I actually took the jewelry design course with the Sheffield School when I started making jewelry about a year ago, because I was really serious about it; I felt it was important to master the art and have great techniques. I can say that it was very useful to me and I would recommend it if you truly have the funds. However, like the others said it’s not mandatory you can find a lot of great techniques (some of which they teach at the school) online at very reasonable, affordable prices and buy only the classes that interest you.

Some tech schools offer classes on jewelry making. I teach 2 classes myself. I use Teach Yourself Visually: Jewelry Making by Chris Franchetti Michaels as my textbook.

For seniors over 62, $4 gets them 24 hours of instruction on techniques from beading, chain maille, wire-working, wire wrapping cabs, Viking knit, Kumihimo, stamping & riveting and more in a class size of only 4-6 people.

Where else can you get a deal like that?

I am not very familiar with the Sheffield school although I have received promotional flyers from them. I did take a course at a similar school (Ashworth) for jewelry design and repair and the design portion was nothing that I didn’t already know or could learn elsewhere for free. I can’t say I got anything from it except the bills.

You can really learn everything you need to know about the business end right here and there are so many free online resources for inspiration and design.
Good luck with your jewelry business!

When I wanted to be a Floral Designer years ago, I did a home study course and got my floral design/florist certificate because the place I wanted to work required one.

I can honestly say that all my real training happened on my own and as I worked in the field. I am also a certified yoga instructor, and it is also a field where certification is pretty much a requirement.

Now, with my jewellery, I considered again if I should get some type of certification, but I don’t feel that it would be a benefit to me at this time. I can learn what I need or want to elsewhere, and it doesn’t seem to me to be something that is required to do what I want to do. And the cost is a big factor as well.

But you need to do what feels right for you. I don’t know anything about the school itself.

I don’t have any info for you about the Sheffield School – but I don’t think you necessarily need to go to school for what you want to do.

I’m a completely self-taught jewelry artist, and a self-taught businessperson (as are many of our fellow jewelry artists here!) 🙂

You can pick up a lot of jewelry making skills and knowledge from books, magazines, and the Internet. Your artistic background will probably give you a jump-start with designing jewelry.

And you’re lucky you have a photography background – you’ll have much less of a learning curve when it comes to getting good photos of your jewelry!

Of course going to school may be a good option too – I just wanted to offer the idea that it’s not the only option to get where you want to go.