This two-day workshop is designed for jewellers who already have some experience with stone setting and are ready to build on that foundation.
Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, you’ll focus specifically on channel setting – a clean, modern technique that requires precision, patience, and attention to detail.
This course is open to both DCCI members and members of the public.
Course Overview
- Date: Friday 22 & Saturday 23 August 2025
- Duration: Two days; 10am – 5pm with hour for lunch
- Last day to apply: 15th August
- Venue: DCCIA School of Jewellery, Sessions House, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, R95 X9Y6
- Number of participants: 10
- Fee: €295
Why Attend
- Build precision channel setting skills with expert instruction.
- Learn advanced techniques: tool selection, burr use, finishing, and more.
- Hands-on, small-group workshop with plenty of bench time.
- Complete a finished sterling silver piece to take home.
- Taught by master goldsmith Lee Harding with 30+ years’ experience.
Learning Outcomes
- How to properly prepare channels
- Seat stones evenly
- Achieve a professional-looking finish
- Tool selection
- Layout planning
- Burr use
- Finishing techniques (with plenty of hands-on practice).
Who Should Attend
- This workshop is intended for intermediate-level jewellers who are already comfortable using basic stone setting tools and techniques. Please bring your own magnification (such as an Optivisor or similar), as we have a limited number available to borrow.
The workshop is small and hands-on, with plenty of bench time and individual guidance. By the end of the two days, you’ll have a finished piece in sterling silver and the skills to confidently take on channel setting in your own work.
Know Your Instructor
Lee Harding is a highly respected goldsmith and stone setter with over 30 years of experience in the jewellery industry. He is a former tutor on the DCCI Jewellery & Goldsmithing course. With years of hands-on experience in fine jewellery craftsmanship, Lee specialises in stone setting techniques. His workshops are designed to build confidence and skill. He began his career in 1992, training through a traditional 3½-year apprenticeship in silversmithing and goldsmithing. His early development was shaped by time spent with master jeweller Rudolf Heltzel and under the guidance of Peter Donnellan at Grennan Mill.
From 1995 to 1997, Lee further refined his skills through the Jewellery & Goldsmithing course. He later expanded his experience abroad, working in the Netherlands, before returning to Ireland to work in several established workshops in Dublin. In 2000, he founded Da Capo Goldsmiths, where he continues to design and create bespoke jewellery with a strong emphasis on craftsmanship and detail. Alongside his work at the bench, Lee has shared his knowledge through teaching roles at institutions such as NCAD, the School of Jewellery, and the Kilkenny Jewellery & Goldsmithing course, helping to train and inspire a new generation of jewellers.
Upskill and learn with DCCI Academy
DCCI Academy is a specialised academy for education, training and apprenticeships. We welcome everyone, from design and craft beginners, to established professionals.
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