Joanna Hardy

Jewellery Foundation

£185
Level: Peer






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The difference between Peer & Expert levels

Both Peer and Expert levels provide:

  • Video lessons led by an expert tutor
  • Downloadable lesson notes
  • Practice assignments
  • Group learning in a 20-student online classroom
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes, and classroom

The Expert level additionally includes:

  • Personalized feedback and coaching from your tutor
  • Private messaging with your tutor
  • Certificate of completion
Level: Peer

Course overview

Jewellery expert and BBC Antiques Roadshow regular expert Joanna Hardy teaches you how to evaluate jewellery and gems and understand the heritage and value of jewellery pieces.

In the course, Joanna introduces you to the main gemstones: emerald, ruby, sapphire, pearl and diamond, and looks at how they are set in antique jewellery, as well as following their journeys from mine to market.

Recognised by

[1] Sapphire 'FEUILLE' brooch, René Boivin 1934, courtesy of Christie's. [2] Zambian Emeralds, courtesy of Gemfields. [3] Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond Mystery Set earclips.

You'll go on a virtual visit to the London Assay Office to understand the hallmarking process

  • discover jewels in the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths' collection;
  • talk with fine jeweller Shaun Leane in his atelier about the design process;
  • visit E. Wolfe & Co.'s workshop, where the British crown jewels were made;
  • and learn from master enameller Fred Rich about the various enamelling techniques.

The unique online classroom guides you through your jewellery journey so that you can discuss the lessons with fellow classmates and share jewellery notes from around the world.

"This is my first foundation course. It's appropriate for enthusiastic amateurs or aspiring professionals alike. I'm expecting people ranging from interested hobbyists, career changers, professionals wanting to improve their knowledge - right through to members of the boutique high end jewellery trade. Through my course, I can teach you wherever you are in the world. Joanna Hardy F.G.A., D.G.A., F.R.S.A"

You'll learn:

  • how to appreciate and value jewellery and gemstones
  • about hallmarking
  • jewellery craftsmanship from high fashion jewels to fine jewellery pieces
  • principle enamelling techniques
  • history, processing and use of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds and pearls in jewellery

The course includes:

  • 8 on-demand video lessons - presented by Joanna Hardy
  • lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical jewellery assignments (with tutor feedback available)
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas

Time to complete the jewellery foundation course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 22 hours 30 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 6 hours 30 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Your jewellery appreciation assignments: at least 1 hour per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Joanna on your jewellery assignments.

If you know someone who'd love this course then give it as a gift - just tick "This is a gift" at the checkout.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.

Watch course trailer

Lesson summary

An Introduction to the Appreciation of Jewellery
An understanding of jewellery design, craftsmanship and movement - Joanna will discuss what to look for in quality jewellery as well as show you how to use an important tool for the jewellery enthusiast: a jeweller’s loupe. Appreciation of fine jewellery does not end with the piece itself, the hallmarks stamped on the jewel and the case it is boxed in can both help to reveal more about the story of the piece and how it was made.
Craftsmanship: Skills and Techniques Part 1.
Joanna will guide you through the many techniques and skills employed by master craftspeople. We visit the Atelier of Shaun Leane, who started at the bench and later met and worked alongside Alexander McQueen, the couturier, creating his 'catwalk jewellery’, and discuss how this experience influenced his own jewellery collections. A visit to the workshops of E.Wolfe & Co, once manufacturing jewellers for the Crown Jewellers Garrard, reveals the steps involved in making fine jewellery. Finally, the end procedure of hallmarking is revealed at the London Assay Office. This lesson will help you better understand the goldsmithing skills needed to make good quality jewellery.
Craftsmanship: Skills and Techniques Part 2.
In this lesson we will learn to appreciate how high quality enamel is achieved. Fred Rich, one of Europe’s leading practising enamelers, demonstrates how four principle enamelling techniques, plique-à-jour, champlevé, cloisonné and guilloché enamel, are executed. We then visit Wartski, one of London’s prestigious antique jewellers and leading authority on Fabergé, where Katherine Purcell will discuss museum-quality enamelled jewellery made by Lalique, Falize and Fabergé who each used similar techniques to those demonstrated by Fred Rich today. We will finish with an introduction to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, who house a highly important silver and jewellery collection, and explain about the jewellery collection that was started after their “International Exhibition of Modern Jewellery 1890-1961.”
Rubies
Revered as the King of Gems, rubies have been mined and respected for thousands of years. This introduction to the stone will focus on its natural occurrence and gemmological properties, as well as key examples of rubies in both historic and contemporary jewellery. With a range of stones, supplied by Gemfields, owners of a significant ruby deposit in Mozambique, and stone trader Jason Williams of G. F. Williams & Co, we will explore both rough and polished rubies. With fine examples courtesy of renowned London antique jewellers Bentley & Skinner, we will look at vintage jewels that are set with these historic gems.
Emeralds
Emeralds are appreciated across the world and throughout time for their colour and individuality. The inclusions that make them so distinctive will be discussed in this lesson, particularly concentrating on what to look for in gem-quality emeralds. Along with Gemfields, who own the Kagem emerald mine in Zambia, and Bentley & Skinner, we will take a look at rough emeralds and vintage emerald-set jewels. Joanna, along with coloured stone trader Jason Williams, will also explain what to look out for in an emerald.
Sapphires
Though many people think of blue sapphires, the stone is also found in a myriad of other colours. These different examples of sapphire have many similarities in their composition and characteristics, which Joanna and coloured stone trader Jason Williams will explain. Sapphires of all colours have been set in jewellery throughout time and we will discover some antique examples courtesy of Bentley & Skinner.
Diamonds
It is the perfect crystal structure of diamond that is responsible for the fire and brilliance that we know the stone for, but these beautiful optical effects can only be achieved through the most precise cutting. Visiting the diamond cutting factory of Monnickendam, founded in 1890, we will discover the skill and accuracy needed in cutting and polishing diamonds. From mining diamonds to grading and setting, Joanna will guide you through everything you should be looking for in diamond-set jewellery through the ages, including diamond set tiaras courtesy of Bentley & Skinner.
Pearls
In this lesson, you will gain a comprehensive insight into the pearling industry, from the continued popularity of natural pearls to the boom in cultured pearls, both saltwater and freshwater. Joanna, along with YOKO Pearls, will be looking at these various pearls and at how they have been set in antique jewellery, supplied by Bentley & Skinner, showing how to focus on the lustre, colour and shape of individual pearls.

