Advertise on podcast: Pass The Torch: Legacies in Jewelry

Goldsmith Jordan Barnett-Parker trained in Pforzheim, Germany, earned his Meisterbrief, and built a private studio on the coast of Maine one tool at a time. He shares how he did it, and what he would tell every jeweler starting out.We talk about buying used and trading up, starting a trade repair business, honesty at the bench, and why real insurance and overnight insured shipping are not optional.CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome01:21 Training in Germany07:47 A philosophy of service09:40 Building a studio one tool at a time24:43 Advice to his younger self38:27 How to start a trade repair business46:07 Insurance and shipping51:22 If your shop could talkJordan: @jordanbarnettparkerPass The Torch: @passthetorchjewelers#jewelry #goldsmith #benchjeweler #passthetorch

Few moments in a jeweler's career carry as much weight (or as much mystery) as the bench test. This week on Pass The Torch, Nadja sits down with Casey Sobel, a Brooklyn based master jeweler, engraver, and Pratt Institute professor whose career spans Catbird, Alex Sepkus, and Cartier, where she served as a jeweler, technical writer, and educator. Casey pulls back the curtain on what employers are really looking for when they hand you a task and a deadline: how to prepare, what separates clean work from rushed work, how to handle nerves at an unfamiliar bench, and what a test reveals about your habits beyond the finished piece. Whether you're sitting your first bench test or you're the one designing them, this episode is your roadmap to walking in ready.Want the full presentation? Casey is happy to share a complete copy of her slides. Reach out to her directly at https://assantesobelstudios.com/contact.

Matt and Lauren Tuggle are the husband-and-wife team behind Tuggle Designs, a Colorado-based jewelry studio known for its distinctive approach to handcrafted jewelry and thoughtful design. Together, they’ve built a creative practice that blends traditional fabrication, craftsmanship, and a distinctly modern perspective. In this episode, we talk about building a life and business together, the evolution of their work, and the legacy they hope to leave behind in the jewelry industry.

TOOLS I TRUST — Pass The Torch Every link below goes straight to the product page. ⭐ START HERE — MY AMAZON STOREFRONT Shop favorites, always updated: https://www.amazon.com/shop/passthetorchjewelers/list/F0Y5YT2EW987?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d — PEPETOOLS — 1. 20 Piece Ring Holding Set (Stone Setting & Engraving): https://pepetools.com/products/20-piece-ring-holding-set 2. 80mm Engraving Vice — Stainless Steel: https://pepetools.com/products/80mm-engraving-vice-stainless-steel 3. 4" Guillotine Shear (Made in USA): https://pepetools.com/products/4-guillotine-shear-made-in-usa 4. Jump Ring Maker Kit for Permanent Jewelry: https://pepetools.com/products/permanent-jewelry-jump-ring-making-starter-kit 5. Power Sander — Flexshaft Belt Attachment: https://pepetools.com/products/power-belt-sander-flexshaft-attachment 6. Soldering Vent Fume Extractor (Tabletop): https://pepetools.com/products/soldering-vent-fume-extractor-for-jewelry-tabletop 7. Stone Setters Workbench — Professional Series, Hardwood: https://pepetools.com/products/stone-setters-workbench-professional-series-hardwood 8. 160mm Combination Ultra Mill with Ductile Frame: https://pepetools.com/products/160mm-combination-ultra-mill-with-ductile-frame-190_20a 9. Professional Jeweler's Bench Stool w/ Hydraulic Lift & Footrest: https://pepetools.com/products/professional-jewelers-bench-stool-with-hydraulic-lift-and-footrest — RIO GRANDE — 10. Bonny Doon Hydraulic Press Starter System (20-Ton Classic Manual): https://www.riogrande.com/product/bonny-doon-hydraulic-press-starter-system-with-20-ton-classic-manual-hydraulic-press/110652GP — GESSWEIN — 11. Articulator Arm® for Artisans (A³): https://www.gesswein.com/products/articulator-arm%C2%AE-for-artisans-a?ref=NADJADESA 12. NSK Emax EVOlution Standard Micromotor Set (EV410-IH): https://www.gesswein.com/products/nsk-emax-evolution-standard-set-with-lever-handpiece?ref=NADJADESA 13. Dipromini Mini-Filer Head — 1.0mm (NSK Emax Evolution): https://www.gesswein.com/products/diprofil-fmr-mini-filer-head-1-0mm-for-nsk-emax-evolution?ref=NADJADESA 14. NSK Emax EVOlution Speed Reducer / 4:1 Torque Multiplier (RG-01): https://www.gesswein.com/products/nsk-emax-evolution-4-1-torque-multiplier?ref=NADJADESA 15. Sisma LM-DT 230 Flex Nd:YAG Desktop Laser Welder: https://www.gesswein.com/products/sisma-lm-dt-230-nanospot-and-velvet-spot-laser-yag-desktop-laser-welder?ref=NADJADESA 16. SmartPro Air Do-X with Heavy-Duty H2 Handpiece: https://www.gesswein.com/products/smartpro-air-do-x-with-heavy-duty-h2-handpiece?ref=NADJADESA — STORO TOOLS — Bench organization & tool storage (bur organizers, graver turrets, wire towers): https://www.storotools.com/ Some links are affiliate links — purchases may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Step inside Bonny Doon HQ in Taos, New Mexico, with Nadja as Peter Gilroy opens the doors to his incredible workshop. From presses to prototypes, Peter answers a series of shop-focused questions while giving an inside look at the tools, workflows, and ideas that have shaped generations of press work.

