What I Gained from the Silver Jewellery Diploma (and Why I’m Doing Wax Next) with Kelly Twigg (podcast episode)
If you have ever wondered whether a jewellery diploma is really worth it, this episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast offers a brilliant, honest answer.
In this conversation, Jessica Rose is joined by jeweller, tutor and Instagram favourite Kelly Twigg to talk about her journey from a self-taught maker to completing the Diploma in Silver Jewellery at Jewellers Academy, and why she is now going on to join the Diploma in Wax Jewellery.
Kelly’s story is one that will resonate with many jewellers. She came to jewellery making as a second career after leaving the Royal Navy, raising her children, and searching for something creative and fulfilling that could become her next chapter. What started with collecting sea glass on the beaches of Hampshire grew into a jewellery business, a loyal Instagram community, teaching opportunities, and a deep commitment to continuing to learn.
This episode is a powerful reminder that learning does not stop once you start selling your work - in many ways, that is when it becomes even more important.
listen now
In this episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast, Jessica Rose and Kelly Twigg discuss:
how Kelly built a jewellery business after leaving the Royal Navy
why Instagram became an important source of community and connection
what it was like to complete the Diploma in Silver Jewellery
how structured jewellery training accelerates learning
why Kelly is joining the Diploma in Wax Jewellery next
how to choose the right jewellery diploma for your goals and style
why investing in your skills can have a bigger impact than buying more tools
From self-taught jeweller to structured learning
Like many makers, Kelly began by teaching herself. She built skills over time, learned by doing, and found her own way into metalsmithing through making sea glass jewellery. But after several years in business, she realised there were techniques she still had not tackled and probably never would on her own.
That is what made the Diploma in Silver Jewellery such a turning point.
Rather than trying to piece together learning in a random or inconsistent way, Kelly found that the structured format of the diploma helped her commit, build momentum and improve much faster. Having projects delivered in a clear order across the academic year meant she could focus on one skill at a time and actually follow through.
This is something many jewellers struggle with. It is easy to keep putting off the techniques that feel fiddly, technical or intimidating. Stone setting, cast settings, straight-line sawing, or more advanced soldering often stay on the ‘one day’ list for years. A jewellery diploma changes that by giving you support, deadlines, accountability and a proven route through the skills.
Why structured jewellery training matters
One of the most valuable insights from Kelly in this episode is that the diploma did not just teach her new techniques - it also dramatically improved the skills she thought she already had.
Soldering is a great example. Kelly went into the Diploma in Silver Jewellery feeling reasonably confident with soldering, but through the repeated practice of different projects she saw her ability improve exponentially. The diploma pushed her to work with more precision, more control and more confidence than ever before.
That is often what happens with structured jewellery making courses. They do not only introduce new methods. They strengthen your fundamentals.
For jewellers who want to improve the quality of their work, become more confident at the bench and produce more professional results, this kind of in-depth jewellery training can be transformative.
Learning jewellery in community
Another theme that comes through strongly in this episode is the value of community.
Kelly shared her experience of the diploma publicly through her “Diploma Diaries”, a series of Instagram reels showing what she was making, what she was learning and where she was getting stuck. What started as a way to document her journey became something much bigger: a source of encouragement, connection and support.
For self-employed jewellers, working alone can be isolating. One of the great benefits of studying through Jewellers Academy is that you are not doing it in a vacuum. You are learning alongside other jewellers in the Facebook groups, mentor groups and live sessions. You can ask questions, celebrate progress, share frustrations and realise that everyone has highs and lows in their jewellery making journey.
That sense of community matters.
Sometimes what keeps you going is not just the tutorial or the deadline. It is knowing that other jewellers understand exactly what it feels like to struggle with a tricky project, redo a setting, or finally get something right after multiple attempts.
Choosing the right jewellery diploma for you
A really useful part of this episode is hearing Kelly talk about why she chose the Diploma in Silver Jewellery first, and why the Diploma in Wax Jewellery feels like the right next step.
This is a question many jewellers ask. Should you move on to fine jewellery? Wax carving? Silver metal clay? Advanced techniques?
Kelly’s answer is refreshingly grounded. She chose based on the kind of jewellery she actually wants to make.
