Jewelry 6 - Gold
Wednesdays, February 19, 2025 - February 26, 2025; 6:00PM - 9:00PM PT (Pacific Time)
The warm luster of gold is synonymous with the beauty of jewelry. But working in gold can be intimidating. Take the leap with our helpful guidance and learn how to fabricate in gold!
This workshop includes demonstrations of how to refine your gold scrap, how to alloy it back to the karat and color you desire, and how to cast it into ingots for making into sheet or wire. Our demonstrations will highlight how to cast ingots safely in a home studio with common jewelry tools, as well as how to use a rolling mill to speed things up. At school we have oxygen/propane little torches, but can also alloy and cast gold ingots with a butane torch.
This course is available as an in-person workshop or live online class. Please check this page for times and formats available.
Students fabricate a gold project, like a ring, earring or pendant with their own custom gold alloy ingot. Demonstrations include adapting your soldering techniques to gold, including options for solder, flux, temperature of the flame, etc.
Techniques covered:
• Fabricating jewelry gold
• Minimizing clean up after soldering and protecting metals from scale
• Refining gold scrap
• Alloying gold to karat and color (yellow, rose, green, and white)
• Casting a gold ingot with common jewelry tools
• Using ingot molds and hotter torches to cast gold ingots
• Forging and rolling ingots into sheet and wire
• Annealing gold
• Assaying gold to determine it’s karat
Please note: After taking a level 2 jewelry fabrication workshop, level 3 fabrication classes (Jewelry 5 & 6) can be taken in any order.
Check out our free videos on how to set up to solder at home and how to use a home friendly butane torch to solder, how to set up to work at home (both a simple set up and with a jewelry bench).
A kit of materials is included with this class.
The kit does not include gold or gold solder. All students, online and in person, need to bring some gold to work with.
Gold - 3 pennyweight / 5 grams of 24KT gold or your own gold scrap from jewelry, etc.
Gold solder to match the alloy you’d like to make (14K or 18K for example, in yellow, green, rose or white; hard or medium solder recommended)
Tools.
Classes at our school include use of tools, with each student having their own bench to use during class. Online students will need to have their own tools (see the list of tools below). Feel free to contact us with any questions.
A full color handout is included with the class.
Create your own workbook with the beautiful handout that is downloadable for this workshop. Handouts include instructions for techniques and projects, reference charts and lots of information to support your learning.
Read what students have to say about our online classes on the testimonials page.
Tools Required for Online Students
This is a list of tools online students need to practice the techniques shown in class. (in-person students have tools to use at school)
A list of tools with links to recommended suppliers for the best prices will be sent to you after registration. If you have questions about the tool list, please contact us.
In addition to these tools, students will need basic jewelry fabrication tools, like the list from the Jewelry 1 - Basics course.
Digital scale (must measure accurately to a 1/10th of a gram or pennyweight)
Gold - 3 pennyweight / 5 grams of 24KT gold or your own gold scrap from jewelry, etc.
Gold solder to match the alloy you’d like to make (14 or 18KT for example, in yellow, green, rose or white; hard or medium solder recommended)
Prip’s flux recommended, but other fluxes are ok, too
Torch (a large butane torch, like a Blazer Big Shot, or other style bench torch (like a acetylene torch or oxygen/fuel torch, similar to a Smith Little Torch (acetylene or propane fine)
4 oz Cross peen hammer for forging, like a riveting hammer or goldsmithing hammer
Graphite stir rod
Hard charcoal block (recommend a separate one to use just for ingots, broken pieces ok)
#2 shade clip ons or safety glasses to protect your eyes during melting
N95 or similar dust mask
A computer, phone or tablet to use the free Zoom app for class
Prerequisites:
Students are recommended to have taken at least 2 jewelry fabrication classes before taking the gold class. For example, successful completion of Jewelry 1 ( either an in person or online class), and Jewelry 2, 3 or 4. Contact us if you have any questions.
Instructor:
If a class is online, or is a combination online and in-person session, all students receive a link to a recording of the class demonstrations. In-person only workshops are not recorded. For staff instructor classes, students have access to the recordings for one year. For guest instructors, access is 30 days.
If a kit is included with the class, online students will have them mailed to them. Kits for in-person students are delivered at the beginning of the first class. More information about the kit is included with the supplies list which is emailed after registration.
International students may be charged an additional amount for shipping, because of the increased cost to ship abroad. Also, shipments to other countries may incur a tariff payable by the student. International students are welcome to contact us re: these costs and options for their materials. Please be sure that the address with your payment is the correct one for shipping.
If this class is offered online, it uses the Zoom app/website. Through Zoom, you’ll be able to see demos and follow instructions, ask questions and interact with your instructor. Zoom is easy to use and free for students to use for class, and works on most devices, like phones (iPhone, Android, etc), tablets (iPads, etc), and computers (Mac or PC).
Your instructor is also available during free Zoom office hours for questions and help.
For classes that include work time, online students work at home or in their studio. All of our recommended tools and the kit materials are chosen to be home studio friendly. Links to preferred vendors are provided in the supplies list sent after registration. Some classes, like our short demo only classes, don't require tools or materials to attend.
We remain committed to keeping everyone as safe as possible while continuing to move forward and adapt to the current circumstances for our in person classes and open studios.
We recommend that in person students be vaccinated, but it's not required.
Face masks are encouraged while at the school, but no longer required. Students must bring a particulate face mask (N95, KN95, KF94 or similar) to protect against dust and particles when needed and required during class work time.
If you have tested positive for COVID, have symptoms that could be COVID, or feel ill, please don't come to class. Contact us for more information.
And now the fine print. Payment in full for class fees is due at the time of registration to reserve your place. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal. Checks and cash are accepted only if you register at school. If you mail a check, your registration is not processed until it clears and the class may fill during the wait.
If the workshop is canceled by our school for any reason, all class fees will be refunded, or you can transfer to another class, or you can keep a credit on account with us for future classes or purchases,
Students can cancel, receive a credit or refund, or transfer to another class up to 21 days before a workshop, whether it is online or in person. No cancellations are accepted after the 21-day deadline, however, we will do what we can to try and sell your place to a qualified student. If we can sell your place, you can receive a refund less a $50 cancellation fee, keep a credit on account with us, or apply your fees towards a transfer to another class.
If you can’t make it to class, you may send a participant who has the necessary prerequisites in your place. Please call or email us immediately with any changes in the student participant information. If a class includes an online section, your class will be recorded and you can watch later to make up a class you miss.
Students must be at least 15 years old to attend a class, and students under 18 must have a legal guardian sign our liability waiver form. We have had younger students attend classes, on a case by case basis. If you’re interested in enrolling your child, please call or email us.
If you sign up for a class and fail to have the required prerequisites as listed in the class description, you are still subject to the 21-day cancellation policy, listed above.
Lodging and meals are not included for in person classes.
If you don't come to class, there are no refunds, credits or transfers.
Upcoming Schedule
| Date & Times | Register |
| Wed. Feb 19, 6PM - 9PM PT (Pacific Time), Wed. Feb 26, 6PM - 9PM PT (Pacific Time) |