your jewellery-making skills further.
Our 7-Week Design & Make Course is an intermediate course created for people who already have some jewellery-making experience and understand basic metalsmithing techniques.
Rather than following one set project, this is your opportunity to develop your own jewellery design.
Bring along or sketch out your ideas and, over seven weeks, our experienced goldsmiths will help you work out how to turn them into finished pieces.
You’ll build on techniques learned in previous courses while receiving more individual guidance based on the specific project you’re creating.
With only six people in each class, there is plenty of opportunity for one-to-one support, experimentation and problem-solving along the way.
If you’ve already completed our Introduction to Jewellery Making Course – or have equivalent experience – and want to start developing your own ideas rather than following set projects, Design & Make is your next step.
Which Silver Works Jewellery Course Is Right for You?
Choosing your course really comes down to what you want from your new hobby.
I’m a complete beginner and want a solid foundation:
Start with our 5-Week Introduction to Jewellery Making Course.
I want to learn the core jewellery-making skills but can’t commit every week:
Try Jewellery Skills Days 1, 2 & 3.
I want to experiment and find out which type of jewellery making I enjoy:
Choose our 5-Week Taster Course.
I’ve already learned the basics and want to create my own designs:
Move on to our 7-Week Design & Make Course.
There’s no pressure to know exactly where jewellery making will take you when you begin. You might simply want something creative to look forward to each week. You might discover a technique you become completely hooked on. Or one course could be the beginning of a much longer jewellery-making journey.
Make This Autumn the One You Finally Try It
Starting a new hobby doesn’t have to mean being immediately good at it.
Part of the fun is being a beginner.
At Silver Works, our courses are taught by experienced jewellers and goldsmiths in small groups, giving you the space to ask questions, make mistakes, practise and gradually see your confidence grow.
You’ll learn real jewellery-making techniques, spend time away from screens and everyday routines, meet other people interested in making and creating – and have your own handmade jewellery to show for it.
So, if you’ve spent all year saying you’d love to try something creative, consider this your autumn sign.
Discover our jewellery-making courses in Dublin and find the right place to start your journey at the bench.