Oqzo Metalsmith

What Oqzo Metalsmith does

OQZO Metalsmith is a privately-held jewelry arts studio headquartered at 1106 Woodgrove Way in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Founded by metalsmith Lynn Occhiuzzo in 2011, the business operates from a dedicated studio built in 2015 on founder-owned property, equipped with eight student workbenches, an instructor's bench, individual Little Smith hand torches, Foredom hand sets, roller mills, a hydraulic press, and full bench tool inventory. The studio teaches jewelry making techniques — including soldering, forming, stone setting, chasing and repousse, etching, enameling, foldforming, hydraulic press vessel construction, filigree, granulation, and metal clay — to both complete beginners and experienced jewelry artists.

The core curriculum is anchored by a 2-day beginner "Tools and Skill: The Fundamentals of Metalsmith" workshop priced at $435, which serves as a gating prerequisite for Open Studio access. Additional 1–2 day skill-building workshops and multi-day guest instructor intensives (priced from $100 to $700) cover advanced techniques such as prong setting, Argentium silver fusing, Fretz hammer work, stone setting, granulation, Russian filigree, imagery on silver, and drawing on metal. The studio has assembled seven named guest instructors recognized as leaders in the jewelry arts field. Open Studio bench time is rented at $35 per day session, with Wednesday evening sessions reserved for past students.

Revenue is generated from three streams: paid class enrollment (the primary stream), open studio bench rentals to experienced jewelry artists, and on-site sales of metals (sterling silver, fine silver, copper, bronze, Nu-Gold) and tools. All services are delivered in-person at the single Hillsborough location; there is no e-commerce, no digital product, and no distribution channel beyond direct enrollment via phone or website contact form. The business is founder-owned with no external investors, no parent company, no patents, no published revenue, and no disclosed funding history.

Name

Oqzo Metalsmith

Legal name

OQZO Metalsmith

Website

https://oqzo-metalsmith.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OQZO Metalsmith is a single-location jewelry arts studio in Hillsborough, NC that teaches metalsmithing techniques to individual hobbyists through beginner workshops, advanced skill classes, and guest instructor intensives, generating revenue from class fees, open studio rentals, and materials sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewelry Arts Education

NAICS

Ornamental and Architectural Metal Work Manufacturing (332323), Ornamental and Architectural Metal Products Manufacturing (33232)

SIC

Jewelry, Precious Metal (3911), Sheet Metal Work (3444)

akta.pro primary industry

Casting, Stamping & Fabrication (OEM/ODM) (CRAKAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metallurgy, Welding Processes & Materials Science for Welders (EDAOADAJ), Brazing, Soldering & Joining Processes Training (EDAOADAK), Metal Cutting, Fit-Up & Layout (Oxy-Fuel/Plasma/Saw) Training (EDAOADAE), Aluminum, Stainless & Specialty Metals Welding Training (EDAOADAL)

Keywords

• Jewelry making classes
• Metalsmithing workshops
• Jewelry arts education
• Silversmithing instruction
• Open studio rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Hillsborough

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Jewelry Making Classes and Workshops: Revenue generated from paid enrollment in jewelry arts workshops and classes, including beginner fundamentals courses, advanced technique workshops, and multi-day guest instructor intensives. Classes are priced per workshop and require advance payment.
2. Open Studio Bench Time Rental: Experienced jewelry artists and past students can rent bench time at the studio on a daily or evening basis. Tools, metal, and materials are available for purchase on-site.
3. Materials and Metal Sales: The studio sells tools, metal (sterling silver, fine silver, copper, bronze, Nu-Gold), and materials to students for use in classes and open studio sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

OQZO Metalsmith operates a physical jewelry arts studio in Hillsborough, NC that teaches metalsmithing techniques through in-person workshops, classes, and open studio bench time. The studio offers a structured curriculum led by founder Lynn Occhiuzzo covering beginner fundamentals (soldering, forming, stone setting) through advanced techniques (chasing and repousse, hydraulic press forming, granulation, filigree, enameling, etching), supplemented by multi-day workshops with nationally recognized guest instructors.

