Jeweler and metalsmith Patrick McMillan has spent the past 15 years building his personal business as well as teaching jewelry and metalsmithing. He is currently the director of The Bench, located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a creative and educational studio offering personalized instruction, tools, and workspaces to aspiring and experienced jewelers.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Matthew Tuggle (Tuggle Designs, Denver) utilizes time-honored techniques to create jewelry that exhibits a modern take on traditional design. Tuggle and his wife Lauren are owners of Tuggle Designs in Denver, where they focus on helping clients create emotional connections to their hand-crafted custom pieces. In this episode, Tuggle shares the top tools in his arsenal and explains how they assist in the creation of his exceptional one-of-a-kind pieces.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Kyle Sharos has been in the world of jewelry his entire life, taking over family-owned Olde World Jewelers after his father's retirement in 2020. In this episode, he shares the tools on which he most relies (beyond his eye for quality craftsmanship) to create one-of-a-kind wearable art.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Jewelry artist Michelle Pajak-Reynolds handcrafts small collections of one-of-a-kind designs featuring unique gemstones, pearls, and ethically sourced precious metals.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Custom jeweler Cady Carlson Dill specializes in working with renewable, ethically sourced materials and updating family heirlooms. Dill relies on a assortment of essential tools that allow her to develop creative solutions to fit her customers' needs.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Best known for his pieces that highlight the vivid contrast between high karat gold and oxidized sterling silver, Denver-based jeweler Alex Boyd also teaches at workshops across the country.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Andrew Bugher is a custom jeweler specializing in creating unique, handcrafted pieces utilizing his expertise in casting, forging and sculpting. Bugher's style combines rugged nature-inspired shapes and textures with more polished and refined details and finishing.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

A goldsmith and founder of WEND Jewelry in Seattle, Wendy Woldenberg taught high school jewelry/metals for 22 years while making custom jewelry on school breaks. After a two-week backpacking trip around Mount Rainier, everything changed. She founded WEND Jewelry, a rugged fine jewelry brand focused on ethical sourcing and nature-inspired designs.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Melissa Muir is a jewelry artist and teacher who's renowned for her high quality, incisive instructional videos and tool reviews. In this episode, Melissa shares five of her most essential tools and explains the role each plays in making her more efficient and productive at the bench.

Sponsored by: Rio Grande

To see the video edition of this episode and the complete "5 Favorite Tools" series, visit: mjsa.info/5favorites 

Lee Krombholz, owner of Cincinnati-based Krombholz Jewelers, longtime member of the MJSA board of directors, and vice chair of the MJSA Education Foundation, is a third-generation jeweler who has won multiple awards for his custom designs. Krombholz blends cutting-edge technology with old-world craftsmanship to achieve heirloom quality results. In this episode, Krombholz explains his go-to techniques for finishing and texturing jewelry, and how he chooses styles to compliment his creations.

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Bette Barnett, owner of Studio Migoto, in La Mesa, California, is recognized for her expertise fusing steel with gold utilizing various techniques. In this episode, Bette discusses her transition from a career working in corporate communications to one in jewelry-making, how she discovered her love for working with steel, and her forthcoming book aimed at passing down the techniques she has developed and honed in the last 13 years.

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