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Designers

How to become a Jewellery Designer

Also called: Accessory designer

Designs jewellery and accessories worn on the body, such as rings, necklaces, brooches and earrings.

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start. People usually learn specialist knowledge at a jewellery senmon gakko (vocational college) or study art, metalwork or similar at university. Some are self-taught. Some join a company, gain design experience and then set up their own business. Others work on their own straight after finishing their studies and build experience without joining a company. There are many design competitions, in Japan and around the world, that open the door to newcomers. Entering these and being selected or winning prizes, or holding your own exhibitions, helps build recognition of your work. A related qualification is the precious metal jewellery making technician grade of the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Some designers only design and leave the making to others, while others do everything from design to making, but either way you need knowledge of how pieces are made and of the properties of the materials (metals and gemstones). Many design drawings are done by hand, but some are done with CAD design software. You need to keep an eye on new designs and changing consumer tastes and keep developing rich, original ideas.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Jewellery Designer?

No particular education or qualification is required to start. People usually learn specialist knowledge at a jewellery senmon gakko (vocational college) or study art, metalwork or similar at university. Some are self-taught. Some join a company, gain design experience and then set up their own business. Others work on their own straight after finishing their studies and build experience without joining a company. There are many design competitions, in Japan and around the world, that open the door to newcomers. Entering these and being selected or winning prizes, or holding your own exhibitions, helps build recognition of your work. A related qualification is the precious metal jewellery making technician grade of the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Some designers only design and leave the making to others, while others do everything from design to making, but either way you need knowledge of how pieces are made and of the properties of the materials (metals and gemstones). Many design drawings are done by hand, but some are done with CAD design software. You need to keep an eye on new designs and changing consumer tastes and keep developing rich, original ideas.

How much does a Jewellery Designer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,395,800 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Designers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Jewellery Designer?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 46% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: National trade skills test (技能検定); Vocational college (専門学校) course: Design.

Will AI change the work of a Jewellery Designer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026