Southern Oregon’s Nearest Silversmithing School
If you’re in Medford, Grants Pass, Ashland, Roseburg, or anywhere in southern Oregon, there’s a hands-on silversmithing school just three hours from your front door. SilverSmithingClass.com is located at Saunders Lake in North Bend, right on the coast — an easy drive west on Highway 42 through the mountains to Coos Bay.
Southern Oregon doesn’t have a dedicated silversmithing school. The Rogue Valley has a strong gem and mineral community and great rock shops, but when it comes to learning how to turn those stones into finished jewelry, your closest option is right here on the coast.
A Natural Fit for the Rogue Valley
Already collecting stones? If you’ve been attending gem and mineral shows in Medford, buying cabochons in Jacksonville, or rockhounding on the Rogue River, silversmithing is the next step. Our beginning class teaches you how to set those stones into professional bezels, solder sterling silver settings, and create finished pendants, rings, and bracelets. Bring your favorite cabochon to class and set it in silver.
Three hours, one direct highway. Take I-5 north from Medford to Roseburg, then Highway 42 west straight to Coos Bay. No mountain passes, no winding coast roads — it’s the most straightforward route from any part of the state to our studio.
A weekend trip that pays for itself. Students regularly start selling their jewelry within weeks of taking our class. The techniques you learn in two days — silver soldering, bezel setting, polishing — are the same ones professional jewelers use. Several of our students now sell at craft fairs, Etsy shops, and local galleries.
What You’ll Learn in One Weekend
Our Beginning Silversmithing class covers everything you need to start creating silver jewelry on your own:
Silver soldering fundamentals — how to join silver pieces permanently using a torch and hard solder. This is the core skill that separates real silversmithing from wire wrapping or bead stringing.
Bezel fabrication and stone setting — how to create a silver setting for a cabochon and set the stone securely. Bring your own stone or use one of ours.
Forming and shaping — how to cut, file, and shape sterling and fine silver into components for pendants, rings, and bracelets.
Finishing and polishing — how to take a rough soldered piece to a professional mirror finish.
The class runs two full days (12 hours total) and costs $399. All tools are provided. Every student leaves with a finished sterling silver pendant.
Getting Here from Southern Oregon
From Medford (3 hours): I-5 north to Roseburg, then Highway 42 west to Coos Bay/North Bend. Simple, direct, mostly highway.
From Grants Pass (3 hours): I-5 north to Roseburg, then Highway 42 west. About the same as Medford.
From Ashland (3.5 hours): I-5 north to Roseburg, then Highway 42 west. A bit further but still a comfortable drive.
From Roseburg (1.5 hours): Highway 42 west directly to Coos Bay. The closest major town to our studio besides Coos Bay itself.
From Klamath Falls (4 hours): Highway 97 north to Highway 42 west via Roseburg, or cut across on Highway 140 to I-5.
More Than a Class — A Coastal Weekend
North Bend and Coos Bay sit at the heart of one of the most scenic stretches of the Oregon Coast. Between class sessions, you’ll have time to explore Shore Acres State Park with its dramatic cliff-side ocean views, the Coquille River Lighthouse in Bandon, fresh seafood at local restaurants, and miles of uncrowded beaches.
Many southern Oregon students drive over Friday evening, take the class Saturday and Sunday, and stay an extra day to explore. Visit our Planning Your Trip page for lodging options from budget to upscale.
Beyond the Beginning
After the beginning class, come back for Intermediate Rings & Bracelets — create an interchangeable bracelet with a cabochon setting and a double split band ring. Or go all in with our 5-Day Bracelet Retreat, an all-inclusive creative vacation with lodging, meals, and a professional tool set to take home.
Prefer to start learning from home? Our 21-hour online streaming course covers everything from beginner basics through intermediate techniques. Stream at your pace, then come to the coast for hands-on experience when you’re ready.
Ready to sign up? Register for the Beginning Silversmithing class →
Questions? Call Dave at 916-548-7361 or email Dave@SilverSmithingClass.com.
See what students from across Oregon are saying about our classes →