Product overview

OQZO Metalsmith is a physical jewelry arts studio (not a software platform) offering a structured curriculum of hands-on metalsmithing workshops and classes for beginners and intermediate jewelry makers. The core offering consists of the Fundamentals of Metalsmith workshop as the prerequisite course, followed by additional skill-building classes covering techniques like prong setting, tube-setting, Argentium fusing, cold connecting, and Fretz hammer work. The studio enhances its curriculum with guest instructor workshops led by nationally recognized jewelry artists teaching specialized techniques such as stone-setting, hollow form vessel construction, granulation, Russian filigree, imagery on silver, chasing and repousse, and drawing on metal. Additional offerings include open studio bench time rental, custom jewelry creation services, and a portfolio of handmade jewelry pieces by the studio owner Lynn Occhiuzzo. The studio provides a fully equipped workspace with eight student benches, torches, rolling mills, and hand tools, with metals including sterling silver, fine silver, copper, bronze, and Nu-Gold available for class use and purchase.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tools and Skill: The Fundamentals of Metalsmith A 2-day beginner workshop teaching the fundamentals of jewelry making including jeweler's saw, soldering, roller mill, forming mandrels, and stone setting. Price includes materials fee. An alternative 1-day version is available for $200.
• Introduction to Prong Setting A 1-day class teaching basket and prong set pendant creation. Students learn a quick and easy way to create settings that can also be adapted for earrings.
• Tube-set Stone Ring Workshop covering ring construction with tube-setting technique, including sawing, roller mill embossing, forming, bezels, soldering, drilling, polishing, oxidizing, and stone setting.
• Introduction to Argentium Silver Class teaching the technique of fusing Argentium silver using only yellow liquid flux to create pendants, bails and other jewelry components.
• Fabricating 2 - Cold Connecting Beads Class teaching cold connection technique that fuses pieces of metal together without heat. Covers disc cutting, dapping, riveting, and torch patina for copper.
• Fretz Hammer - Bracelets Workshop teaching students to create bracelets using Fretz hammers and mini stakes.
• Fretz Hammer - Rings Workshop teaching students to create hollow rings using Fretz hammers and mini stakes.
• Pendant With Stone or Vintage Coin Class using multiple skills to create a pendant with a set stone or vintage coin.
• Pendant with a Hinge Class teaching creation of pendants with hinges and how to create a rectangle from flat wire.
• Open Studio Bench Time Studio bench time available to experienced jewelry artists and OQZO Metalsmith students. Day sessions are $35/day (Monday-Wednesday, 11am-4pm); Wednesday evening sessions ($35, 4pm-9pm) are limited to OQZO students who have taken the Fundamentals workshop. Tools, metal and materials available for purchase.
• Custom Jewelry Creation Custom jewelry creation services including rings, pendants, bracelets, earrings, and silversmith items made to client specifications using various metals including sterling silver, gold, platinum, and copper.
• Stone-Setting Workshop with Kai Hill 4-day workshop teaching stone-setting techniques including round, oval, and marquise-shaped stones in heavy-wall bezels, shared prongs, and flush-setting fancy-shaped stones. $550, includes all days, tools, and materials.
• Hollow Form Vessels with the Hydraulic Press 3-day workshop exploring how the Bonny Doon hydraulic press creates small scale three-dimensional vessels. Teaches vessel design, texturing with pattern plates, silhouette die creation, and soldering. Taught by Cyd Rowley. $575 + $50 kit fee.
• Form and Function: Engineering for Multiples 4-day workshop teaching how to develop patterns for engineering concepts using nature as inspiration. Covers centrally radiating forms, nested forms, slotted forms, faux hinging, and tab construction with self-registering blanking dies. Taught by Jayne Redman. $675.
• Granulation & Russian Filigree Workshop teaching traditional granulation and Russian filigree metalsmithing techniques. Taught by Victoria Lansford, recognized for generating an international revival of nearly lost metalsmithing techniques.
