The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They Deserve
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The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They Deserve
Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.
Brought To You By Jewelers of America
Bench jewelers are the backbone of the industry—they design, create, repair, collaborate, and play a vital role in earning customers’ trust. Their skills are highly sought after by consumer clients to bring their heirlooms back to life or a dream piece to fruition.
A skilled bench jeweler with experience in custom fabrication, expert stone setting, and repair—just to name a few—are in ever-rising demand throughout the industry.
Through certification, Jewelers of America gives them the distinction and title to recognize their talents.
This accreditation sets the standard for bench jewelers across the U.S. and validates the skills they’ve acquired throughout their education and career.
Bench Certification is passing both a written exam and a practical test. The written exam pushes jewelers’ breadth of knowledge, while the practical puts their tangible skills to the test.
Jewelers of America recently saw the completion of two bench jeweler certifications: George Fox of Fox Fine Jewelers in Ventura, CA as a JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler, and J. Michael Smith of Woodard’s Diamonds and Design in Tullahoma, TN as a JA Certified Bench Jeweler.
Here are their thoughts on the program and what certification means to them.
Why did you decide to pursue Bench Certification through Jewelers of America?
George Fox: I had a desire to clarify to the public a level of expertise and professionalism I believed I had attained; Jewelers of America is the only organization that offers this Certification.
J. Michael Smith: I decided to pursue the Bench Jewelers Certification program through Jewelers of America because it provides credentials that are recognized throughout our industry.
What do you feel this achievement means for your future in the jewelry industry?
GF: It declares a high level of commitment to our trade.
“Every item of jewelry I work on now has an attachment of being performed by a JA Certified Master Bench Jeweler, and each item, big or small, must achieve those standards.” George Fox, CMBJ, Fox Fine Jewelers
For my clients, it gives them the assurance that their keepsakes will be handled with the highest regard and care. It is not me declaring this, it is a third-party organization that is certifying this credential.
Out of approximately 8,000 bench jewelers in the USA, I've volunteered to take the test to verify my skills. The more people know this, the more those same people will want to bring their keepsakes to our store for creation and care.
What does this certification mean to you personally, and how do you feel about receiving it?
GF: Honestly, I've wanted this certification since its inception.
In any professional situation, it could be a workshop, a custom order presentation to a client, or a speaking engagement, this certification gives me a degree of credibility that wasn't there before. This certification has been successfully completed by less than 130 jewelers, I'm extremely proud to be number 124!
JMS: [JA’s Bench Certification] assisted me with furthering the skills and abilities I already had along with refining those skills. By completing the program, I have a validation that fills me with pride.
About Bench Certification
Jewelers of America, the leading association for the fine jewelry industry, developed the Bench Professional Certification program in 1997 and relaunched it in 2023 to promote the professionalism of jewelers and store owners. The nationally recognized certification ensures consumers are confident in the ability of the certified bench jeweler to perform quality work.
Bench Certification is available for any bench jeweler in the industry. More information and registration can be found on Jewelers of America’s website.
