WHAT DOES AN JEWELRY DESIGNER DO?

Published: Nov 12, 2025 - The Jewelry Designer researches trends and collaborates with the Creative Director and Brand Manager to develop seasonal concepts, collections, and special projects. This role produces sketches, mockups, and technical specs while managing timely sample development, material sourcing, and quality control. The designer also partners with production and sales teams to align design with cost, margin goals, and market feedback.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Jewelry Designer

1. Jewelry Designer Responsibilities

  • Sketching Skills: Sketch concepts freehand/or in Adobe Illustrator
  • Design Interpretation: Take design direction from the VP of Design and understand how to translate it into the final product
  • Brand Development: Create a brand-right product that will perform well at the point of sale
  • Jewelry Design: Create new and innovative designs for fine and fashion jewelry
  • Design Presentation: Present collection designs to the VP of Design and the Creative Director
  • Trend Analysis: Market research competitors to identify new trends and opportunities
  • Technical Specification: Create technical specifications for the Product Development team
  • Product Development: Meet with manufacturers and oversee the development of the product
  • Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with Merchandising and Product Development to ensure target costs are met
  • Project Management: Maintain timely progress reports, completion dates, and product status

2. Jewelry Designer Accountabilities

  • 3D CAD Design: Be responsible for interpreting 2D illustrations, written and verbal direction from the Design Department into 3D CAD Designs, primarily in Rhino 3D software.
  • File Organization: Organize CAD files into appropriate folders according to collections and style numbers so files can be retrieved properly without confusion.
  • 3D Scanning: Operate the various scanners (CT, White Light, and Sarin scanners) after training to capture 3D scan data from waxes and stones.
  • File Uploading: Upload CAD files to the FTP site for assigned vendors.
  • Design Documentation: Print out 4-view documents with the necessary measurements, weight estimates, and components for the Design sign-off.
  • Mesh Manipulation: Shell and manipulate complicated mesh files.
  • Rapid Prototyping: Post approved files to the in-house rapid prototype department or assigned vendors.
  • Progress Tracking: Keep a daily log of printouts of CAD files that have been completed.
  • Prototype Preparation: Convert CAD files into slice files and prepare setup for Solidscapes rapid-prototype machines.

3. Jewelry Designer Details and Accountabilities

  • Design Leadership: Report to the head of design.
  • Account Management: Manage key customer accounts, responsible for creating seasonal ranges in line with current and future trends.
  • Business Growth: Identify areas for growth and drive business forward.
  • Client Relations: Present and lead client brand meetings with external buying teams.
  • Team Management: Manage junior members of the team to ensure design briefs are clearly understood and executed to the best ability within deadlines.
  • Sampling Management: Manage the sampling process by following the critical path, ensuring all samples are logged into the system and arrive within required deadlines.
  • Supplier Relations: Build strong relationships with suppliers, show awareness of their capabilities, and ensure they have all the relevant information to deliver the required results.
  • Product Development: Product development/sourcing and inspirational trips, building strong ranges and supplier relationships.

4. Jewelry Designer Additional Details

  • Design Communication: Understands design work objectives and can communicate ideas freely and openly with others.
  • Deadline Management: Ensures that all designs are delivered on time, with the greatest attention to the original request.
  • Brand Consistency: Ensures that all designs reflect the HW brand image as well as the client’s requests.
  • Market-Oriented Design: Creation of successful designs that are marketable, sellable, and meet the company's objectives.
  • Technical Design: Create designs that are feasible and technically sound.
  • Digital Design: Performs accurate creation of CAD and Photoshop format designs.
  • Creative Innovation: Performs in bringing to creation modernity and renewal while keeping all the highest standards of quality requested by the Brand.
  • Collection Development: Participate together to the elaboration of the Design Collection.
  • Jewelry Expertise: Capable of addressing a brief based on a price objective and has a strong knowledge of stones.

5. Jewelry Designer Essential Functions

  • Trend Forecasting: Research, identify, and forecast market jewelry trends, presenting concepts to the team for feedback and approval.
  • Design Direction: Work with the Creative Director to develop design direction per season.
  • Creative Execution: Work closely with the Creative Director to execute the season vision and inspiration across all categories for design.
  • Collaboration Development: Work with Brand Manager and Creative Director to source and develop designs for collaborations and special projects.
  • Concept Management: Develop and maintain concept and seasonal design boards for all categories.
  • Design Sketching: Produce sketches and mockups for all proposed sample development.
  • Technical Documentation: Create and maintain all new development technical sheets and specifications.
  • Progress Tracking: Maintain detailed progress tracking for the development and delivery of all designs, samples, components, and materials.

6. Jewelry Designer General Responsibilities

  • Sample Management: Ensure all samples and designs are delivered in a timely fashion while maintaining cost, quality, and brand aesthetic.
  • Sales Collaboration: Work with the sales team to understand the company's selling trends and translate the information into successful future product developments.
  • BOM Management: Oversee the development and issuance of all production BOMs each season, ensuring material and cost accuracy.
  • Cost Analysis: Work with the Director of Production on seasonal costing scenarios, working to achieve the highest quality product and target margin per category and channel.
  • Quality Control: Review all samples for technical and quality performance, and provide factories and seamstresses with comments regarding fit and technique improvements.
  • Collection Preparation: Organize and prepare all season collection samples and protos for team reviews.
  • Vendor Sourcing: Source and initiate relationships with new jewelry manufacturing partners that are aligned with quality and aesthetic standards.
  • Material Innovation: Continual sourcing of new materials and techniques to further brand innovation.

7. Jewelry Designer Roles and Details

  • 3D Modeling: Interpreting 2D drawings into a 3D jewelry CAD model.
  • Custom Design: Working with the design team to create custom jewelry pieces.
  • Digital Sketching: Using Autodesk Sketchbook with clients in real time.
  • CAD Rendering: Creating photo-realistic CAD renders for customer approval (behind the scenes).
  • Client Communication: Interacting with clients, including phone, email, intake, etc.
  • Payment Processing: Handling money in person/over the phone.
  • Concept Development: Honing and sketching client ideas from design appointments.
  • Customer Service: Greeting and working with clients in the store.

8. Jewelry Designer Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Product Design: Develop and execute product designs that achieve overall product strategy and merchandise objectives.
  • Trend Research: Participate in research and development of seasonal trends.
  • Product Presentation: Produce cohesive product presentations, including boards, tear sheets, and samples.
  • Design Alignment: Ensure designs meet merchant line plans, assortment strategies, and overall creative direction.
  • Trend Forecasting: Research and recommend trends and color stories for each season and category.
  • Concept Sketching: Loose sketch design ideas/concepts to convey to the merchandising team.
  • Technical Drawing: Prepare and finalize technical drawings of the proposed product to be used for production.
  • Design Translation: Interpret design/style trends into brand-appropriate product that fits within targeted retail pricing.
  • Timeline Management: Adhere to the design calendar and deadlines.
  • Component Specification: Accurately specify componentry from catalogues and swatch boards to be used in Manufacturing.
  • Presentation Collaboration: Partner with the Product Manager in set-up and presenting to divisions at line previews and buy meetings for the area of responsibility.
  • Concept Presentation: Present the seasonal concept to the team and upper management.
  • Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate with the Product Development team to enable optimization against aesthetics and cost targets.