Maybe you’ve dreamed of working in gold, but the price tag makes you hesitate. Or perhaps you’ve tried alloying before and felt lost in the math, the mystery of crucibles, or the frustrations of pouring an ingot that doesn’t roll out cleanly. Even if you’ve bought gold sheet or wire in the past, the cost can be intimidating—and without knowing how to stretch your materials, every mistake feels expensive and risky.
That’s where Art of Affordable Gold: Part 1 comes in. This isn’t a quick buffet of surface-level tricks—it’s a deep dive into the foundational skills that will pay you back for a lifetime.
You’ll discover how to confidently source your materials
create your own alloys from fusing high karat gold to 10kt
and transform them into usable sheet and wire.
You’ll learn how to care for your crucibles, pour clean ingots, and roll out flawless metal.
You’ll explore both traditional and modern ways of making bimetal doublé—giving you the beauty of high karat gold with the strength of sterling at a fraction of the cost.
And you’ll create surfaces and patterns no prefabricated sheet can match.
This class isn’t about dabbling—it’s about building a foundation that will let you step into gold with confidence and skill, at the right time in the market, and without wasting money on trial and error.
Gold isn’t just beautiful—it’s smart business.
In 2024, jewelry sales grew by 5% overall, with online jewelry sales up 10%.
U.S. retailers are reporting that fine jewelry continues to sell strongly in 2025, even as mid-market silver and base metals are struggling.
Gold consistently accounts for the majority of jewelry sales worldwide—because it’s timeless, desirable, and trusted.
That means there has never been a better time to bring gold into your work. Customers are choosing gold. The market is demanding gold. And artists who can offer it—without pricing themselves out of production—are the ones who will thrive.
This class gives you the tools to do exactly that.
Better understanding of gold fusing and which torch to use for the desired outcome
The best flame and setup for accomplishing the task of fusing and soldering gold.
A demystified understanding of alloying gold…math and all! We will cover a minimum of 4 alloys…maybe more! How to alloy up (raise the fineness) and even how to cost out your alloy. I’ll show you an easy way to manage the casting an ingot process!
A practical and easy way to understand the role of the rolling mill in your studio for these types of projects. It is a great investment and I’ll show you why. Isn’t it time to uplevel your metalsmithing game?
How to roll out the shape you want…a square shape versus a rectangle and how to calculate the size easily
Bur deformation (incising, removing material). We cover what sizes of burs to choose, the shape, and how to use them to get the best results. This is one of my favorite texture techniques.
How to hold your work when you need to free up your hands, engrave, set stones, and how to do it quickly and cost efficiency without a lot of additional work
When to use sterling silver, Argentium and fusing silver (a proprietary silver) for the gold applications you desire (let’s make your job easier and outcome more successful)
How to use gold bezel, make your own gold bezel, and make/use bimetal bezel.
How to make traditional Gold Bimetal Doublée. This is a German technique of alloying gold into a thin sheet and fusing it to the surface of silver. The gold is 30x thicker than Keum Boo and can withstand wear and tear unlike most other gold applications.
Gold fused to the surface of sterling silver
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to bring gold into your work—this is it.
You don’t need to spend thousands on ready-made alloys or years guessing at recipes and techniques. With the right guidance, you can create your own gold sheet, wire, and bimetal from affordable raw materials—and design pieces that command higher prices and deeper admiration.
Art of Affordable Gold: Part 1 gives you the foundation. Part 2 will expand your possibilities with even more affordable applications of gold.
Together, they’ll give you the confidence to make gold an integral part of your artistic voice.
But it all starts here—with this first step.
👉 Seats are limited, and this class will sell out.
Secure your place Sept 19th (at 8am PT), and take the leap into working with gold affordably, skillfully, and with joy.
Oct 16th 4:00 -7:30pm Pacific Time (4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET, 12am London)
Oct 20th 4:00 -7:30pm Pacific Time (4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET, 12am London)
Oct 23rd 4:00 -7:30pm Pacific Time (4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET, 12am London)
Oct 27th 4:00 -7:30pm Pacific Time (4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET, 12am London)
Oct 30th 4:00 -7:30pm Pacific Time (4pm PT, 5pm MT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET, 12am London)
**You do not need to be present for any or all of the LIVE classes. The classes will be posted to the online learning center for you to watch anytime that is convenient for you. You’ll have plenty of time between classes to catch up and you can ask any questions on the group which I will promptly answer.
There will be additional impromptu LIVE videos and recorded videos broadcast and posted on our Facebook Group.
