FAQs for the Silver Ring Making Classes and the Jewellery Making Courses
- Chris & Lee Minturn
- Dec 21, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 11
Are you curious about our Silver, Gold, or Platinum Ring Making Classes?
In this blog, we’re here to answer the FAQs for the Silver Ring Making Class that we hear most often. This blog aims to help clear up anything you might be wondering about. Plus, we’ll give you a sneak peek into what our 5-week Jewellery Making Courses are all about, so you’ll know exactly what to expect before you get started.
How long does a class take?
The Ring Making classes aim to be 3 hours long.
The 5 week courses are 3.5 hours long and are schedule on Tuesday evening for the Beginner Essentials and Wednesday or Thursday evenings for the Jewellery Making courses.
The Casual Bench Hire and the Wax 101 Classes are 3.5 hours long respectively.
Can couples attend together?
Absolutely, in the ring making classes we welcome all people and partners to attend a class together.
We encourage couples to make each others rings to spread the love across the ring (so to speak).
In our 5 week courses we enjoy meeting couples that attend, to learn to make jewellery.
Its a really relaxing environment and a great bonding activity to do together, in fact we have several couples and a family group that attend our courses together.
Who can attend?
Anyone who likes to try making things - all abilities and experience levels are supported in our classes.
Our workshop is a safe place for those who wish to attend the class be themselves.
Whanau, friends, work colleagues and groups make for a lovely class environment as your session with people you you know. Its great team building and just good fun.
As per our Terms of Trade all participants must be at least 14 years old.
If you have any queries please get in touch and let's see how we can assist you.
Is this a suitable gift?
Our e-gift cards are more than just a gift. It's a glorious ticket to experience a ring making class, or it can be used towards a 5-week course or other services across our website.
You can choose the amount you want to spend and write a personal message to make your gift card very special.
The only thing to remember is that the recipient must be 14 years old and older.
See our blog: e-Gift Card How To Guide
In the Silver Ring Making Class what does the class fee include?
The class fee covers your guided workshop experience, including expert tuition, use of professional tools, bench space, and a relaxed, supportive learning environment.
Important: This class requires the purchase of silver.
Each person selects one silver ring option per person. Your choice is added to the cart before checkout.
Silver Ring Options - your selection is required.
The Iconic ring is a popular first choice at 4.40mm wide for $65. or
Treat yourself to a wider more luxurious look with the Modern ring; a substantial ring at 6.0mm wide for $110. or
The Bold ring; a statement piece but still achievable at 8.0mm wide for $120.
If you are unsure, choose the Iconic ring as your option to complete your booking.
Your tutor will be happy to help you choose a width that suits your tastes at the beginning of class and amend your booking if desired.
What does these ring widths look like on?
See our blog: Which ring width is right for me?
The pictures show the rings in our standard profile of half round on finger size: R.
Why has the fees for the Silver Ring Making Class changed?
Silver is priced separately as it is a precious metal and its cost fluctuates with the global commodity market.
Due to current geo-political pressures these commodities have increased significantly.
By separating these costs, we can keep our class fee consistent and only adjust the silver price when necessary.
These pressures apply to Gold and Platinum as well.
Where is the studio located?
Our workshop studio is situated in New Lynn, Auckland.
We know that it's hard to find us sometimes as our street address is Unit 2, 28 Clark Street, New Lynn, and our actual entrance to our workshop faces Ward Street.
If you are at the intersection of Ward and Clark we are directly opposite Taylors Electrical.
There is an interactive map on our Contact Us page.
Lost?! Give us a call and we'll guide you back to us.
We are on the corner of Clark and Ward Streets, New Lynn
Where can I park?
There is no parking on site. Please do not park in the SPCA spaces at the front of the building.
Parking spaces are well signposted on the surrounding streets.
As an alternative use public transport, as the New Lynn Bus & Train Station is a short walk away.
What to expect in our Silver, Gold or Platinum Ring Making Classes.
Our classes are a guided workshop experiences, which include expert tuition.
In your session we cover:
Sizing your finger to the correct finger size and issue your metal.
Cover "New Hands in the Workshop" our health and safety programme particular to our workshop.
We move straight into fabricating the metal you have been supplied.
Cover handmaking techniques to get your ring to a soldered state. (Platinum ring makers will only observe the soldering process with safety glasses provided.)
We take a small break whilst your ring is in the "pickle".
Then we head straight back in to manufacturing the textured ring to a fine finished polish. (Platinum rings are not able to be textured.)
At the end of your class you'll be walking out with a beautiful textured ring that you created yourself.
Classes
Learn the basics at the jewellers bench, we are focused on practical skills.
The best place to start is at the beginning. Our Beginner Essentials course give you good foundational skills to build on.
With the 5 week course you build up your skills to complete your design which may take several weeks to achieve. Good things take time!
Handmaking jewellery requires thought, reflection and practice. We use traditional jewellers tools with the assistance of other processes such as: casting, fabrication, mechanical manufacturing and polishing.
We encourage our students to take charge of their theoretical learning and prefer that you build on your own understanding by researching your design ideas prior to commencing the make. This enables us to understand what you want to make and what that may look like in fabricating the design.
It's a win win situation; you will expand your knowledge, learn how to achieve the design and helps us understand what you see. The more you look at jewellery construction the more you see.
Chatting with us about your designs helps with problem solving during the make and with the process to achieve your design.
Courses
A little about the Silver, Gold & Platinum we use
We are supplied by the two leading foundries in NZ.
Minturn Jewellery Ltd has proudly worked with both companies for 2 generations.
Both foundries recycle & assay their fabricated precious metals for complete confidence.
They employ environmental practices that are responsibly & sustainably maintained to the highest degree.
We hope that we've captured essential FAQs for the Silver Ring Making Classes. If you have any other questions or just want to chat about jewellery making, we’re always happy to help—just reach out!
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