We’re Making Learning to Create Jewelry as Uncomplicated, Fun, and Judgment-Free as Possible

Lucy Walker Jewelry is the best home for metalsmiths around the world - from total beginners, to those more advanced and looking to level up their techniques (and everyone in between!) From our free resources, to our world-class membership, to our down-to-earth community and more, we’re here to help ignite your passion for making quality jewelry you love.

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7000+

Members
Since Launch
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Leading Experts in Jewelry Making & Training

17+

Years Experience in the
Jewelry Industry

250,000+

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7+

Personalized Support From Lucy Inside the Metalsmith Academy

We Live and Breathe the Motto:

There’s always more than one way to do everything

Two women smiling, holding jewelers hammers their mouths, sitting at a jewelers table with various supplies.

We’ve spent decades piecing together various skills, methods and techniques to create beautiful jewelry that doesn’t suck. Even at a pro level, every jeweler does things differently, and we’re here to help you develop your unique style too. That’s why we don’t simply deliver video tutorials on how to make jewelry - we train you up in the why of every skill, so you can confidently put your own spin on every piece you create!

This motto also flows into our teaching styles too - from videos, to downloadables, to challenges, to competitions, to conversational forums, you’ll find a smorgasbord of ways to learn.

Because guess what? Learning doesn’t need to feel like a chore!

We’re dedicated to making your experience fun, and never wasting your time with waffley content! Plus, if you ever need a kick up the ass to pick up the tools and finally conquer that skill you’ve been wanting to… we’ve got the boots for that too.

Meet the Woman Behind the Name

Hola, I’m Lucy!

Founder of Lucy Walker Jewelry, Self-Proclaimed Crossfit Box Champ, Dog Mum, and Wearer of a Bunch of Other Hats

I’ve spent my life dedicated to learning the craft of jewelry making, and helping others do the same. Whether you’re creating heirloom pieces, trying out new techniques, or creating works of art to sell, every piece of jewelry you create tells a story. I’m looking forward to hearing yours very soon…

meet lucy walker jewelry founder

But first, let me share a little more of my story with you:

Photo of Lucy walker at age 11 with blonde curls and a dark headband in her school uniform.
1996

A Pre-Teen Jewelry-Making Prodigy (According to the Guys at the Pub)

I was probably 11 years old when I made my first piece of jewelry out of beads (the gateway drug for most folks inside the Metalsmith Academy). It was such a work of art, I quickly built up a loyal client base willing to buy any piece of jewelry I made over the next few years (okay fine, the client was my grandma). But it was enough to set my entrepreneurial fire alight, and by 13 I was dealing beaded jewelry to classmates like it was nobody’s business. I even realized my father’s pub friends were willing to drop a pound or two on a leather cord necklace with bone beads! Safe to say: I’d found my passion early.

2005

From Avon Buyer to Gem School Graduate

While everyone else’s childhood career dreams faded and they swapped space travel for accounting, my love of jewelry stayed blazing hot. At about 21, I started working as a jewelry buyer for Avon Cosmetics. I loved selecting and curating fun new styles! But when an opportunity came for me to move to the Philippines with an education allowance, I couldn’t say no. I traveled across the world and studied at the Gemological Institute of America (at the Bangkok campus), graduating with a Diploma in Gemmology. I began to attend jewelry trade shows within Asia to learn as much about the gem and jewelry industry as I could! I also fell in love with the south sea pearls produced in the Philippines, and couldn’t get enough. 

A hand selecting jewelry from a display of assorted earrings and necklaces.
Smiling woman using a rolling mill in a jewelers workshop.
2006

Welcome to New York (and Hello to the Most Wonderful Place on Earth)

At age 23, I uprooted my life again and moved to New York. I took a part-time sales job in a jewelry store, and spent the rest of my time taking community college classes in metalsmithing and jewelry making. They were inspiring, but limited, and I got frustrated at the slow pace (and honestly, lack of skilled tutors!) That’s what led me to discover the most wonderful place on earth: New Approach School for Jewelers. I took an incredibly fast-paced course at New Approach, which set me up with OCD for life. It was (and still is) the best of the best when it comes to training for serious new jewelers, and it’s where many of our great modern jewelers got their start! 

