In this week’s episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast, Jess and jeweller Kelly Twigg dive into the often underappreciated craft of polishing and finishing jewellery. Drawing on Kelly’s experience from the Diploma in Silver Jewellery, they explore the techniques, tools, and creative choices that bring a piece to life.

From filing and sanding to hand polishing and finishing styles, this conversation covers the essentials for jewellers at all levels. You’ll learn why quality tools matter, how different finishes influence the final look, and what safety measures are crucial in your workspace. Whether you’re refining your skills or just getting started, this episode offers practical insights and inspiration to enhance your jewellery-making journey.

 

Key takeaways:

• Finishing is a skill developed over time with experimentation and care.

• High-quality files and tools make a noticeable difference.

• Hand polishing often offers more control and better results than machine polishing.

• Choosing the right finish is a creative decision that shapes your piece’s identity.

• Proper magnification can help achieve a flawless result.

• Patience is essential—rushing the process rarely ends well.

• Safety in the workshop should always come first.

 

If you’d love to really hone your polishing skills and take your jewellery to the next level, check out our brand new course:

Polishing and Finishing Masterclass

This course is designed to cover finishes, techniques and tools for upping your polishing game.

Covering

Filing - The finish you get on your jewellery starts with the fundamentals. Learn how to use different files to prepare your metal for polishing.

Finishes - There are so many amazing finishes you can achieve for your jewellery and each gives a very different look to the same piece. Learn how to achieve a mirror finish, a satin finish and a frosted finish on your jewellery creations.

Polishing gemstone set jewellery - Get tips on how to polish your gemstone jewellery so the jewellery shines as bright as the stones.

Tips for cleaning up wax casting

Polishing tools - There are lots of tools you can use for polishing. You don’t need them all! This course gives you a run down of the most popular tools and how to use them including:

• pendant motor with 3M radial disks, split pin mandrels, burrs and polishing mops

• barrel polisher/tumbler

• bench polisher

• ultrasonic jewellery cleaner

This course is currently available with 50% off in our launch sale, but only until Wed 28th May 2025 so don’t wait!

https://www.jewellersacademy.com/polishing-and-finishing

 

Learn more about Jewellers Academy

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