Why it is essential to upskill as a jeweller in 2026 with emma René (podcast episode)
If you are feeling stuck or ready for more in your jewellery journey, upskilling could be the key to moving forward in 2026. In this week’s episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast, jeweller Emma René shares how investing in her skills through the Diploma in Fine Jewellery has helped her build confidence, refine her craft and rethink the direction of her business. Discover why upskilling is becoming essential for jewellers today and how it can open up new possibilities for your work and your income.
Listen now:
Key Moments from this Episode
00:02:00 – Introduction to the episode and topic of upskilling
00:03:57 – Emma’s journey into jewellery and starting Narratorium
From advertising art director to jewellery business owner, Emma shares how she began with minimal skills and big ideas.
00:06:11 – Early challenges: outsourcing vs making in-house
Emma talks about working with a manufacturer and why she chose to bring production back into her own hands.
00:08:35 – Balancing business, family and growth over time
How Emma built her business alongside raising a family and how things shifted as her children got older.
00:08:58 – Reaching a plateau and deciding to upskill
Emma shares why she felt ready for the next step and what prompted her to join the Fine Diploma.
00:11:14 – Why structured learning makes a difference
The value of formal training versus trial and error, and how it accelerates growth.
00:11:58 – Exploring new skills: gemstones and stone setting
Emma talks about overcoming hesitation around working with gemstones and expanding her skillset.
00:14:17 – First impressions of the Fine Diploma
What it’s like to start the course, including time commitment and early challenges.
00:16:08 – The power of mentoring and community support
How regular mentor sessions and peer learning enhance the experience.
00:16:22 – The impact of expert feedback on confidence
Why detailed, constructive feedback is so valuable for jewellers.
00:18:23 – Early growth and building confidence through projects
Emma reflects on how her skills and confidence are already evolving.
00:20:41 – Shifting towards fine jewellery and a new business direction
Moving from volume production to creating high-end, limited-edition pieces.
00:23:28 – Navigating business pivots and industry changes
How external factors like metal prices influence decisions and direction.
00:25:19 – Building confidence with higher-value materials
Working with gold and gemstones, and overcoming fear through training.
00:27:35 – Favourite projects so far on the Diploma
Highlights include Keum Boo, reticulation and collet setting.
00:29:45 – Sharing the journey through Diploma Diaries
Emma talks about documenting her progress and learning publicly.
00:32:04 – Advice for jewellers considering upskilling
Emma shares why investing in your skills is worth it and encourages others to take the leap.
If you are a jeweller in 2026, upskilling is no longer just a nice idea for ‘someday’. It is becoming an essential part of building a sustainable, profitable and fulfilling jewellery business.
Many jewellers begin by learning the basics, developing a style, selling their work and gradually building confidence. But there often comes a point where the skills that got you started are no longer enough to take you where you want to go next. You may want to create more advanced pieces. You may want to work with gemstones, improve your stone setting, move into fine jewellery, increase your prices or make work that feels more aligned with the level you know you are capable of. You may simply feel ready for a new chapter.
In our latest Jewellers Academy podcast episode, Jess speaks to jeweller Emma Rene about her journey as a current student on the Diploma in Fine Jewellery. Together, they explore what it means to upskill as a jeweller, why it matters and how investing in your training can transform both your confidence and your business.
Why upskilling matters more for jewellers in 2026
The jewellery industry is always evolving, but in 2026 many jewellers are feeling increased pressure to be more adaptable, more skilled and more intentional in how they grow their businesses.
For some, that is because customer expectations are higher. For others, it is because material costs have changed, profit margins feel tighter or the market feels more competitive than it once did. Many jewellers are also asking deeper questions about the kind of work they want to create and whether their current skills truly support that vision.
Upskilling helps you respond to all of this.
Rather than staying stuck in the same cycle of making the same pieces, charging the same prices and hitting the same limitations, learning new jewellery making skills can open up fresh possibilities. It can help you improve your craftsmanship, expand your design options and move towards work that is more distinctive, more advanced and often more profitable too.
There comes a point where trial and error is not enough
Many jewellers are incredibly resourceful. They learn from short courses, YouTube videos, books, experimentation and experience at the bench. That can take you a long way.
But there often comes a stage where trial and error starts to become expensive.
When you are working with more valuable materials, more complex techniques or ambitious designs, mistakes cost more. Progress can also feel slower when you are trying to figure everything out on your own.
In the podcast, Emma shares that she had been running her jewellery business for around ten years and had built strong silversmithing skills over time but she had never done formal training in fine jewellery. Much of what she had learned came through experience, community and practice. Eventually, she reached a point where she wanted a more structured way to grow.
That is such a relatable stage in a jeweller’s journey.
There is huge value in learning by doing, but there is also huge value in expert guidance, a clear framework and dedicated time to develop advanced jewellery skills properly.
Upskilling helps you move from making jewellery to mastering your craft
One of the biggest benefits of upskilling is that it changes how you see yourself.
You stop just ‘getting by’ with the skills you already have and start building real confidence in the next level of your work.
That might mean:
improving your stone setting
learning to work with gold
creating more refined settings from scratch
developing fine jewellery techniques
understanding higher-end finishes
gaining confidence with more complex designs
improving quality, precision and consistency
Emma talks in the episode about how the Diploma in Fine Jewellery has pushed her, challenged her and helped her recognise that her foundations are stronger than she realised. That kind of growth matters. Often, what jewellers need is not just more information, but the experience of putting new skills into practice and seeing themselves rise to the challenge.
