Adventures in Goldsmithing: Recycling gold and making your own materials - June

Where? Twisp, Washington
When? June 21st and 22nd 2025 10am - 4pm both days
Class Size? Maximum of four students 
 
Push your abilities and jewelry making skills with this adventurous goldsmithing workshop. Learn how to recycle gold in your own studio. In this workshop, you will learn the fundamentals of alloying, karating, and processing your own gold. You will learn how to process gold scraps, vintage gold jewelry, and gold materials into new workable materials; including sheet, wire, and bezel. We will also cover how to buy gold, essential tools and resources, gold appraisal, cleaning gold, and karating. 
 
Skills Covered:
Buying Gold- appraisal, identifying, and valuing old gold jewelry
Identifying gold karat without marks
Alloying with 24k
Make 14k out of 10k, 18k, 22k, or 24k  (Alloying)
Gold colors and alloys
Karating- checking for karat, weighing, gram vs. dwt
How to prepare your crucible
Cleaning gold 
Making your own casting grain / shot 
Pouring Ingots for sheet, wire, and bezel
Annealing and processing 
Making the materials to create your own custom gold piece
Troubleshooting porosity and common mistakes 
Information about refiners: the do’s and dont’s 
Tool selection/ tool list for a home studio
 
This class is designed for metalsmiths who are interested in learning the fundamentals of goldsmithing. Have you ever had a customer ask you to use their old gold jewelry in a new project? Have you had a customer ask to use their old 10k gold and 18k gold to make it into a 14k gold piece? Rather than declining this custom or losing money to refiners, we will teach you how to melt gold jewelry into new workable materials. This will allow you to broaden your customer base, save money,  understand the basics of goldsmithing, and expand your confidence. 
 
Class Fee does not include gold materials. For this class you will need to bring a minimum of  14 grams of yellow gold. This can be scraps, old gold jewelry, etc. No gold fill or gold plated jewelry. If you do not have gold to use you can buy gold scrap from instructors for an additional fee. Due to fluctuations in gold prices, we will sell gold to you based on the price of gold that day, this will be approximately $900 for 14 grams of gold (prices might change). If you have questions about the gold you would like to use you can contact me directly at hello@camillewild.com . Please bring your own gold solder or there will be some available for purchase for an additional fee. 
 
Class Fee includes instruction, use of professional oxygen/propane torch, and tools. Please bring your own crucible with a handle. You can buy your own here: https://www.ottofrei.com/products/melting-dish-7-5-oz-capacity-with-handle . The studio is well ventilated, but please bring your own preferred mask and eye protection. Upon completion of this class, you will receive a comprehensive guide that covers the skills covered in this class to take home with you for future reference. Please bring your own notebook for note taking. 
 
Instructors: 
This class will be taught by Camille and her mother Theresa Pytell. Theresa Pytell is a renowned goldsmith with over 50 years of experience. Theresa’s notable accomplishments are publications in Vogue magazine and Business Insider, serving as the vice president of the Washington Guild of Goldsmiths, coordinating the Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference, and serving as a chairperson for the Washington Guild of Goldsmiths member show in 1998. She has been featured in galleries from Saks fifth Avenue in New York to local galleries in her home state, Colorado. 
 
Course Prerequisites:
Students must have intermediate or advanced silversmithing skills. Including the ability to solder independently. This class is designed for people who would like to break into goldsmithing or those who already work in gold, but do not know how to recycle their own gold or fall into common pitfalls with porosity issues. Must be 18 years of age or older. 
 
Cancellation Policy:
Please note that 25% of your class fee is non-refundable if you withdraw up to 30 days before the workshop. Within 30 days of the class, the fee is non-refundable unless I am able to fill your spot. In the event that I need to cancel the class, you will receive a full refund of your class fee.

 
This class will take place at the Camille Wild Studio located at TwispWorks in Twisp, Washington. Once I have received your payment, your space will be confirmed. One month prior to the beginning of this class, I will send you an email with further details. 
 
Consultations and questions will be answered by both Camille and Theresa. 
 
*interested in working with white gold? Contact me for a custom advanced class.
*additional product images show possible pieces you can make from the gold materials you take home from this class