Solo episode. Nadja on the filter she runs every business decision through, and her honest take on Katerina Perez's Carats and Conversion Instagram selling course.

Blaine Lewis is the founder of New Approach School for Jewelers, based just outside Nashville in a building shaped, fittingly, like a diamond. He came to jewelry the long way. Raised in a blue collar family of metal workers, he was arc welding by thirteen and building ships in Norfolk before he found a metal he loved more than steel. He began teaching in 1995 and has since trained more than 18,000 students over 32 years, helping pioneer high-magnification instruction in the industry and consulting for some of the most respected names in the trade, including building out Tiffany's bench team. His philosophy is as much about generosity as it is about craft. In a field that once guarded its secrets, Blaine built his career and his school on sharing everything he knows.

In this SNAG × Detroit recap, Nadja moderates The State of the Bench, a conversation about the present and future of life at the bench. She's joined by Jennifer Markas of Jewelers Mutual on the health of the talent pipeline, independent studio artist Casey Sobel on what a bench test really reveals, and Sophia Gallette, a bench jeweler in Harry Winston's high jewelry workshop, on building a career from the ground up.

Platinum does not forgive, and Nadja is still learning its temper. In this episode she walks through the week day by day, the wins and the stubborn problems both, and shares what made the platinum class with Blane Lewis worth every effort to attend New Approach School for Jewelers.

Nadja lands from JCK 2026 and reviews her last few days. Working the booth for Pepe Tools and getting to connect with other members of the trade, she is excited and encouraged about the state of the industry.

Moving unexpectedly, I needed a new place for my shop. Tour coming soon!

In this episode of Pass The Torch: Legacies and Jewelry, I travel to Taos, New Mexico for my first-ever visit and sit down with Peter Gilroy — jeweler, machinist, climber, and the owner of Bonny Doon Tools, where he continues the legacy of innovation in hydraulic presses and tools for the jewelry industry. Bonny Doon Manual Press: https://www.riogrande.com/product/bonny-doon-classic-20-ton-manual-hydraulic-press--ram/110501GP?code=110501&objectID=110501&queryID=c4668850e906c73d37556e787b974214 Bonny Doon Starter Kit: https://www.riogrande.com/product/bonny-doon-intro-starter-kit/110605GP?code=110605&objectID=110605&queryID=4ad41333b89fbcae3ed8c4b2201dd207

I’m bringing you along for my first real experience breaking down what it takes to take your jewelry to a craft show and have it be a successful event for your business. I spent several days at artisan jeweler Michael Boyd’s booth, and both Michael and his assistant Josie generously shared so much of their knowledge with me. We get into setup, displays, and all the things you don’t realize until you’re in it. This episode is brought to you by Pepe Tools.pepetools.com Link to Saw Blade Organizer: https://pepetools.com/products/kerf-saw-blade-organizer-dispenser?variant=34796291719319&country=US&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=22802381515&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22798664561&gbraid=0AAAAADo-zVPSS_FnKFnVRE63gHPOOgPKb&gclid=CjwKCAjwtcHPBhADEiwAWo3sJvAN7oFdbbWsazDyE1DvcDw0PQza8s2EWXXCWP-qs4E4LOqVqQ9JZhoChdEQAvD_BwE Link to Nano Blades: https://pepetools.com/products/nano-jewelers-saw-blades

In this episode of Pass The Torch: Legacies in Jewelry, I sit down with Katerina Perez—one of the most influential voices in the global jewelry industry. Known for her sharp eye, fearless opinions, and deep love for craftsmanship, Katerina has built a platform that bridges heritage maisons and emerging designers alike. But behind the polished world of high jewelry is a story of risk, reinvention, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. We talk about what it really takes to build a respected voice in an industry rooted in tradition, how storytelling shapes the value of jewelry, and why standing firm in your perspective matters. This conversation is about more than jewelry. It’s about legacy, taste, courage, and the responsibility that comes with influence.

In this episode of Pass The Torch, Nadja moderates a Lincoln–Douglas style debate between two voices in the jewelry world, Jean Paul (JP) and Michael Robinson, centered on a timely question:Does the integration of AI in jewelry design undermine the integrity of creativity?Taking the affirmative position, JP argues that AI functions as a tool that expands creative possibilities, allowing designers to explore ideas faster while keeping vision, intention, and artistic judgment at the center of the process.Taking the opposing position, Michael defends traditional craftsmanship, emphasizing the importance of hand fabrication, learned technique, and the lineage of artisanal skill that has defined jewelry making for generations.Structured with opening statements, rebuttals, and a live crossfire discussion, the debate moves beyond theory into a passionate exchange about authorship, authenticity, and the future of the craft.As the conversation unfolds, both perspectives challenge each other—and the listener—to consider a larger question: As technology enters the studio, what truly defines creativity in jewelry design?This Podcast is sponsored by Pepe Tools: https://pepetools.com/