You’ll get real time live classes with the best possible broadcasting equipment including 8 high resolution, 4k, cutting edge cameras and the best mic on the market. You’ll have different views to watch because seeing my hands is as important as seeing the up close surface fusing or a solder join flowing. Often in class you can never see the details from 6-10 feet away. So in many ways an online class is better. Plus you are at your own bench or in the comfort of your own home. You’ll have all your tools and be able to replicate it better because muscle memory in your studio at your bench is superior. Watch and rewatch. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and as you review your notes, if there is a question between sessions, I’ll be on call to answer them!
We are going to be doing 2 things: fusing and melting gold.
For fusing gold to silver:
The perfect torch would be the EZ Orca Propane and Ambient Air ($164 at Otto Frei 114.250 + $7 propane tank), or the German Blowpipe Torch #114.920KIT at Otto Frei ($158.00 + $7 propane tank). These are my go to torches for reticulation and fusing. If I’m not using my German BlowPipe Torch for granulating or fusing, I’m using the EZ Orca. I’ve got a video on Instagram that shows how easy it is to use. It’s portable and runs off small 1lb camping tanks that pose little to no danger in your studio.
A good second torch for this class would be the Smith Acetylene Ambient Air Torch. Not the Little Smith. This is a different torch. Although acetylene is dirty, it can be used to accomplish these techniques.
For melting gold:
It’s best if you have a oxy/propane torch like the Swiss or Little Smith with rosebud head. Or just be resolved to alloying smaller amounts of gold.
You can also use the Bernzomatic Reach Hose Torch (see Tonya Recommends). I have been able to fuse the bimetal with the Bernzomatic but it's not as easy or foolproof and we are working with expensive materials. If you are open to risking failure, then this torch is an option for fusing as well.
If you have acetylene, you can run a splitter to a oxy tank with a Little Smith and you’ll be able to melt large amounts of gold or silver.
Butane torches are fine for basic soldering but not for these techniques, sorry. They just don’t have enough UHHHmmmpf.
Tools help us accomplish our tasks. They are very important. Class #1 will be a comprehensive class on tools, supplies, and materials. We will go in depth as to what you must have and possibilities for you to consider acquiring at some time.
These are tools that I personally use. You might have something similar and that’s fine. You do not need to buy all the things, however I have been in so many classes where one of the tools the instructor used often was not on the list. I felt that my ability to do the task was hindered because I didn’t have it. So all my fave tools for the task will be on the list and if you want to wait to see if you want to buy it, that’s fine.
Please remember that I used to own a jewelry tool and supply company for 10 years and was a senior instructor for Rio Grande. So I feel like I have tried nearly every tool possible. I probably bought it too. I don’t recommend tools unless I know they are the best. Sometimes it an inexpensive tool and sometimes it’s costly. If it saves me time and makes the job enjoyable, it’s a good tool. I know that down the road I can sell them because good tools increase in value.
As of August 31st, the market price for 2dwt of gold would be $356. That would be an adequate amount to be able to make 1 piece of traditional bimetal or to alloy your own high-karat gold bimetal. You should then have some left over to learn to make some bezel wire.
If you are wanting to experience both an alloy and 24kt bimetal, then you may want to buy 4dwt which is $712.
Lastly I will be showing how to make a cheat bimetal and that number is currently unavailable to me. You would need another 2dwt and it would cost somewhere close to the amount above.
The silver is nominal but you would need some 14g (a 1” square piece for each of the bimetal you want to make = up to 3 x $17.65).
If you want to experience and try the soldering of the gold bezel you’ll need some solder and that runs about $115 (for quite a bit).
I usually don’t sell kits at classes because they are frankly time consuming to procure and assemble. There is not enough mark up to warrant doing them from a business standpoint. However I make an exception when I know that it would be so time consuming and costly for you to get the supplies from many different places and pay the shipping from so many places. So, if a kit is offered, it will include materials and consumables that you might need. Tools are only included if I think it would benefit you.
Buying the materials for the kits is an expensive outlay of money tied up in a product that fluctuates in price. I do my best to time the purchase at the best time. I also get better deals when I am ordering 250 ounces versus you ordering 3 ounces.
So no you do not have to buy a kit. If a kit is offered I will ask for your commitment, yes or no, to purchase. You'll be expected to use the links to purchase what you committed to when the items arrive and are ready to ship.
For the above reasons, there will be a kit in Part 2 of the Art of Affordable Gold to save students money. I do not anticipate having a kit in Part 1.