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Learn how to melt and recycle your scrap silver turning it into bullion, making your business more sustainable while complying with hallmarking standards with experienced jeweller Elisavet Messi.

Turning old metal scrap into bullion is a useful and resourceful skill that will allow you to improve your understanding and control of melting and reshaping processes.

The repurposing of old materials is increasing thanks to a growing awareness of environmental issues. More designers are looking to use greener precious metal alternatives. Learning how to recycle scrap metal to make new pieces could be a positive solution to making your jewellery more sustainable.

Ideal for all levels of experience, this course led by jeweller Elisavet Messi, offers a comprehensive and hands-on approach to melting and recycling scrap silver for sustainable jewellery making while adhering to hallmarking standards. Elisavet will cover a range of topics including health and safety, how to kit your workshop for melting and equip you with practical skills to recycle your materials and understand how to best prepare your own bullion.

You will learn about melting and recycling your silver through demonstration and individual practice, plus you will receive our handy online guide to support your sustainable practice. This course will enable you to be a small part of the solution by re-using metals already in circulation.

How will this course help my practice?

Delivered in person at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, this course will help you with:

• Overview of recycling techniques: Learn how to recycle clean scrap, such as sheet and wire off-cuts and understand the sustainability benefits of repurposing old materials.
• Hands on melting: Melt down your own silver and transform it into wire for reuse, gaining practical experience in the melting process and learning about the most effective torch set up
• Troubleshoot: Learn to work with freshly melted silver, and explore the safe use, pros and cons of using a rolling mill and/or draw bench to prevent cracks and other defects. 
• Assay Office standards: Receive special attention to the properties of metal, differentiating between melting and refinery processes and understand how to comply with Assay office standards when recycling your own metal
• Resource guidance: Receive a range of resources related to sustainable practice whilst discussing and identifying methods that best suit your jewellery making practice based on your personal circumstances.
• Health and safety precaution: Cover all necessary health and safety precautions around melting and preparing bullion and understand responsible disposal of pickle gaining insights into bioproducts and contamination.
• Customer communication: Understand how to communicate the significance of using recycled materials and learn about your responsibility to educate consumers about the differences between ethical, fairtrade and recycled metal so they can make an informed decision about their jewellery purchases.
• Interactive learning: Benefit from group and individual guidance from your tutor, whilst you engage in discussion, Q&A and collaborative learning.
• Be part of the solution: This course not only empowers you with practical skills but it also instils a deeper understanding of the environmental impact of our craft, encouraging sustainable and responsible practice within the jewellery industry.

What do I need to bring with me?

• Fresh scrap of sterling silver (Max 15gr)
• Optional: a scrap of old silver jewellery or miscellaneous silver items to recycle. However, items may not be suitable for melting, an assessment will be done but only fresh scrap of 1 clarity will be melted on the day.
• Optional: Spectacles or head visor (if required) to work on small details.

Who is this course designed for and what are the experience level requirements?

All levels of experience welcome.

Do you have any access requirements?

We are committed to making our training programmes and events as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you have any access requirements, please inform us as early as possible and we will do our utmost to so we can make the reasonable adjustments. While we will do our best to accommodate your needs, advance notice is essential to ensure we can provide appropriate support.

To discuss your requirements when booking tickets for our Goldsmiths’ Centre training programmes, please contact us at boxoffice@goldsmiths-centre.org

Can I receive financial support to access this course?

We believe that talent should not be held back. Here at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we are open, accessible and inclusive to all. Our Access Grants help anyone to build thriving creative careers, supporting jewellers, silversmiths and allied industry practitioners to access our training courses for free.

If you need help to cover fees for our business and technical skills short courses, please apply for one of our Access Grants. To find out more and read our application criteria, click here

The Access Grants are delivered by the Goldsmiths' Centre and funded through modern philanthropic giving, via the Goldsmiths’ Foundation, from members of the Goldsmiths’ Company.

Who is the tutor?

Elisavet Messi is an award-winning professional goldsmith. As the daughter of a mechanical engineer, and a trained goldsmith, Elisavet Messi is a big supporter of technicality and innovation. With a focus on sustainability and ethical practice, her sculptural jewellery focuses on materials and is made from 100% recycled silver and 18ct recycled gold where possible. Elisavet has received multiple awards for her innovative use of wire including the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards and the honour to be a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers. Beyond her own practice, she is also passionate about academia and she is an active mentor and tutor for several institutes..