Diploma in Wax Jewellery 2026/27 live open day replay - Your Questions Answered
Thank you to everyone who joined me for the Diploma in Wax Jewellery open day. This is an exciting new Diploma program starting in September 2026. If you missed it, don’t worry. You can watch the replay now. You can also find answers to frequently asked questions below.
The Diploma in Wax Jewellery is an online course from Jewellers Academy. The program is a year running from September 2026 with the hand in date for the work being September 2027.
Wax is a brilliant medium if you love to experiment and you love more organic styles of jewellery. This Diploma course is suitable for complete beginners as well as those with some experience who already know they love working with wax.
You can see all the projects in the open day video above or check out the webpage
your Questions answered
What tools and materials do I need to complete the course?
We have tools and materials kits available and you can find the lists on this link.
https://www.jewellersacademy.com/diploma-in-wax-jewellery-tools-and-materials
Is the cost of casting included in the course fees, or extra?
You have complete flexibility with this course. You’re very welcome to enrol and simply enjoy the learning without completing the assessment - all of the content is released throughout the year, and you’ll have lifetime access to everything.
If you decide you’d love to work towards the Diploma qualification, part of the assessment involves having some of your pieces professionally cast. You’ll arrange this with a caster of your choice, and the casting cost is paid separately. This gives you the freedom to choose what works best for you and your budget.
What is the approximate cost of the casting?
During the Diploma, you’ll complete 13 cast pieces across the year. We estimate an average casting cost of around £30 per piece, this would total approximately £390. However, within these 13 pieces there are two larger items (including one cast-in-place and one Mitsuro piece), which are likely to cost more. When factoring in these pieces, along with shipping to and from the casting house, we recommend budgeting around £500 for castings over the year for small to medium-sized silver pieces.
This is a guide only. Your costs may be higher if you are casting larger pieces, using more expensive metals, working with a casting house that charges higher fees, or sending items individually rather than in batches. Equally, costs may be lower if you mostly make smaller pieces and batch your castings together.
Castings are spread throughout the year as follows:
7 castings in Term 1
3 castings in Term 2
3 castings in Term 3
As metal prices and casting fees vary by location and supplier, we can’t guarantee exact costs, but this guidance is intended to help you plan and budget confidently for the year ahead.
Do we use a specific caster or do we find one ourselves?
You’re free to use any wax caster you like. Many students enjoy researching and building relationships with casters locally or further afield. A quick Google search or asking for recommendations in jewellers’ Facebook groups is a great place to start.
What proportion of the course is focused on stone setting?
Stone setting is an exciting and valuable part of the course. You’ll learn flush, tube, cast-in-place, cabochon, and claw setting techniques. To get a really clear feel for how this fits into the overall journey, we recommend taking a look at the course plan and seeing which projects spark your interest.
If something goes wrong with a cast-in-place stone, will we have time to try again?
Yes - there’s plenty of time built in. The final assessment takes place in September 2027, so we strongly encourage doing your casting well in advance. That way, if anything doesn’t go quite to plan, you have time to adjust, remake, or refine your work.
You’ll need to achieve 60% to be awarded the Diploma, and even if a piece doesn’t work out perfectly, it’s still absolutely worth submitting. Your mentor’s feedback can be incredibly valuable for your learning and development.
Do casting houses do cast-in-place work, or would we need to sand cast ourselves?
When working with stones, we generally recommend using a professional casting house. They have the experience and equipment to handle cast-in-place work reliably and safely, which gives you the best possible outcome.
For stone setting projects, are the stones included in the materials kit?
Yes, gemstones are included in the materials kit. If you enjoy sourcing your own stones or have particular preferences, you’re also very welcome to use your own instead. Both options are completely supported.
Do you provide guidance on which stones can survive being cast in place?
Yes, a clear guide to stones suitable for cast-in-place work is included as part of the course, so you’ll feel confident making informed choices.
We recommend searching for heat proof stones e.g heat proof cubic zirconias or nano stones. Some natural stones like sapphires and diamonds can also take the heat of the cast in place process, although we recommend practicing with more affordable stones first!
Can we get moulds made from our wax carvings?
Absolutely. Making moulds from wax carvings is a common next step, especially for jewellers who want to reproduce and sell their designs. If you’re new to wax carving and curious about how this works, we also have a blog post that explains the process in more detail.