2008

Working in the New York Diamond District

After New Approach fed the detail-oriented beast within me, I took an apprenticeship for a year working on the illustrious 47th Street in New York. I worked for a company producing incredibly high-end pieces in platinum, gold and diamonds the size of your fingernail! The jewelers there worked for places like Harry Winston, Cartier, Tiffany & Co… you get the picture. They were the best of the best, and so their incredible work ethics were ingrained into me. Making half-assed jewelry was never an option after New Approach and this apprenticeship! 

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200?

Stuck in England. Send Help. 

At age 26, my dad got sick and I went back to England for a year to be with him in his final year. I knew I never wanted to stay in England long term, but getting a work visa in the USA had become impossible without a degree. So, I spent 3 years in England studying at the Birmingham School for Jewelry, got my degree, and then headed out in search of warmer weather…

2014

Hunting Pearls Down Under 

Instead of moving to the USA, I took a detour to Darwin, Australia. I got a job working for Paspaley Pearls, and spent a year working with world-class jewelers, and falling deeper in love with pearls. Turns out though, I get bored way too easily (and got sick of the crocodile-infested beaches) so off I went again for my next adventure! 

Hands stringing white pearls on a wire above a wooden bowl filled with pearls.
Panoramic view of the Petronas Twin Towers surrounded by modern skyscrapers on a sunny day in Kuala Lumpur.
2015

My First Teaching Soiree (Aka. Becoming the Teacher I’d Wished I Had)

After a year at Paspaley, I was offered a job in Malaysia (spoiler: I still live here!). An international college approached me and asked if I wanted a teaching gig. In case you’re wondering, no, I didn’t have any experience. Turns out knowing how to make jewelry and teaching it were two very different things. I got the hang of it pretty quickly though, upgrading my classroom with video cameras and a large screen TV so my students could really see the action close-up, and they started to thrive! It was about this time that I realized that being tied down to regular employment just wasn’t going to work for me. So I decided to do something outrageous. I sold my house back in England, banked the check, and decided to start my own school right here in Malaysia. 

2017

The Birth of Lucy Walker Jewelry 

We started this business with the aim of creating handmade jewelry, and providing in-person classes in a small but well-equipped studio. My vision included simple weekend classes for folks interested in giving jewelry-making a try. This worked, but we quickly realized our students wanted more intensive classes. We started offering 3-day and 5-day workshops, and helped our students go from absolute beginners to more advanced jewelers. When we realized we had multiple attendees flying in from abroad to take these classes, we figured we were onto something special! 

People working at jewelers benched in a colorful, decorated room with art on the walls and various jewelry making tools on the tables.
2018

Holy Sh**... It's Working. 

Then it was time to introduce our first jewelry-making Kickstarter program - a full-time, month-long class aimed at taking new jewelers from zero to hero in a short space of time. Think bootcamp for metalsmiths but with less mud and obstacle courses. We ran 3 of these in our small studio, before upgrading to a new larger studio. Every class was full of students from all over the world - students from the USA, to the UK, to Australia, to the Middle East, to Europe! It was a culture cocktail, and SO much fun. We worked closely with 8 to 10 students, always focusing on quality, yet fun, unique designs. 

2019

Taking Our Classes Online… Just in Time! 

We’d been getting requests for online classes for over a year at this point, and we finally decided to make the decision to film some of our courses and sell them individually. A pre-launch sale before the classes were completed confirmed: this is the future. When Covid hit, the online classes were going gangbusters, and we pivoted our energy into creating exceptional content for our students. 

Back view of a DSLR camera with viewfinder displaying a scene soldering a silver ring
2020

Stuck at Home and Hungry for More 

We’d designed our online classes to be as affordable as possible (ranging from $27 to $45). Turns out, there were two issues though: firstly, students were taking one class, and realising they needed help with issues that were offered in another class. Annoying (for them, and us!) Secondly, despite advertising our classes as being like a book with no support (essential at that low price point), students understandably wanted to ask questions and my email inbox was bursting at the seams. 

The current model wasn’t working, and as I thought back to all the courses I’d taken in my time (both exceptional and terrible), I realized something: it wasn’t just the information I’d gleaned off - it was the people. Both the teachers, and the peers in the room with me - everyone together, learning the ropes, asking questions, and digging into the weeds of how jewelry-making is actually done. 

