Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers design, construct, adjust, repair, appraise and sell jewelry and related products.

Duties

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers typically do the following:

• Design and create jewelry from precious metals and stones
• Examine, identify, and grade diamonds and other gems
• Clean and polish jewelry
• Repair jewelry, such as by replacing broken clasps, fixing settings, or remounting stones
• Smooth joints and rough spots and polish smoothed areas
• Compute the costs of material and labor for new pieces and repairs
• Model new pieces with carved wax or computer-aided design, and then cast them in metal
• Shape metal to hold the gems in pieces of jewelry
• Solder pieces together and set stones

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers use a variety of tools in their work. For example, they may use lasers to cut and improve the quality of stones, to engrave or inscribe personal messages on jewelry, or to weld metals together without seams. They also may use computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) or 3D printers to create jewelry before cutting a stone or taking other costly steps.

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers may use different titles, often based on their job tasks or primary responsibilities.

Bench jewelers, also known as metalsmiths, silversmiths, goldsmiths, and platinumsmiths, do tasks ranging from simple jewelry cleaning and repair to creating molds and original pieces. Some specialize in duties such as hand engraving, stone cutting, or soldering.

Gemologists analyze, identify, describe, and certify the quality and characteristics of gemstones and pearls. They write reports certifying that the items are of a particular quality.

Jewelry appraisers examine and analyze jewelry to determine its value. They then research the jewelry market to estimate the jewelry’s worth and write appraisal documents detailing their findings.

Specific duties for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers may overlap, depending on their training and qualifications. For example, a gemologist might also design and appraise jewelry as well as certify gemstone quality.

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers held about 35,100 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of jewelers and precious stone and metal workers were as follows:

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers spend much of their time sitting at a workbench or standing at a polishing station.

Their workplace may expose them to hazards including fumes and toxic or caustic chemicals. In addition, they must carefully handle tools, such as a jeweler's torch or laser, to avoid injury. Workers sometimes wear goggles, masks, gloves, or other personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce their risk of harm.

Some jewelers and precious stone and metal workers, especially self-employed workers, may work from home. Along with selling products in retail stores or online, workers also may travel to trade and craft shows. Because many of their materials are valuable, jewelers must follow security procedures, such as making use of burglar alarms.

Work Schedules

Most jewelers and precious stone and metal workers work full time, and work schedules may vary.

Self-employed workers may sell their products at trade and craft shows during weekends. Retail store workers also may work nonstandard schedules because they must be available outside normal business hours, such as in the evenings or on holidays and weekends.

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation, and they learn their skills on the job. Some workers complete an apprenticeship or trade school program.

The median annual wage for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers was $49,140 in May 2024.

Employment of jewelers and precious stone and metal workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, decline.

About 4,000 openings for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.