The 6 Best Online Jewelry-Making Classes of 2023 (2024)

Best Overall: Skillshare

Skillshare is a popular and growing database of online courses ranging from web development to creative writing. Its course catalog becomes richer as more teachers sign up to teach, and its reach grows. As far as jewelry-making classes go, Skillshare has some great options.

Each Skillshare course includes student reviews, video previews, instructor bios, and a discussion forum. In the discussion forum, you can get a feel for the issues students have run into while taking the course.

This company is currently hosting 54 jewelry-making classes that vary in the skill required and the depth of content. Some courses have a runtime of 10 minutes, and others have hours worth of material to view. Its most popular jewelry-making class will teach you how to make rings out of silver wire.

If you want to take some of Skillshare's classes without a significant investment, sign up for its 7-day unlimited class pass. If you love the courses, you can try out its premium membership for approximately $14 a month ($165 billed annually). If you have a team, you can check out Skillshare for Teams, which starts at $159 per person per year for a team of two to 19 people. Both memberships will give you access to the entire course catalog.

Best Budget: Beaducation

Want a budget-friendly option? How about free classes? Not all free jewelry-making content is created equal, but there are some quality options out there. Beaducation's primary function is a tool supply shop. However, it has invested a lot of time building up its free jewelry-making class section. In total, there are almost 200 free jewelry-making classes on its site that explore a wide range of jewelry-making topics.

If you’re new to jewelry making and don’t want to make an investment up front, check out some of Beaducation's beginner tutorials. Each course description includes a list of the necessary course materials, course run time, and related courses.

You don’t have to purchase your supplies from this company. But if you do, all of the necessary supplies are itemized and priced below the course video. You even have the option of adding the jewelry supplies directly to your cart from this list. By purchasing from Beaducation, you’ll be supporting the creation of additional free jewelry-making courses and helping a small business.

Best Class Options: Udemy

Udemy is a distance-learning platform that hosts thousands of courses on a variety of topics. Each class has features that help Udemy stand out from other sites. For example, you can see dozens of student reviews, see how many people completed the course, watch previews, and learn about the instructor before purchasing.

This service has the most comprehensive library of jewelry-making courses, which is ideal if you want to compare your options. Some popular courses include Wire Wrapping for Beginners and Professional Pearl and Bead Stringing. The wire-wrapping course has been taken more than 6,000 times and includes over 1,000 reviews—most of them being positive.

To access these jewelry-making courses, you’ll need to sign up for a Udemy account and then purchase each course on an individual basis. The prices range from free to $100, and the classes often go on sale. If you are part of a business, you can apply for some membership options; for example, the Team plan for five to 20 users is $360 per person per year, and users get access to over 9,000 courses.

Best for Trendy Jewelry: Creative Live

Creative Live is another online-learning platform similar to Skillshare and Udemy. However, Creative Live focuses on creative coursework, such as photography, graphic design, and music. This company also has a growing library of jewelry-making courses, and there are currently 14 that you can browse.

One thing you’ll notice about the online jewelry classes on Creative Live is the finished jewelry is very trendy. These courses highlight current jewelry styles and will teach you a broad range of skills, including metalsmithing, wireworking, and bezel setting.

Each course on Creative Live is sold individually, and prices range from $29 to $49. If you intend to sign up for more than one class, look into the subscription options starting over $12 a month.

The most popular class is Foundations in Metalsmithing, taught by Megan Auman. The course includes 21 video lessons and more than four hours of content. You can access the course on desktop or mobile, and there is a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Best for Fine Jewelry: Jewellers Academy

Many jewelers who create fine jewelry learn their skills through apprenticeship programs and in-person education. However, you can learn more about silversmithing and goldsmithing online, too. Jewellers Academy hosts a growing library of fine jewelry-making courses that are professionally filmed and filled with downloadable notes.

Jessica Rose is the founder of Jewellers Academy. Rose has been teaching people how to make jewelry since 2008. She has trained over one million people online and in person. She has enlisted the help of other jewelry industry professionals to create additional lessons.

Some course options include Polishing and Finishing, Stone Setting and Soldering, and Wedding Ring Making. Most courses are purchased on an individual basis, and you can also browse some of its free course options, such as this stone-setting lesson.

To gain access to the entire course library, you can sign up for a membership for around $355 a year. As a member, you’ll also be able to attend monthly online masterclasses, get access to core business courses, and get exclusive discounts on supplies.

Best for Businesses: New York Institute of Art and Design

If you want to make a living from jewelry making, consider enrolling in a program that caters to handmade-jewelry businesses. The New York Institute of Art and Design offers a jewelry-making curriculum that can help you transform from a hobbyist into a full-fledged business owner.

The institute is an online-only school that is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission and licensed by the New York State Education Department. Each course in this program is created by jewelry design professionals who also serve as mentors.

Prospective jewelry designers can request the school's free course catalog to see whether the program would be a good fit. Courses cover topics including bead and wire working, selling jewelry online for profit, and creating a marketable brand.

If you’re not sold after reading the course catalog, it’s worth noting that the program offers a 14-day money-back guarantee. Once you enroll, you’ll have 18 months to complete the course on a self-paced schedule. Keep in mind that you won’t receive a standard diploma after you complete the coursework, but you will get a New York Institute of Art and Design certificate in Jewelry Design. There are two tuition payment plans to choose from: a pay-in-full plan for roughly $800 or a monthly payment plan that totals $1,089.