2021

Enter Stage Right: 
The Metalsmith Academy Membership!

Mid-Covid, we pivoted and launched The Metalsmith Academy - the most brilliant place online to learn how to make jewelry like a pro. I knew my current students would love this. And I knew that there were people out there who didn’t know me yet, but who would benefit so much from a fun place like this. But even still, when about 3500 members joined upon launching, I almost dropped dead! It was the perfect cocktail of information and community. A place where students could freely share not only their wins, but their mistakes too, and be met with warmth, advice, and commiserations. No pretentiousness. No ego. No time-wasting. 

I realized I’d found my sweet spot with my little business, and have been nurturing this baby ever since! 

Two women smiling, wearing aprons, sitting at a jewelers workbench with jewelry making tools, shelves, and various items in the background.
Person smiling and giving a thumbs-up at a table with jewelry making items.
TODAY

I Bloody Love What I Do, and Sharing it With You

These days, you’ll find me married to my forever husband Shaun whom I met here in Malaysia (and who is also a business partner). Together, we have two amazing dogs, and some random cats who made our house their home. Despite my slightly flaky employment history, I’ve realized that running my own business is much more up my alley! I think that prepubescent Lucy dealing leather necklaces at her Dad’s pub would be so proud. 

I’m so proud of the content we make, and even more so of the community we’ve built. Because I firmly believe that:

Every Jeweler Deserves a Judgment-Free Place to Create Epic (and Sometimes S&*#) Jewelry 

Unless you’re some sort of jewelry prodigy, chances are your first attempts at any new skill look more like trash than treasure (just ask my grandma). Learning to make jewelry that actually looks good and doesn’t fall apart takes time, practice and patience. Instead of leaving you to slave away in your workshop and add hundreds more half-finished projects to your drawer of shame, we wanted to create a place you could come and share your journey with experts and peers. A place for you to not only share your wins, but expose your failures too, and receive judgment-free advice to help you actually get better!

That’s why we created the Metalsmith Academy - our signature membership, designed to take you from absolute beginner to jewelry-making pro! Whether you’re looking to build a business, or create beautiful pieces to wear and share with loved ones, this is the community to help you do it.

Find Out More and Join us Inside

Meet The Rest of the Lucy Walker Jewelry Team:

Click the image below to learn more about the people behind our success.
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Neoh Weng Hong, IT SYSTEMS LEAD

Hey everyone! I’m Neoh and I’m the chief IT Nerd at Lucy Walker Jewelry and have been with the team for over 5 years. I focus on dealing with impossible tech ideas from Vennice and Lucy and turning them into reality. I really hope you like the new website we made for you!

Before joining I worked for over 8 years as a System Engineer in the IT field after graduating Taylor’s University with a Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) (Computer Security & Forensics). But I’m really not that big of a nerd! Any free time I have you’ll find me playing with the dogs, working out or playing basketball. I am a massive basketball fan. Go Lakers Nation!

Smiling woman at a desk with art supplies and decorations on the wall behind her.

Hi Guys! I’m Vennice Aw and my love in life is design!

I’ve been working as a jewelry designer for over 5 years now, since graduating from Birmingham School of Jewelry in the UK where I first met Lucy 8 years ago! Before joining Lucy Walker Jewelry, I worked for one of Malaysia’s top jewelry houses, working on one-of-a-kind custom pieces for some incredibly rich customers – The gemstones we used were what dreams are made of!

When it comes to design, I really feel like both hand rendering using various mediums, and computer aided design have their places and I enjoy working with both. What’s most important for me isn’t what we use to design, but how to get inspired. For me, inspiration is everywhere from the obvious such as a beautiful flower, to sitting in a bar and admiring the beautiful long legs on a bar stool! It’s all about just learning to look, and that’s what I hope to share here with you guys.

When I’m not designing, you’ll find me travelling, going for a run, cooking or playing with the dogs of course! They’re the real bosses of our studio!

Smiling person with short blonde hair, wearing a purple top and apron, above handwritten "Lucy" on teal background.

Hola guys! I’m Lucy and the founder of Lucy Walker Jewelry.

A bit about me…. Well, I’m originally from Sheffield, England, but I have a serious love for travelling which is awesome because that’s given me the chance to live in some spectacular places around the world. I’ve worked as a jeweler in the US, UK, and Australia before coming to Malaysia. I’ve also lived in the Philippines for a year and a half and seem to spend half my life in Bangkok (the land of gemstones!) – well, before COVID hit anyway! But soon I will be back.

