Listed are some of the many YouTube and/or Vimeo Video Channels that I like and subscribe to of jewelers and companies offering great information, demonstrations and training metalsmithing. All channels are listed alphabetically.
Andrew Berry – Hailing from the UK, Andrew Berry has scores of videos with tips, tricks and techniques on all kinds of jewelry-making topics, ,including more recent “Q&A” videos with guest jewelers. He also offers a lot of good advice on why you should “do it this way, and not that way” when it comes to jewelry fabrication that is worth noting.
Celtic Dreams – Covering a lot of tool and equipment reviews as well as good general advice and techniques, Dave Wilson does an excellent job of showing you what your tools and equipment can do for you.
Doug Napier (Jewelry Monk) – Doug offers solid advice and tips you will definitely want to make note of. He has an extensive collection of videos sharing his knowledge and advice on the tools and their uses, as well as quite a few tips that you won’t find anywhere else.
Harufumi SHIRAKI – This is the Japanese jeweler who, inspired by the work of Hopi Indians here in the USA, does awesome overlay work. He in turn inspired me, and is where I picked up on using a long bench pen for piercing everything from small items to long items like bracelets, cuffs, etc.
How is jewellery made – I wish I had his microscope and PUK welder, but using those items in his videos has actually taught me a lot in fabricating jewelry using just my regular magnified visor and gas torch.
Jewellery Training Solutions – You need to subscribe to this channel from Australia, as they publish a LOT of great information on jewelry fabrication and tools (aside from promoting classes on their web site). Seriously, just subscribe… you won’t regret it!
Kevin Potter – If you have any interest in the use of hydrolic presses and the many types of dies in constructing jewelry, this guy knows his stuff, hands down. Yes, he certainly does sell great hydrolic presses as well, but he’ll make sure you’ll be able to get the very most out of it as well.
Melissa Muir – As mentioned elsewhere, Melissa Muir has a web site as well, but the majority of her videos are just a goldmine of valuable information on jewelry fabrication, tool tips and equipment care. Having started the “Tool Time Tuesday” videos which are still ongoing, you owe it to yourself to subscribe.
Metalsmithing-tools – This is Saign Charleston’s channel on YouTube where he demonstrates the Chasing and Repoussé techniques that got me started with C&R.
SC Studios – And this is Saign’s Vimeo channel (where it actually all started and where I first encountered his videos). If you haven’t checked out some of his work, you’re in for a treat.
Nancy L.T. Hamilton – I’ve always fully appreciated Nancy Hamilton’s channel, and get a kick out of her whimsical ways of showing other jewelers some really good tips and techniques used in jewelry-making as well as great information and resources you will be sure to use. Sometimes her cats even make quest cameo appearances!
Nechamkin Silver Studios – Another great channel with good information on Chasing and Repoussé techniques and tools. Their tools are top-quality, and so are the videos on the site demonstrating their use and application.
Otto Frei – This vendor channel offers some great information on using their tools and equipment. The offer glimpses into trade shows across America as well, so if you’re not able to make it to places such as the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show (like me), you’ll appreciate their news and updates, too.
Pablo Cimadevila – This South American artist works primarily in Platinum, but his work is impeccable, meticulous and right on they money.. Although his videos are actual “productions” that you can tell take a lot of money, talent and equipment to produce, watching as he goes through some of the processes should be an inspiration to any jeweler.
Rio Grande – This vendor also offers some great information on using their tools and equipment, as well as just some good, solid knowledge on jewelry fabrication such as soldering, stone setting, equipment and tool usage, and even packaging and marketing your jewelry if so desired. Rio Grande also sponsors the annual Saul Bell Design Awards where artists are chosen and awarded with industry-wide recognition for their exceptional designs and creations in jewelry and metalsmithing.
Sage Reynolds – Sage Reynolds offers some good advice on both Chasing and Repoussé techniques and advice as well as making your own punches from steel bar stock, so is definitely a channel you should check out if you want to know more about that craft.
scaffoal – Watching scaffoal’s videos where he creates awesome pieces of jewelry mainly in gold alloys, starting from his pouring the ingot to rolling out the metal, forming, filing and fashioning exquisitely finished pieces set to decent music is one thing I seem to never tire of. He also makes use of his tools in various ways (good for us jewelers that don’t have many “specialty” tools), demonstrating making do with the tools and materials you have on hand to accomplish the tasks. My kind of videos!
Soham Harrison – Soham Harrison, a Native American from the USA but now hailing from Australia, is probably one of the first YouTube video channels I subscribed to many years ago. He is clear and concise in showing you how to create scores of various jewelry items, properly using the tools to complete them, and with loads of tips, tricks and caveats of the trade to keep you interested and yearning for more.
Steve Howard – This “Old Timer” from California offers another channel with a lot of videos set to music that he even writes and conducts himself. His work is great and the music that they are set to is so relaxing, if you just like to watch artists work like I do, they can take all of the day’s stress out in no time!
Stuller, Inc. – This vendor also offers some great information on using their tools and equipment, and great knowledge on jewelry fabrication that any bench jeweler should watch. Stuller also sponsors the annual “Bench Jeweler’s Workshop” and “Battle of the Benches” competition where bench jewelers come together to advance their trade and compete against each other in the end.
Torch Song – Although Torch Song doesn’t seem to be posting any new videos, I list her channel her as she inspired me to make my own wood forming stakes used to fabricate anticlastic cuffs and general forming information.
Victoria Lansford – If you’re interested in creating jewelry using ancient techniques such as using granulation or Chasing and Repoussé, you really need to check out Victoria Lansford’s channel. She teaches, has produced videos and DVDs on the art, and is another artist who should not be ignored if you like using either of those two art forms in your work.
Yaring Platero – This jeweler from the Philippines is another jeweler I enjoy watching. Although Yaring’s more recent videos aren’t as detailed as those he published back when I first started watching them, his early videos started with laying out the alloys used for his gold pieces (mixing the alloys for the gold he was needing, yellow, white or rose), rolling and/or drawing it out and creating his pieces, step by step.