---

Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers in Massachusetts

Thinking about a career as a Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers in Massachusetts? Below are the key facts. Design, fabricate, adjust, repair, or appraise jewelry, gold, silver, other precious metals, or gems. Includes diamond polishers and gem cutters, and persons who perform precision casting and modeling of molds, casting metal in molds, or setting precious and semiprecious stones for jewelry and related products.

What do Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers Make in Massachusetts?

State-level wage data is not available for this occupation in Massachusetts. See the national figures below.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, jewelers and precious stone and metal workers earn a median of $67,147 per year ($32.28/hour).

Employment Outlook

National employment for 494,001 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in the U.S.. In Massachusetts alone, around 550 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 270 jewelers and precious stone and metal workers.

Top Massachusetts Metros for Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

These are the Massachusetts metros with the most jewelers and precious stone and metal workers in Massachusetts.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	360	n/a
Springfield, MA	40	n/a

Top States for Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers Employment

These states have the highest employment of jewelers and precious stone and metal workers work.

State	Number Employed
New York	4,750
California	2,700
Texas	1,780
Florida	1,160
Illinois	990
Washington	850
New Jersey	850
Rhode Island	620
Massachusetts	550
Ohio	530
Pennsylvania	530
Utah	480
Tennessee	450
Michigan	440
North Carolina	430
Wisconsin	380
Arizona	360
Colorado	350
Kentucky	350
Virginia	350

Highest-Paying States for Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

The highest-paying states for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Virginia	$60,940
Washington	$60,030
Connecticut	$59,930
California	$59,100
Vermont	$57,360
New Hampshire	$56,710
Florida	$56,470
Kansas	$55,430
Missouri	$54,650
Wisconsin	$54,080

Skills

The most important jewelers and precious stone and metal workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for jewelers and precious stone and metal workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Clean and polish metal items and jewelry pieces, using jewelers' tools, polishing wheels, and chemical baths.
• Smooth soldered joints and rough spots, using hand files and emery paper, and polish smoothed areas with polishing wheels or buffing wire.
• Create jewelry from materials such as gold, silver, platinum, and precious or semiprecious stones.
• Cut and file pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
• Examine assembled or finished products to ensure conformance to specifications, using magnifying glasses or precision measuring instruments.
• Make repairs, such as enlarging or reducing ring sizes, soldering pieces of jewelry together, and replacing broken clasps and mountings.
• Compute costs of labor and materials to determine production costs of products and articles.
• Position stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools.
• Grade stones based on their color, perfection, and quality of cut.
• Select and acquire metals and gems for designs.
• Shape and straighten damaged or twisted articles by hand or using pliers.
• Create new jewelry designs and modify existing designs, using computers as necessary.

Work Activities

• Thinking Creatively
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Adobe Illustrator

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

• Precision Systems Maintenance

Related Careers

Other careers like jewelers and precious stone and metal workers include:

• Craft Artists
• Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
• Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
• Tool and Die Makers
• Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Also Known As

Antique Jewelry Repairer, Appraisal Technician (Appraisal Tech), Appraiser, Arborer, Artisan Jeweler, Artist, Bead Maker, Bench Jeweler, Bench Molder, Bracelet Maker, Brass Chaser, Brilliandeer Looper, Bronze Chaser, Brooch Maker, Caster.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-9071.00