Obviously my passion in life is jewelry, but fun fact: I rarely wear it. When I’m not working hard at the bench, I’m generally at my local CrossFit Box or playing with the doggos, so jewelry is generally just worn on special occasions for me.

Well, you know I don’t like to waffle, so let’s leave it there. Besides, I’m more interested in you! So once you’re all signed up, why not head on over to the forums and introduce yourself.

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Shaun Terence Teo, Business Director

In my past life I was a lawyer working with one of the leading firms in Kuala Lumpur’s legal scene and several other major corporations as their legal counsel. I graduated from Cardiff University with a Bachelors of Laws and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2011 and subsequently the Malaysian Bar in 2013.

These days I use my experience and skills ensure our operations run smoothly as possible to provide the best student experience we can.

If I’m not working, you’ll find me at my local CrossFit Box with Lucy (who is also my wife), entertaining all our rescue cats, or enjoying a beer at the local Irish bar. What can I say, the British are bad influences when it comes to the pub (not complaining though)! I’m also a massive comic book nerd – Batman rules!

Neoh Weng Hong
IT Systems Lead
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Vennice Aw
Lead Creative Designer
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Lucy Walker
Creative Director
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Shaun Terence Teo
Business Director
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Hear From These Brilliant Metalsmith Academy Members…

Over 200+ Reviews
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Susan Wells

Susan Wells

Anyone wanting to either start there jewelry making journey or progress further, this is the Course for you. In depth learning on every level. I can't stress enough how brilliant her classes are, you learn so much from her, and the creative kickstarters for me are always something that takes me out of my comfort zone. its a massively helpful online community, With every question answered super speedily.

Jessie Koh

Jessie Koh

Lucy is a gem of a teacher imparting valuable knowledge and patiently guiding you every step of the way, you can tell she genuinely wants the best for everyone. She makes you feel comfortable by creating a conducive environment for students to explore their creativity and hone their skills. I was sad when the class came to an end, it was an immensely enjoyable experience. I am looking forward to joining her next classes…

Melissa Clarke

Melissa Clarke

I discovered my love of jewelry making in early 2021 and found Lucy Walker’s Metalsmith Academy at the same time. Talk about the stars being in alignment for me as I went from absolute beginner to having the confidence to start my own handmade jewelry business within months. So empowering!! The course is brilliant with outstanding instruction - videos, handouts, step by step processes, super handy tips and more. The projects are motivating and well-sequenced to build skills steadily. The creative kickstarters are awesome for stretching your creativity - see my image. The encouragement from Lucy and her team and the other members is excellent and affirming. The course is excellent value for money and the opportunity to win prizes along the way is an added bonus. My only regret is that the Aussie/USD exchange rate is a killer. I finished much of the course content anyway, but am glad that Lucy shares a lot of content on YouTube so I still get my fix.

Rachel Carter

Rachel Carter

Prior to joining LWJA i was frustrated and trying to figure so much out all by myself. Now I've found my home and all the support I was looking for here at the academy. I've taken other classes online and in person but none compare to Lucy's clear instructions and extra close up video demonstrations. I'm still so surprised by how much value there is in the classes and the forum with Lucy's constant presence and mentorship alone. I am always able to get help with any project or skill whether it's from a class or not. Also, I've got access to Vennice's amazing rendering classes, all the free template and project exercises, vendor discount codes and so many more perks included in my membership! I've been a member for 3 years and continue to learn and find so much support from new classes, Lucy's mentorship on the forum and the community at LWJA. And the icing on the cake is Lucy's frequent give aways, awards and competition which have more than paid for my membership! I'm really lucky to have found such an amazing group to be a part of!

Claire Tasker

Claire Tasker

I joined Lucy’s metalsmith academy when it first opened and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. When I joined all I could make was simple silver rings, self taught. I really wanted to learn how to set gemstones and because of the clear, concise tutorials I can now flush set, bead set, prong set and bezel set! Before this I used to spend hours searching YouTube but there was either too much waffle ???? or not clear enough footage of what they were doing. And to top it off, everyone at the academy including members are so, so friendly ????????

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