• Imagery on Silver 2-day workshop teaching how to convert photos or drawings into images etched onto sterling, Argentium, or fine silver using electricity. Taught by Elizabeth Lyne. $375 + $45 kit fee.
• Taking Shape: An Introduction to Chasing & Repousse 3-day workshop teaching the ancient process of chasing and repousse to chisel and sculpt metal. Covers front chiseling, back raising for volume, and refining details. Taught by Kimberly Renee'. $600, includes all days, materials, and tools.
• Colorful Creations: Drawing on Metal 4-day workshop teaching technique for drawing on metal with colored pencils to add color and excitement to jewelry. Taught by Deb Karash. $700 + $65 kit fee.
• Painting Enamels and Experimental Enameling Enameling workshop taught by Janet Harriman covering painting enamels and experimental enameling techniques. $450 + $55 materials fee.
• Faceted Gemstone Setting Stone-setting workshop taught by Tricia Becker covering faceted gemstone setting techniques. $350 + $25 materials fee.
• Foldformed Jewelry: Earrings & Rings Workshop taught by Janet Harriman teaching foldforming techniques to create earrings and rings. Price includes all days, materials, and tools.
• Sterling Silver Metal Clay Workshop taught by Janet Harriman on working with sterling silver metal clay. Includes $100 materials fee for sterling silver metal clay kit.
• Hollow Pendant with Gemstone Workshop taught by Kai Hill teaching creation of a hollow pendant with a gemstone. Price includes both days, tools, and materials fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students have progressed from complete beginners to making a living from jewelry making (Liliana G., 3 years of study)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Metalwerx: Jewelry and metalsmithing school in Waltham, MA offering workshops, bench time, and technique-focused classes. Highly comparable to OQZO's studio-based, in-person teaching model targeting hobbyists and intermediate jewelry artists.
• Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts: San Francisco jewelry school founded by Alan Revere, offering intensive workshops in fabrication, stone setting, and metalsmithing. Directly comparable in curriculum, target audience, and structured multi-day workshop format.
• The Crucible: Oakland, CA industrial arts school offering classes in jewelry/metalworking, blacksmithing, glass, and more. Comparable as a studio-based, in-person arts education business with multiple disciplines and visiting artist workshops.
• Wildflower Art & Jewelry School: Boutique jewelry school offering multi-day technique workshops and bench rental in a small-studio format. Closely mirrors OQZO's instructor-led, hands-on class model for hobbyists.
• New Approach School for Jewelers: Nashville-area jewelry school offering hands-on metalsmithing and lapidary classes. Comparable studio-based teaching model serving hobbyists and emerging jewelers in a regional U.S. market.

Broad incumbents

• Rio Grande: Major jewelry supplies distributor with an educational content arm (videos, tutorials, learning resources). Comparable as a materials-plus-education provider serving the same hobbyist and professional jewelry-making audience.
• Pratt Fine Arts Center: Seattle-based community arts education center offering jewelry/metalworking alongside other fine arts disciplines. Comparable in providing studio-based arts instruction but with broader portfolio and larger institutional footprint.

Emerging players

• Craftsy / Bluprint: Online crafting education platform with deep jewelry-making course catalog. Adjacent competitor for hobbyist learning time and wallet share, though lacking OQZO's hands-on, equipment-provided in-person advantage.
• Jewelry Making Daily (Interweave/F+W): Online education and content platform for jewelry makers, offering articles, videos, and project tutorials. Adjacent competitor for hobbyist learning attention, though purely digital versus OQZO's in-person model.

Others

• Bead&Button (Kalmbach Media): Special-interest magazine and event organizer (Bead&Button Show) serving the beading and jewelry-making hobbyist community. Comparable target demographic, with event/workshop programming that overlaps with OQZO's in-person format.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oqzo Metalsmith