Today jewellery design as a career is steadily grabbing international attention. India has produced award-winning jewellery and accessory designers.

(A) The Prospects

Growing at the rate of 30 per cent annually, the gem and jewellery industry is the largest foreign exchange earner for India. (The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) envisages an export target of $16 billion in 2007). In the last five years, India has moved up five notches to emerge as the third largest diamond jewellery market in the world. And now, like its international counterpart, the relatively new branded and "hallmarked" jewellery segment is all set to touch a new high. So, all in all, if you have a flair for design and can take the hi-precision detailing in your stride, it’s a great field to be in. Jewellery design as the name suggests, deals with the designing of ornaments - precious, costume or junk jewellery. Accordingly, jewellery designers work with precious and other metals, gems, precious and semi-precious stones, terracotta, glass and wooden beads, plastic, cowrie shells, etc.

Trained designers usually work for established jewelers and are employed by precious and costume jewellery-manufacturing firms, buying agencies and large jewellery exporters and showrooms. Initially, it may be a good idea to work with a couple of established jewellery designers to learn the ropes. Even hi-fashion jewellery magazines like G & J that showcase the latest trends in jewellery design recruit upcoming designers. Yet another option is teaching — either as regular or part-time faculty in a reputed design school. Of course, with some experience, you can even launch into marketing of designer or costume jewellery on your own.

Customized jewellery is highly in vogue today. Consultancy has come up in a big way to cater to this demand. If you follow the regional trends and have an in-depth knowledge of gemstones you can become a consultant and advise customers on what to buy and at what rate.

(B) The Job

1.) Design accessories for men's, ladies or children's

2.) Create new designs for gold, silver and precious metal jewellery

3.) Specialize in leather designing /jewellery designing etc

4.) Carry out detailed research about the accessory to work on

5.) Crafts people work to prepare each article individually

6.) Sell through local outlets, at tourist destinations, emporia and through craft melas

7.) Gemologists are experts in assessing the quality, value and use of gems for jewelers. They are experts in grading, sorting and setting of gems in various metals.

(C) Personality Traits

1.) Creative

2.) Eye for detail

3.) Keen observation

4.) Fashion awareness

5.) Precision

6.) Meticulous

7.) Awareness and understanding of gems / metals etc.

(D) Career Progression

As a fresher, it is best to start your career working for an established jewellery designer so that you can learn the ropes. As an experienced professional, you can then look at starting out on your own as a designer or a consultant.

(E) Salaries

As with most creative fields, the work is tedious and the rise is steep. It is advisable for new entrants to first find work with an established designer, or jewellery house, and learn the ropes. At this stage, the pay scales are not very high. A fresher could earn anything between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. Once you have established a name for yourself, you can command your own price, depending on the exclusivity of the design, and the clientele you are catering to.

(F) Study Routes

Class XII – one can look at any stream.

After Class XII - Courses in gem and jewellery designing are short duration programmes. Most courses can be taken after class XII. The courses, mainly diploma, vary in duration. Accessory design course at National Institute of Fashion Technology is a 3 year course. Accessory design offers specialization in leather goods, jewellery and designing of accessories to accompany garments.

Places to Study

1.) NIFT Campus, Opp. Gulmohar Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi - 110 016 – 3 year diploma after Std. XII

2.) Srimati Nathibai Damodar Training (SNDT) Women's University, Mumbai.

3.) Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Rajasthan Bhavan, Jaipur - 302 003.

4.) Jewellery Export Promotion Council, D-15 Commerce Centre, Tardeo, Mumbai-400 034.

5.) Jewellery Design and Technology Institute (JDTI), Noida offers four long term courses and twelve specialised short term courses.

Gemology

Courses in gemology are conducted at the following institutes

1.) Gemology Institute of India, 29, Gurukul Chambers, Mumbadevi Road, Mumbai - 400 002. Courses are in grading and cutting of gems and diamonds.

2.) Gemstones Artisans Training school, Jhalana Mahal, Jaipur - 302 017. Courses are in cutting and polishing of diamonds and coloured stones.

3.) Indian Gemological Institute, Nirmal Towers 10th Floor, 26, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi - 110 001.

4.) Indian Diamond Institute, Sumul Dairy Road, Katargam Post Box 508, Surat - 395 008. (The Institute conducts courses in Jewellery Design and machine cast jewellery manufacturing, Diamonds sorting/grading/bruting/ polishing/sawing and in computer aided jewellery designing).

5.) St.Xavier's College, Geology Department, Mumbai - 400 001. Small Industries Service Institute, 65/1, GST Road, Chennai - 600 032.

Diploma courses

(a) National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) conducts several courses.

Addresses for correspondence :

1.) NIFT Campus, Hauz Khas, Near Gulmohar Park, New Delhi 110016

2.) NIFT, Tata Mills Compound, Dada Saheb Phalke Mg., Dadar (E), Mumbai 400014

3.) NIFT, Manjusha Bhavan, 181, Sector III, 1B Block, Salt Lake City, Calcutta 700091

4.) NIFT, Plot E/4, GIDC Electronic Estate, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) 382044

5.) NIFT, Opp. Hitech City, Madhapur, Jubli Hills, Hyderabad 500134

6.) NIFT, Cooptex Building, Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai 600008

7.) NIFT, The Karnataka State Co-op Mktg., Federation Building, No. 8 Cunnigham Road, Bangalore 560052 .