Jewelcrafting is one the least expensive professions to level when you consider the net cost to level. Since you can make gold off selling most gems in the last levels for more than it costs to cut, it’s a profession that actually reduces in “net cost” per level as you get higher.

Below is a general guide on how to level it. The results on how much you spend (or even gain) leveling will depend on your server prices. The trick is to pay attention more to the process on what I select than the actual item it’s self. If the item in the guide says to make it to say 135 but its still green and will make you a profit to DE/sell, keep making them, these are “free” levels when you look at the net cost to you.

I also tend to lean towards DE’ing items than selling them. You will usually recoup more of your cost of leveling the profession to tip a friend to DE all your items than to list the items for sale. The reasoning behind this is Enchant mats have no listing fee.  You can re list the item till it sells with no cost to you if it doesn’t and many craftables have a steep listing fee, which cuts into recouping your gold from leveling. Enchant mats also tend to sell quicker. Someone power leveling enchanting will buy about 4-5 stacks of a dust in 1 day, while someone leveling will most likely buy only one item.

For Jewelcrafting, you may want to use prospecting to get your gems. Download the Jewelcrafting Excel file here. And follow the directions to figure out if you can prospect ore for more than the gems are worth. If you can for the level of gem/ore range you need, prospect ore for “profit” and use those gems to level. (sell the excess you don’t need). Using this method can take more time, but you could also lower your leveling costs and possibly make a profit.

General rules when leveling crafting professions
1. Spending more mats on something that is more desirable or gives a higher DE value will give you a smaller net loss.
2. If you have to sell items, don’t list them all on the same day. List 1-2 items at a time
3. Have an enchanter handy. Either one of your other characters (strongly recommended even if it’s an alt you rarely use) or a friend that you can trust, and just give a tip to DE the items.
4. Look for the smallest net lost, not the cheapest to make. Sometimes it’s the same item, sometimes it’s not.
5. Profits will vary by server. If you have a lot of people DE’ing for profit you won’t make as much back. If you don’t you will make quite a bit of gold.
6. You may be making things that don’t get you a skill point every level however, you are not “losing” gold if you evaluate the cost, AH value and DE value properly.

And now for the Jewelcrafting guide:
** please note that prices are based on Wowecon.com average prices**

