Pavé Setting with Niall Paisley

Delivered in person at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, this course will help you with:

• Precision and expertise: With the guidance of our tutor, you will develop a high degree of precision in metal preparation and stone setting. Precision is crucial in jewellery making, and honing this skill can enhance the overall quality of your pieces. Clients often seek jewellers who demonstrate exceptional attention to detail and craftsmanship.
• Efficiency and cost-effectiveness: The course touches on important practical aspects such as understanding the correct size and materials tolerance for your setting. This knowledge is invaluable in cost estimation, ensuring that you are using materials efficiently and minimising waste. Plus, learning how to prepare and adjust equipment to your specific needs, including tool sharpening, can streamline your production process, saving you time and resources.
• Enhanced precision and quality: We promise to guide you to a high degree of precision in metal preparation. This precision is crucial for achieving flawless pavé setting, where each stone is perfectly aligned and secured.
• Professional finishing techniques: The course will not only focus on setting stones, but you will also learn about the importance of finishing and preparing your work for polishing to achieve commercial-grade finishes. This attention to detail in the final stages of your jewellery piece can significantly elevate the perceived value of your work and will speak to higher-end clients.
• Complex design handling: We aim to teach you how to mark out, drill, and set stones in complex designs. This skill is particularly beneficial as it enables you to work on intricate and elaborate jewellery pieces. As you become proficient in handling complex designs, you will expand your portfolio and cater to a broader range of client preferences.

The course covers:

• Accurately marking out and drilling for setting.
• Using your tools and equipment to ensure precision practice.
• Different styles of grain patterns will be demonstrated: single, 4 and 5 grains.
• Cut down setting.
• Castellation setting.
• Step by step demonstration followed by a series of practical setting exercises to build up confidence and understanding of the pave setting technique.
• Troubleshooting and problem solving.

• Basic tool kit.
• Protective clothing or clothing you do not mind getting dirty e.g. apron and closed toe shoes.

Optional:

• Spectacles or head visor (if required) to work on small details.
• You can bring your own spritz stick, scorper and other setting tools.
• Notebook and pen.

You will be provided with:

• Practice plates.
• Drill bits and burr as required.
• CZ’s in required size and quantity.
• Silver ring blank.
• All tools including Spritz stick, scorper and pusher.
• Files and other materials to make some tools.
• Buff sticks.

• Intermediate: Practical experience and understanding of listed skills required.

At the intermediate level, you should have prior experience in a workshop environment and be able to work independently on fundamental tasks. You should be comfortable with processes such as piercing, filing, and soldering, and possess a working knowledge of workshop tools and techniques. This level focuses on refining basic skills, introducing more complex tasks, and developing the ability to troubleshoot and work with greater precision and autonomy.

We believe that talent should not be held back. Here at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we are open, accessible and inclusive to all. Our Access Grants help anyone to build thriving creative careers, supporting jewellers, silversmiths and allied industry practitioners to access our training courses for free.

If you need help to cover fees for our business and technical skills short courses, please apply for one of our Access Grants. To find out more and read our application criteria, click here

The Access Grants are delivered by the Goldsmiths' Centre and funded by the Goldsmiths’ Company Charity.