Alloys with Yeena Yoon

Course:  Alloys
Date:  12-14 August 2026 (residential)
Price:    £850
Tutor:    Yeena Yoon
Objective: The objective of this course is to learn to alloy gold, recycle your own precious metals and gain control over the process of creating sheet and wire.
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Aim of the course               

Under the expert tuition of Yeena Yoon, who will teach through a series of demonstrations and one-to-one instruction, you will explore the fundamentals of alloy in coloured carat gold, with a focus on the ternary alloy system. Participants will gain an understanding of the alloying process, including how to control colour variations and refine techniques for working with gold sheet and wire.

Key processes include weighing pure metal elements—such as gold, silver, and copper—melting them into a single ingot, and shaping them into workable gold sheet.

 

On completing the course you will have:

 

  • an understanding of the general logic and alloy behaviour of ternary alloy system in coloured karat gold alloys
  • techniques for recycling existing scrap and matching existing alloys
  • knowledge of how to calculate different ratio to achieve various alloys
  • and how to weigh out each metal and alloy from scratch
  • skills to allow you to shape the metal and when to anneal in order to avoid overworking.

FAQs

Why Bishopsland?
We offer the time and space to develop your skills alongside a community of other makers in similar situations to yourself.  Swap stories of life as a designer-maker, share ideas, challenges and solutions. We allow plenty of time for communal discussions and relaxation so, although you will be joining us to learn, we aim to also provide a fun and enjoyable community atmosphere. Our inherent understanding of silversmithing and the expert nature of the tutors leading each workshop mean that the course will directly feed into your practice.  Tutors will taylor their teaching and provide detailed 121 feedback to as to maximise the return on your time and financial investment. 
Who is this course designed for?
Designed for experienced makers working with 18-carat gold or recycled silver, the course delves into metallurgy, atomic structures, and material properties. Through hands-on learning, participants will learn to prevent overworking, minimize defects, and reduce material loss.
Course outline
 

Day 1: Wednesday 12 August 2026

 

 Two days will be spent working with 18-carat yellow gold alloys. This will boost your confidence in creating different stock forms with the same alloy. You will learn alloying theories, general health & safety, how to glaze your crucible, 18 carat gold alloying, and sheet making.
Day 2: Thursday 13 August 2026

 

 On the second day, we will learn how to repurpose the old form of material by using the previously made alloy to make wire.  We will recycle 18-carat yellow gold to create wire and sheet, and will draw down as thin a wire as possible, learning how to go as fine as 0.3mm.
Day 3: Friday 14 August 2026

 

 You will follow the recipe to alloy 18 carat red gold, developing an understanding of the difference in metallurgy of 18 carat yellow gold vs 18 carat red gold. We will stretch the red gold, and you will experience the different behavioural properties of working with a harder metal.

 

Materials and tools list for participants
 

Materials required  Participant to bring/buy Bishopsland/Tutor to supply
 
  • Please bring 3g of fine gold, 3g of fine silver and 3g of copper grain. If you would like to borrow these materials from Cookson Gold we can arrange this.  You will be liable for returning or purchasing the material(s) at the end of the course.  Bishopsland will put you in touch with Cookson, and you will be responsible for organising delivery and return of the loan and paying the processing fees. Alternatively you are welcome to bring your own gold, silver and copper – any questions do get in touch.
  • Sketchbook and pen / pencil
  • Own hand tools e.g. selection of hand files, needle files, and pliers
  • Crucible 5cm x 5cm (HS Walsh if you don’t have one)
  • Clean pair of tweezers
  • Calculator
  • Piercing saw and various blades
    Please note: do not bring charcoal block as it adds carbon to the alloys
  • We have plenty of spare tools, scales, working hearth etc 

 

Accommodation
This is a residential course with all teaching delivered within Bishopsland’s purpose-designed silversmithing and jewellery workshops. You will be staying in our student houses, which are a short walk from the workshops.  The houses are Grade II listed cottages.  They are basically but comfortably decorated and furnished.  Rooms vary from single to double. The accommodation is offered as a convenient, and low cost, option for staying locally.

Your course fee includes 3-nights accommodation (arrive Tuesday, depart Friday once the course finishes).

Is financial assistance available?
Unfortunately, Bishopsland cannot discount or provide financial assistance to cover the course fee or your material costs.  

There are organisations who might be able to provide funding. We recommend you research grants available through The Goldsmiths Centre, Heritage Crafts or The Benevolent Society.

Next steps
Please go to the booking page.  Once your booking is made, you will receive a confirmation email. In the run up to the course next August, you will receive full joining instructions.
Contact us
For all questions related to this course, please contact Claire Murdoch: c.murdoch@bishopsland.org.uk 

Lastly, we are looking forward to welcoming you to Bishopsland.

Yeena Yoon

Yeena Yoon

Jeweller and Goldsmith

 

Yeena Yoon is an award-winning jeweller and goldsmith. Originally working as a professional architect, Yeena’s approach to design is through innovative use of materials in search for a new spatial composition and its material expression.

Every piece of her work shows her passion for craftsmanship and individuality, created with meaning and expert skills. Yeena specialises in fine gold wire work and gemstone lapidary, both of which were honed under the meticulous direction of world master craftsman Giovanni Corvaja and Charlotte De Syllas.

Yeena is the recipient of multiple awards and grants in her field for her innovative practice, including The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust Scholarship (2021) and a beneficiary of the Gem X Scholarship (2022).

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