Choose how you want to learn

Expert-level

Develop your learning further with marked assignments and personal tuition:

  • Start the course whenever you like
  • Tutor access for personalised assignment feedback & coaching
  • Certificate of completion and CPD learning hours
  • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
  • Lessons with expert videos & notes
  • Group chat & direct message with tutor & classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom

Peer-level

Get the most from shared knowledge and community study:

  • Start course whenever you like
  • Practise what you learn with your peers
  • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
  • Lessons with videos & notes
  • Course assignments
  • Group chat & direct message classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
Portrait of Joanna Hardy

meet the expert

Joanna Hardy

Renowned jewellery specialist, author, lecturer, and curator. BBC Antiques Roadshow regular.

Read more

Why choose Learning with Experts?

Start whenever it suits you, and immerse yourself in motivational lesson tutorials with expert guidance.
Enhance your learning and personal growth with lesson assignments. Each course includes an optional assignment at the end of every lesson.
Drop a friendly message or respond to your assignment feedback. Our world-class experts are just a click away, ready to help you!
Stay informed about your own progress and those of your peers, and take joy in celebrating achievements along the way.
Chat and share ideas with passionate communities of learners from around the world.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between PEER and EXPERT levels?

At Peer and Expert level, you get access to the same core content and features:

  • Video lesson tutorials led by your expert tutor
  • Downloadable lesson notes
  • Option to practise what you learn with lesson assignments
  • Group learning within an online interactive classroom of up to 20 classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes and classroom

If you choose Expert level, you get all of the above plus the following:

  • Personalised assignment feedback and coaching from your expert tutor
  • Opportunity to interact with your expert tutor through a private messaging system
  • Certificate of completion.
What is an online classroom?

Our online classroom has been developed to allow you to learn from our experts in a sociable environment alongside up to 20 other students. After each video tutorial led by your expert, you will be encouraged to practice what you have learned with optional assignments - these can be seen by the other students in your class, who are free to share their own thoughts and questions with you.

You will be encouraged to take part in an ongoing class discussion where you can discuss ideas, post images or work, and comment on each other’s assignments. It’s a great way to learn from other like-minded people who share your passion from all over the world.

This means not only do you benefit from people who are outstanding in their field, but also from a close-knit group of like-minded people whom you can learn alongside. Group learning has shown to greatly improve not just the experience of studying, but also how well you retain the knowledge, and we have built our classroom experience around this fact.
When can I start my course and how long will it take?

You can start your course any time within 12 months after receipt of your purchase confirmation email. Once you start, you’ll have lifetime access — meaning you can revisit the lesson videos and notes whenever you want.

Our courses are designed so that you can study at your own pace, some prefer to binge learn while others like to spread their studying over a longer period of time - it’s completely up to you. To give you a rough time frame, each lesson video is approximately 30-40 minutes long, and we recommend that you spend around an hour on each assignment.
How often can I speak with the Expert?

If you opt for the Expert version of your course, the time you have to interact with your tutor is limited to course length. You will have one week per lesson to chat to your tutor and to have your assignments marked, and during this period you can ask them as many questions as you would like.

To find out the length of each course, head to the product page and look at the Course outline to see how many lessons it contains. e.g. a four lesson course assumes that you will have completed the assignments within four weeks.

Your tutor interaction period will start as soon as you enter the classroom. If you find that you are struggling to complete the assignments in the allocated time or you wish to put this function on hold, just get in contact with one of the team via the support button and we will help you out.
Support and full FAQs

If you need any help with a course, be it one you’ve started already, or one you are looking to purchase, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support email address, or view the full FAQ’s here.

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Awards and accreditations

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