Service Description

Discover the art of securely and beautifully setting gemstones in this five-day Summer School intensive with experienced jeweller and tutor Debbie Bishop. Stone setting is one of the most rewarding—and often most challenging—skills in jewellery making. It requires patience, precision and an understanding of how metal and stone work together. Throughout this immersive week you'll build confidence in a range of traditional stone-setting techniques while developing the practical skills needed to achieve clean, secure and professional results. Working with a selection of cabochons and faceted stones, you'll explore a variety of setting styles including bezel (cabochon) settings, tube settings, flush (burr) settings and claw settings. As your understanding grows, you'll gain insight into when each technique is most appropriate, how to prepare settings accurately, and how thoughtful planning leads to stronger, more refined jewellery. With many years of teaching experience, Debbie creates a supportive learning environment that encourages careful observation, skill development and individual progress. Through demonstrations, hands-on practice and plenty of one-to-one guidance, you'll have the opportunity to refine your techniques, ask questions and develop confidence working with both stones and precious metals. Whether you're looking to expand your jewellery-making skills, improve your existing setting techniques, or gain the confidence to start incorporating gemstones into your own designs, this Summer School offers the time and space to immerse yourself in one of the most satisfying areas of jewellery fabrication. Held at Workspace Studios in Christchurch, this Summer School includes a generous materials pack, with additional stones and metals available to purchase should you wish to extend your projects or continue experimenting throughout the week. Suitable for: Jewellers and makers with basic jewellery-making experience who are ready to develop their stone-setting skills. Enthusiastic beginners are also welcome!