Ian Barnard is a micro diamond setter, educator, and founder based in Mallorca. Trained at Graff Diamonds and at specialist schools in Russia and Belgium, he has spent his career at the precision end of the jewellery trade — and the last several years teaching it to a global audience.
Ian's story didn't start at the bench of a prestigious house. It started as a hobby — wax carving, basic casting, the slow accumulation of skill that comes from genuine curiosity rather than formal instruction. That foundation proved more valuable than it looked.
In 2018, he committed fully — attending specialist diamond setting schools in Russia and Belgium, then taking a seat at the bench at Graff Diamonds. He started documenting the journey at the same time. Not for an audience. Just because it seemed worth recording.
In 2020, he went independent. Doubled down on content. The audience began to find him — growing from a few thousand to over 240,000 across platforms — not through marketing, but through the work itself. Craft documented honestly tends to travel.
That growth was deliberate in its consistency, even if not in its scale. Content tripled revenue, attracted brand partnerships from leading tool and machinery companies, and led to international invitations to demonstrate at jewellery shows and trade events.
Today, Ian runs his work across several connected brands. Atelier Barnard is the jewellery side — high-end bespoke work. Setting the Standard is his education platform. Microsetting Academy is the flagship course. And the Ian Barnard name sits above all of it — the thing that gives each brand its credibility.