Lvl 1-40 Delicate Copper Wire: Level until 40, you will need them.
Lvl 40-60 Tigerseye Band or Malachite Pendant: De them. On my server they cost around 45 silver to craft and the DE mats on average sell for 45 silver. Choose the one where the gem is the cheapest value on your server. If you can DE them for profit (check out the Enchanting Gold Guide) continue to make them all the way to gray.
Lvl 60-100 Elegant Silver Ring or Solid Bronze Ring: DE them. Both have the same DE value of around 1g so it depend on which is cheaper on your server, 4 bronze bars or 1 silver bar. If you can make a profit off the DE value, continue to make until gray.
Lvl 100-150 Ring of Twilight Shadows: DE them. The cost the mats is around 1g and the DE value is aroudn 50-60 silver, you will loose gold but not much.
Lvl 150-180 Mithril Filigree: You will need these for the next level range. You will probably need more than 30 but only make what levels you to 180 and make the extras as you need them in the next levels.
Lvl 180-200 Blazing Citrine Ring: The cost the mats is around 3.3g and the DE value is aroudn 1g, check your AH and see if you can sell them for more than 1g and list only 1-2 at a time. However, wowecon.com says that the average price is only 75 silver so it may be better to DE them. (if you run out of citrines for a resonable price you can skip to the next level
Lvl 200-225 Engraved Truesilver Ring: he cost the mats is around 5.6g and the DE value is aroudn 1g, check your AH and see if you can sell them for more than 1g and list only 1-2 at a time. However, wowecon.com says that the average price is only 70 silver so it may be better to DE them.
Lvl 225-255 Thorium Setting: You will need these to level, even making extras to get to level 255 isnt a bad idea since each one costs about 1.5g to make which is pretty cheap for a level up this high up in a profession
Lvl 230-250 Red Ring of Destruction: DE them. The cost the mats is around 4.5g and the DE value is around 3.5g, you will loose gold but not much.
Lvl 250-270 Ruby Pendant of Fire: DE them. The cost the mats is around 4.5g and the DE value is around 3.5g, you will loose gold but not much. (you can go past 270 if you can get Star Ruby’s for cheaper than Aquamarine)
Lvl 270-300 The Aquamarine Ward: DE them. The cost the mats is around 4.5g and the DE value is around 3.5g, you will loose gold but not much.
** If you cannot find any more Aquamarine at a decent price you can choose Simple Opal Ring as an alternative at any time to 300. However the “net” cost is higher than The Aquamarine Ward at standard AH value.(The crafting cost is roughly 8.5g and the DE value is 4.3g)**
Lvl 300-310 Cut Green quality “Outland” gems. Choose the cheapest AH-value uncut gems, cut them, and vendor the cut gems. You get 25 silver for each vendor. THe listing fee for gems this low in value and desirabilty is way too much to list them and have them not sell.
Lvl 310-320 Fel Iron Blood Ring or Golden Draenite Ring: DE them. These are actually in the Jewelcrafting Gold Guide as an item to DE for profit. They cost about 2g to craft and the DE value is worth 4.4g now. The DE value has also been on the rise since Outland Enchanting mats are becoming more scarce. If you get enough mats to make this for profit you can continue to craft this until gray.
Lvl 320-350 Azure Moonstone Ring: DE them. This is also in the Jewelcrafting GOld Guide for DE’ing for profit. They cost about 2.3g to craft and the DE value is worth 4.4g now. The DE value has also been on the rise since Outland Enchanting mats are becoming more scarce. If you get enough mats to make this for profit you can continue to craft this until gray.
Level 350-415 is dependent on the market on your server. Cut the gems worth gold on your server or gems you plan on useing. There are several gem cuts for each color that are my biggest sellers and sell for more than the raw mat price (again, these are just my prefrences on my server, your server prices may vary), they include: Bloodstone: Runed Bloodstone, Delicate Bloodstone, Bright Bloodstone, Bold Bloodstone; Sun Crystal: Rigid Sun Crystal, Mystic Sun Crystal, Quick Sun Crystal; Shadow Crystal: Shifting Shadow Crystal, Sovereign Shadow Crystal, Glowing Shadow Crystal, Purified Shadow Crystal, Balanced Shadow Crystal; Huge Citrine: Inscribed Huge Citrine, Etched Huge Citrine, Glinting Huge Citrine, Potent Huge Citrine, Veiled Huge Citrine, Reckless Huge Citrine, Wicked Huge Citrine, Pristine Huge Citrine; Dark Jade; Vivid Dark Jade, Steady Dark Jade, Forceful Dark Jade; Chalcedony: Solid Chalcedony; and the Enchanted Pearl will also make gold if you can buy the pears off the AH for cheap.
Level 350-420 Alternative – Maybe you dont want to cut gems. There are 2 rings and 2 neckpeices you can DE for profit! They are Bloodstone Band, Sun Rock Ring, Crystal Citrine Necklace, Crystal Chalcedony Amulet. They each take 1 gem (the gem in the respective name) and 2 crystallized earth. This will cost you around 3-4g to make one and the DE value is around 8g each. For more information on this, look at the Jewelcrafting Gold Guide.
Lvl 415-430 Stoneguard Band or Shadowmight Ring: DE them. These are actually in the Jewelcrafting Gold Guide for DE’ing for profit. They cost about 10g to craft and the DE value is worth around 20g If you get enough mats to make this for profit you can continue to craft this until gray.
Lvl 430-440 This is another area dependant on your server (much like levels 350-415) Cut the blue quality gems that sell for more than the uncut prices. Use the list of “popular” cuts to look up gold making ideas. This is also dependent on your rep and turn ins from doing your jewelcrafting dailies.
Lvl 440-450 Yet another area dependant on your server (much like levels 350-415) Compare prices of the uncuts to the cut gems. Dont cut too many of one cut, it will take longer to sell them all. This is also dependent on your rep and turn ins from doing your jewelcrafting dailies.