Home/Curriculum/Impression Taking
Tier I · Foundations Course 03 of 11 Beginner Level

IMPRESSION taking

If the impression's wrong, every piece you make from it will be wrong too. Learn to take alginate impressions that fit perfectly — the foundational skill behind every custom grill, ring, and bespoke piece you'll ever make.

5
Lessons
5h
Total Video
4K
Bench-Cam Detail
∞
Lifetime Access
— What You'll Master

FIVE skills, ONE foundation.

By the end of this course you'll be confident taking, pouring, and reading impressions for any custom commission — the bedrock skill that every other course depends on.

i.

SET UP A professional workspace

Lighting, ergonomics, hygiene, and the exact layout used in the Glider Jewels studio. Get this right and every other technique becomes easier.

ii.

MIX ALGINATE without bubbles

Water temperature, mix ratio, set time. The three variables that decide whether your impression captures every cusp or comes out as porridge.

iii.

CHOOSE & PREP the right tray

When to use perforated, when to use rim-locked, when to build a custom tray. Sized for the job — not for guesswork.

iv.

POUR STONE MODELS that hold detail

Vibration technique, pour rate, and timing. A perfect impression means nothing if your stone model is full of voids.

v.

INSPECT FOR fit & accuracy

How to read a model. Spotting tooth migration, gum line variation, and bite errors before you've cast a single piece.

vi.

CORRECT common errors

Bubbles. Tears. Distortion. The five mistakes every new jeweller makes — and exactly how to fix or re-take without losing your client's confidence.

— Full Curriculum

EVERY lesson,
BROKEN down.

5 lessons. 5 hours. Watch in order, jump around, or replay as many times as you need. The first lesson is free to preview before you enrol.

01
SETTING UP THE workspace
Free Preview 52 Min
+
We start with the workspace because everything else depends on it. Bench layout, lighting placement, sterilisation routine, the tools you actually need versus what every YouTube tutorial sells you. By the end of this lesson your workspace will be set up the way Glider Jewels' workshop is — not how a textbook from 1995 describes it.
02
MIXING alginate
68 Min
+
The single most failed step in impression-taking. Water temperature, ratio, mixing motion, working time — get any one of them wrong and the impression sets before you've seated the tray, or stays soft and tears on removal. You'll mix alongside me on the bench-cam, with troubleshooting for every common error.
03
TRAY SELECTION & preparation
54 Min
+
Stock trays vs. custom trays — when each is appropriate, how to size correctly, when to add wax extensions or stops. A poorly fitted tray will compromise even a perfect mix. Includes a full walkthrough of building a custom tray from scratch in cold-cure acrylic.
04
POURING STONE MODELS without voids
58 Min
+
Your impression captures the negative — the stone model is what you actually work from. Vibration, pour angle, timing, separation. A model with a single bubble in the wrong place can lose you the commission. Includes how to use a vibrating table at home if you don't own a professional one.
05
INSPECTING ACCURACY & correcting fit
48 Min
+
How to read a finished model: gum line, occlusal surface, contact points. Spotting issues before they cost you a casting. When to re-take, when to compensate, when to call the client back. The professional inspection workflow that separates a working maker from a hobbyist.
— What's Included

EVERYTHING you need.

i

5 Hours HD Video

Multi-angle bench cam in 4K resolution

ii

Tool Checklist

Downloadable PDF with member discounts

iii

Discord Access

Private community of students & makers

iv

Lifetime Access

Watch as many times as you need

— Who It's For

RIGHT FIT, or not.

Honest expectations — because the worst thing we can do is sell you a course you'll abandon.

— Take this course if you

YOU'LL love it.

  • Are a complete beginner wanting a real foundation in jewellery-making
  • Have started with grillz tutorials online and need a proper structured approach
  • Are a working jeweller from another field moving into custom dental work
  • Want the exact methodology used at Glider Jewels — not a generic textbook approach
  • Are willing to practice between lessons rather than just watch passively
— Skip this course if you

PROBABLY not for you.

  • Want a quick-start guide to selling grillz online — this is craft, not business
  • Are an experienced dental technician — much of this will be revision
  • Are looking for "copy this, sell that" — we teach skills, not shortcuts
  • Don't have 5 hours to commit over the next month or two
  • Want to start with diamond setting — that comes much later in the path
— Your Instructor

TAUGHT BY the maker.

G·J
The Workshop London · MMXXVI
— Founder & Lead Instructor

JOSEPH at Glider Jewels

London · Bespoke Diamond Jeweller

Joseph runs Glider Jewels, a London-based bespoke jewellery house specialising in diamond grillz and custom commission work. His pieces have featured in editorial work and high-profile commissions across the UK and Europe.

The Grillz School is built on the same workflow used in the Glider Jewels studio every day — not a theoretical curriculum, but the exact processes that produce real, high-end work for paying clients. You'll be learning what works, taught by someone whose livelihood depends on it working.

8+
Years Trade Experience
500+
Bespoke Commissions
11
Courses Authored
— FAQ

YOUR questions, ANSWERED.

Do I need any tools or materials before starting? +
Not to watch the course — but if you want to follow along practically, the downloadable PDF lists every tool and material you'll need. Most of it is available in our tools shop with a member discount, and total starter cost is around £80–120 for everything.
How long do I have access to the course? +
Lifetime access. One-time purchase means you own the course forever — watch as many times as you need, in any order, on any device. Updates are included automatically when we release new material or refilm sections.
Can I get a refund if it's not for me? +
Yes — full refund within 14 days as long as you've watched less than 30% of the course. We'd rather you got your money back than felt locked in. We're confident enough in the course that we don't need to trap anyone.
Is this better as a one-off purchase or with membership? +
If you only want this one course — buy it. £225 one-time. If you'll likely take 2+ courses in the next year, the £79/mo Apprentice membership unlocks all 7 Foundations + Intermediate courses plus member rates on services and tools shop discounts. Most students start with one and upgrade later.
Is there a community or support if I get stuck? +
Yes. Every course includes access to the private Discord community where students post their work, ask questions, and get feedback from the instructor and other students. It's quieter than most online communities — by design — and very high signal.
What if I want to skip ahead to setting or carving? +
You can — but we'd recommend you don't. Foundations builds in a deliberate order. Setting, casting, and finishing all assume you can take a clean impression. Skipping this is the most common reason people abandon Intermediate courses with usable knowledge but unusable hands.
A Smarter Way

OR GET seven courses
FOR £79 a month.

Buying this course alone is £225. But Apprentice membership unlocks this course plus 6 others across Foundations and Intermediate — for less than the cost of two courses.

— This Course Only
£225
One-Time
Lifetime access to 1 course. Discord community included.
vs.
— Apprentice Membership
£79/mo
Cancel Any Time
Access to all 7 Foundations + Intermediate courses, member rates on services, 15% off tools shop.
Compare Memberships →
Begin the Craft

START WITH impressions.

The foundational skill behind every custom piece. One course, lifetime access, full refund if it's not for you.

Enrol for £225 → Or Join from £79/Mo →