New Approach School

Those that attended the MWJA show last weekend were the smartest and
luckiest jewelers.

Why?

We had several great people there showing new products and teaching
techniques.

Let me say, I am not a bench jeweler. But I have spent 1-1/2 years
training under a master bench jeweler and started and ran Rio’s
production findings facility. So I have knowledge and the skills of
jewelry manufacturing.

Blaine Lewis spent an entire day teaching everyone at the show some
of his techniques at the bench.

What he taught was not only extremely well thought out but he
explains everything so thoroughly everyone can understand it. At the
end of the day people were saying they were amazed at the simplicity
of what he was teaching and how they were now going to be able to do
more and make more with what he taught.

And at the end of the day I felt like originally I had been taught
the most difficult way to make jewelry. Now I am going to pull my
bench out and start working on the many pieces of jewelry I have had
just sitting there because from what I learned from Blaine Working
on jewelry is going to be fun.

In my opinion every one of you should go to his New Approach school.

Not only will you learn many important things but what he teaches
will save you time, frustration and will give you the ability to do
those jobs you fear doing. His techniques take the fear out of it
and by saving time they will increase your profits.

Ever have a fear of breaking or chipping a stone you are setting?
You’ll learn how to set it without fear and know it won’t ever come
out of the setting.

Ever had a soft stone to set that you can’t polish the prongs or
clean them up after the stone is set because the stone is too soft?
You’ll learn how to do this.

He goes into pave’, invisible, channel setting and much more
including tools to use modifications and how the metal works.

Ever set a stone and place the setting on a shelf or in your display
case and have the stone become loose after a month or so because of
spring back in the metal? His setting technique will solve this
problem.

With what you learn from him you can easily make back the cost of
the course in just a week or less.

For those who have never taken a class or are planning on going to
school. I would say first go to New Approach then after you have
completed all of the classes if you want to throw your money away go
to your other school.

Not that you won’t learn at any other school but from what I know of
other schools you would not be as well equipped to make jewelry and
earn a living from that education.

One local jeweler sends all of his bench jewelers to New Approach
and when they come back they are so much better jewelers than those
who have not gone.

I don’t get anything for this endorsement. I believe anyone that is
willing to share their knowledge and expertise to others should be
promoted.

Blaine is going to change this industry. Within several years
thousands of jewelers are going to learn from him and will be doing
more and making more because of what they learned from him. Those
that don’t go to New Approach will be left behind.

You have to spend money to make money. This is an investment. If you
are able to do the same amount of jewelry in 2/3 the time of what
you are spending now, what could you do with that extra time? Spend
it with your family maybe or make more jewelry or maybe pick up a
hobby.

You will improve your life by attending the school. What would you
pay to improve your life?

Ken Kotoski
MPG Repair
www.mpgrepair.com
1-877-262-2185

  You will improve your life by attending the school. What would
you pay to improve your life? 

Ken, not to belittle your obviously enthousiastic response to
Blaine’s fine teaching and inovative techniques, but just in terms of
your glowing testimonial here, I’m wondering if you’ve ever
considered a second or sideline career script writing the late night
television infomercials?

I can see it now.

“It slices. It dices. It does pave settings.” “And for the next
hour only, send only four small payments of…”

cheers

Peter

I couldn’t agree more about Blaine Lewis and New Approach School. I
have been there twice, once for advanced stone setting, and once for
platinum fabrication… both classes were absolutly amazing… I was
blown away with his teaching skills. He has a way of explaining
things in a very easy to understand way. I had been setting stones
for 10 years when I went to Blaine school and he cut my work time
litterally in half, the end product is now much crisper and
detailed… If anybody out there has second thoughts about platinum
work, go and take his platinum fabrication class, you will never have
another second thought about platinum again…in fact, if i never had
to work with anything but platinum ever again, I would mind one bit…
Blaine is an awesome teacher who blows the old saying, “Those who
can, do—those who can’t, teach” out of the water 100 fold… Blaine
can do!!! and Baline teach and better than anyone I have ever come
across… Keep up the good work Blaine!!! And you will change this
industry!!! Oh and one more thing… Blaine if you are reading
this… I WILL be BACK!!! So make sure the seafood place is open!!!
Marc Williams

     I believe anyone that is willing to share their knowledge and
expertise to others should be promoted. Blaine is going to change
this industry. 

I agree, and I don’t think Ken’s exaggerating. I took Blaine’s
advanced gem setting class a couple years ago, and it’s paid for
itself many times over (even taking into consideration the class
cost, flying to Virginia Beach, lodging, and closing my shop for 5
days). If it was “just” teaching a few specific methods, it would
have been worth it, but we learned so much more. I have a notebook
crammed with I still refer to. Blaine is an excellent
teacher, and his live video instruction is phenomenal. Went back the
next year for a wax carving class that Kate Wolf (another excellent
teacher) hosted - same experience.

Cindy Crounse, G.G.
in breezy, clear, sunny upstate New York (boy does it feel good to say
that!)

Hi Rita,

I attended the basic stone stetting class at Blaine Lewis’ school,
and I would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone expressing interest.
Even though I had experience setting (mainly prongs), I decided to
take the entry-level class in case there was anything I missed, or
forgot, along the way. I’m glad I did! I presume the more
comprehensive course you’re thinking about would be equally
high-caliber.

He started with the basics of bench ergonomics and burr control, and
everything built from there. He’s got an excellent teaching style,
and uses an innovative camera and monitors system so everyone in the
class can see exactly what’s going during with the demos. You can
clearly see what the tool is doing as he explains how and why.

I’d recommend checking the Orchid archives for references. I think I
wrote a more detailed description of my experience for Orchid shortly
after having returned from the class (check Aug. 2001).

All the best,

Dave

Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio
Charlotte, NC (USA)