Jewellery Making Suppliers - Materials and Equipment

Find lists of suppliers in the UK and the US used by myself and my students.....

Jewellery making does need some specialist tools and equipment, and of course you can't do anything without the right materials, but thankfully the internet has made it much easier to source them - and to compare prices too.

But how can you tell which suppliers have the best quality and the best customer service? I can help you out there.

Below are lists of suppliers in the UK and the US used by myself and my students..... click on the names to get to the websites!

UK Suppliers

Cookson Gold - a good all-round supplier of tools and materials for all types of jewellery making. The main supplier I use for bullion, and one of the first places that I check for tools. They pride themselves on holding a big stock of almost everything and dispatching it quickly!

HS Walsh and Sons - a more traditional jewellery equipment supplier, and a great source of more specialist equipment. Very helpful and knowledgeable with very good dispatch rates.

Betts Metal Sales - another very reliable supplier with everything you need to set up your workshop. Very knowledgeable and helpful staff.

Bellore Rashbel - the first place I check when I need more unusual bullion, for example fancy bezel strip or tube in sizes other suppliers don't stock. They also stock a very good range of affordable cabochons and faceted stones.

Kernow Craft - best known for their gemstones and beads (my favourite supplier of faceted stones for my classes!) and also a good supplier of tools. Very helpful, friendly, knowledgeable and quick dispatch times.

Ward Gemstones - a family-run business based in Hatton Garden, London's Jewellery Quarter with an amazing range of beads and stones. The website can be a challenge but don't let that put you off! Great customer service from very knowledgeable staff.

The Curious Gem - beautiful beads and loose gemstones plus a good range of hand tools. Great service and speedy dispatch.

Proops Brothers - a great range of affordable tools. Not always the highest quality but great for beginners, great prices and speedy dispatch times.

Cousins UK - a source of great tools at different price points, but do be aware that they only operate business-to-business. It is relatively easy to open an account with them, but making returns is not always easy as business-to-business terms are different to those for business-to-customer.

Palmer Metals - useful handtools, and one of the Ultralite Kiln suppliers in the UK for Keum Boo work.

Tools N Tools UK - a great range of hand tools, especially hammers and unusually shaped disc cutters.

AL Findings - a family-run business with a good range of affordable tools and same day dispatch.

Metal Clay Ltd - best known for metal clay supplies and tools but also a good supplier of general jewellery making tools. Helpful, knowledgeable and quick dispatch times. One of the Ultralite Kiln suppliers in the UK for Keum Boo work.

Shesto - a great range of hand tools, small electrical tools and a supplier of parts for Foredom drills.

Curteis - a fantastic range of chains, both loose and finished with clasps. They also stock findings and charms.

US Suppliers

Rio Grande - virtually everything a jeweller could want! A fantastic range of tools and equipment with speedy dispatch.

Contenti - everything you need for your workshop from basic soldering equipment to bigger investment pieces such as rolling mills and pendant drills.

Fire Mountain Gems - mainly known for their supply of gems, beads and charms, but also stocking an increasing range of wirework and silversmithing tools.

Halstead Bead - so many wonderful beads and findings and with speedy delivery too.

OttoFrei - a great range of quality tools. Everything you need to set up your workshop!

Grobet USA - a great range of hand tools and larger equipment such as rolling mills and pendant drills.

Stuller - a brilliant range of stones, mounts and castings, plus specialist stone setting equipment.

Gesswien - supplier of quality range tools to everyone from beginners to large jewellery studios.

Cool Tools - a good range of hand tools and smaller pieces of equipment such as drills. Well known for their Cool Tool range of templates and metal clay textures.

Seattle Findings - a great range of hand tools and larger equipment such as rolling mills and pendant drills.

Looking for some more information about tools?

Here are some useful blog posts and tutorials.

Make a simple ring mandrel holder
What soldering equipment do I need?
How to repair your burnisher - and why you need to!
Ring mandrels are essential pieces of kit for a jeweller, but sometimes it feels as though you need a third hand to hold one!

In this tutorial I'll show you how to quickly and cheaply make one.
Learning how to solder is wonderful! It opens up a whole new world of jewellery making.
In this blog post I'm going to show you my soldering set up in my studio and the equipment I use with my students.
A burnisher is a must-have for stone setting - and for many other jobs too! However, burnishers must be looked after carefully

if they are going to give youthe best results.

To find out why and how to look after them read on!

Categories: getting started, jewellery making tips, studio organisation

Joanne Tinley

Tutor and Founder of The Jeweller's Bench

The Jeweller's Bench is run by Joanne Tinley. She has been making her own jewellery for as long as she can remember and left her first career as a school teacher to set up business as a jewellery designer and tutor nearly 20 years ago. She is
self-taught and like many people started with wire and beads. Learning how to solder, however, opened up a whole new world of jewellery making, one that she is keen to share!


Make a simple ring mandrel holder	What soldering equipment do I need?	How to repair your burnisher - and why you need to!
Ring mandrels are essential pieces of kit for a jeweller, but sometimes it feels as though you need a third hand to hold one! In this tutorial I'll show you how to quickly and cheaply make one.	Learning how to solder is wonderful! It opens up a whole new world of jewellery making. In this blog post I'm going to show you my soldering set up in my studio and the equipment I use with my students.	A burnisher is a must-have for stone setting - and for many other jobs too! However, burnishers must be looked after carefully if they are going to give youthe best results. To find out why and how to look after them read on!