Although she loved learning about gemstones and enjoyed developing technical skills, she knew that traditional fine jewellery was not the natural fit for her style or her business. What excited her more was the creative freedom of wax: more sculptural forms, more tactile surfaces, more three-dimensional ideas, and the ability to create designs that would not translate as easily in sheet and wire.
It is a great reminder that the best jewellery course for you is not always the most advanced or the most traditional. It is the one that supports the work you want to create.
Photographed above - projects from the Diploma in Wax Jewellery with Jewellers Academy
Why wax jewellery is growing in popularity
Jess also shares that interest in the Diploma in Wax Jewellery has been even stronger than expected, and it is easy to see why.
Wax carving and wax building techniques open up a completely different way of designing jewellery. Instead of constructing everything in metal from the beginning, jewellers can work more freely, create organic or sculptural forms, and then have pieces cast. For many students, that offers both creative freedom and practical advantages.
Kelly talks about how appealing wax feels because it reduces some of the stress she experiences around soldering. She loves gemstones and wants to create beautiful stone-set pieces, but the risk of soldering intricate settings in precious metal can feel high pressure. Wax offers another route: designing and refining the piece in wax first, then casting it, with less of that same anxiety around construction.
This makes wax jewellery especially attractive for jewellers who want to explore bold forms, textured designs, statement pieces and more organic aesthetics.
Investing in skills rather than more tools
One of the standout moments in the episode is Kelly’s reflection on the value of investing in training.
Jewellers often find it easier to justify spending money on tools, metal or gemstones because those things are visible and tangible - you can see what you’ve bought. Training can feel harder to quantify, especially when money is tight.
But Kelly makes the point beautifully: your skills are likely to give you a greater return on your investment than any tool.
When you improve your making, your confidence and your technical ability, everything changes. You make better jewellery. You solve problems faster. You work more efficiently. You are able to charge more appropriately for your work. You create pieces that are stronger, more refined and more aligned with your ideas.
For anyone hesitating over investing in a jewellery diploma, that is a powerful mindset shift.
Jewellery making as a long-term journey
There is something deeply reassuring in this conversation about the idea that you never stop learning as a jeweller.
Jess and Kelly both reflect on how their tastes, interests and skills have changed over time. Techniques they once avoided have become favourites. Ideas they never imagined exploring have become exciting new directions. That is part of what makes jewellery such a rich and rewarding craft.
You do not have to learn everything at once. But there is always something new to discover.
Whether you are just starting out, returning to jewellery after a break, building a second career, or growing an established business, continued learning keeps the process alive. It keeps your creativity engaged. It helps your business evolve. And it reminds you why you fell in love with making in the first place.
Advice for jewellers considering a diploma
Kelly’s advice is simple: if you are on the fence, do it.
Her only wish is that she had done the diploma sooner. Looking back, she can see how much faster her skills developed during that one year of focused study than in the previous five years of trying to learn independently.
That will strike a chord for many jewellers. Waiting until you feel fully ready often means waiting forever. The reality is that learning is what gets you ready.
If you know you want to improve your jewellery making skills, grow your confidence and develop your business, the best time to begin may be sooner than you think.
Above images are projects from the Diploma in Silver Jewellery
Ready to take the next step with a diploma?
If Kelly’s story has inspired you, explore the Jewellers Academy diplomas and find the path that fits your style, goals and stage of business.
We have five one year online Diploma programs to choose from for different levels of learner from beginner to advanced level. We cover traditional silver and gold jewellery making methods, metal clay and wax jewellery.
about kelly
Kelly Twigg is a jeweller, tutor and sea glass specialist known for her beautifully crafted, tactile designs and her generous approach to sharing knowledge with the jewellery community. After a career in the Royal Navy, she built a successful jewellery business inspired by the sea, combining collected sea glass with traditional metalsmithing techniques. Kelly is a graduate of the Diploma in Silver Jewellery at Jewellers Academy, teaches in Brighton, and is widely recognised for her engaging presence on Instagram (currently over 85k followers), where she supports and inspires fellow jewellers through honest insights and practical tips. She is currently working on her first book on sea glass jewellery and continuing to develop her skills through further study in wax jewellery.