Feedback is one of the most overlooked parts of jewellery training
One of the most powerful insights in this episode is how valuable real feedback can be.
As a jeweller, you may have customers who love your work. You may have friends, followers or people at markets telling you your jewellery is beautiful. That encouragement matters, of course, but it is not the same as expert feedback.
Constructive guidance from an experienced jeweller helps you understand not only what is working, but what could be stronger. It gives you clarity and sharpens your eye. It builds confidence based on something real.
Emma shares how meaningful it was to receive detailed marking feedback from her mentor on the course. Having an expert assess her work, recognise the strengths and point out areas for improvement gave her something many jewellers rarely get: honest, skilled feedback without judgement.
That kind of support can make a huge difference when you are trying to improve your jewellery making skills and grow into more advanced work.
Upskilling can help you pivot your jewellery business
For many jewellers, upskilling is not only about technique - it is also about direction.
Sometimes a business reaches a point where what used to work no longer feels right. Sales may have slowed. Your designs may no longer excite you. The price point you have been working at may feel difficult to sustain. Or perhaps you simply know you want something more.
That does not always mean starting over - sometimes it means evolving.
In the episode, Emma speaks openly about wanting to move Narratorium towards more fine jewellery, with beautiful limited-edition pieces and a higher-end feel. Rather than trying to compete on volume or lower prices, she is choosing to invest in new skills and create work with greater depth, craftsmanship and value.
This is such an important message for jewellers in 2026.
Upskilling can help you pivot with purpose. It can support you in moving towards the kind of jewellery business you actually want, rather than staying trapped in a model that no longer fits.
You do not need to stop everything to learn
A lot of jewellers delay upskilling because they assume they do not have the time.
They are already making, selling, marketing, parenting, working part-time or managing all the moving parts of life and business. The idea of adding study on top can feel overwhelming.
But structured learning can actually create momentum rather than drain it.
Emma talks about doing the Diploma in Fine Jewellery alongside running her business and raising two children. She shares that while she had concerns about time at first, the course structure made it manageable, and the regular rhythm of projects, mentoring and support helped her stay engaged and keep moving forward.
This is an important reminder that you do not have to wait for the ‘perfect time’ to invest in your growth. In fact, often the best time to upskill is when you know you need a change, fresh energy or a stronger foundation for what comes next.
Why the Diploma in Fine Jewellery is such a valuable next step
If you know you are ready to improve your jewellery skills, build confidence and move into more advanced work, the Diploma in Fine Jewellery offers a powerful pathway.
The course is designed for jewellers who want to deepen their technical skills, work at a higher level and gain experience in areas such as stone setting and fine jewellery techniques. But beyond the practical skills, it also offers something equally important: structure, accountability, feedback and a sense of progression.
That combination is often what turns learning into real transformation.
For jewellers who are ready to stop dabbling and start developing their craft in a more serious, supported way, it can be the bridge between where you are now and where you want to go next.
Is 2026 the year to upskill as a jeweller?
If you have been asking yourself what your next step is, this may be the sign you need.
Upskilling as a jeweller in 2026 is not about chasing perfection. It is about growth. It is about giving yourself the skills, confidence and support to create better work, make stronger business decisions and build a jewellery practice that can evolve with you.
Whether you want to improve your craftsmanship, explore fine jewellery, gain confidence with stone setting or pivot your business in a new direction, investing in your learning could be one of the most important decisions you make this year.
Listen to the episode and explore the Diploma
If this resonates with you, listen to our latest podcast episode with Emma Rene, where she shares her experience of upskilling through the Diploma in Fine Jewellery and what the journey has been like so far.
And if you are ready to take the next step in your own jewellery journey, you can also learn more about the Diploma in Fine Jewellery and see whether it is the right fit for you.
Learn more about Jewellers Academy
Join the Jewellers Academy Facebook Group
want to become a fine jeweller?
The Diploma in Fine Jewellery is a one-year, part-time online course designed for jewellers who want to take their skills to the next level and begin working confidently with precious materials such as gold, silver and gemstones. Building on the foundations of silver jewellery making, the course focuses on advanced techniques including stone setting, working with gold, and creating professional fine jewellery pieces. Through structured weekly projects, expert tuition and mentor support, students develop the precision, confidence and technical ability needed to produce high-quality jewellery and take their craftsmanship further.
The programme is designed as the second year of the Jewellers Academy diploma pathway and is ideal for intermediate jewellers ready to refine their skills and expand their creative possibilities.
Ready to take your jewellery making to the next level?
Learn more about the Diploma in Fine Jewellery and enrol here:
about emma
Emma René is the founder of Narratorium, a jewellery brand she launched around ten years ago after leaving a career as an art director in advertising to pursue her own creative path. Starting with minimal formal training, Emma built her business through hands-on experience, developing strong silversmithing skills while balancing motherhood and running her business. Now a student on the Diploma in Fine Jewellery with Jewellers Academy, she is expanding her expertise into areas such as stone setting and fine jewellery techniques, with a focus on evolving her work towards more refined, high-end, story-led pieces.
CONNECT WITH EMMA
your next listen
If you’ve enjoyed this episode and want more to hear more jewellery business journey stories, check out these episodes:
Running a Fine Jewellery Business with the Rising Cost of Metals with Goldsmith April Dace
New Projects for the Fine Diploma with Anelia Kuprina
Recycling Precious Metals for Jewellers with Mark Cutler of Mastermelt