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What Does it Take to Be a Jeweler?

Jeweler Job Description Fabricate and repair jewelry articles. Make models or molds to create jewelry items.

Daily Life Of a Jeweler

  • Chase decorative designs on silver blanks that are to be used as models for steel production dies.
  • Press models into clay, and build up clay around exposed parts of models to retain plaster.
  • Position stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools.
  • Fabricate, modify, or repair jigs, fixtures, and hand tools such as scrapers, cutters, gougers, and shapers.
  • Plate articles such as jewelry pieces and watch dials, using silver, gold, nickel, or other metals.
  • Cut, shape, and smooth gemstones, pearls, and metal pieces, using abrasives, grinding stones, and power and hand tools.

What a Jeweler Should Know

Jewelers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Types of Jeweler Jobs

  • Appraisal Technician
  • Sample Maker
  • Certified Bench Jeweler Technician
  • Gem Technician
  • Setter

Job Opportunities for Jewelers

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 37,700 jobs in the United States for Jeweler. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Jeweler. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,500 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Jeweler are Idaho, South Carolina, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Tennessee, New Mexico, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Jeweler Make?

Jewelers make between $23,530 and $67,250 a year.

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Jewelers who work in Kentucky, New Jersey, or Wisconsin, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Jewelers in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $41,320
Alaska $33,520
Arizona $45,860
Arkansas $43,880
California $40,940
Colorado $42,490
Connecticut $54,280
Delaware $46,690
Florida $41,300
Georgia $36,350
Hawaii $37,560
Idaho $42,040
Illinois $39,030
Indiana $41,220
Iowa $44,390
Kansas $44,200
Kentucky $55,840
Louisiana $36,820
Maine $43,950
Maryland $51,920
Massachusetts $44,480
Michigan $40,580
Minnesota $39,590
Mississippi $27,820
Missouri $38,330
Montana $34,950
Nebraska $30,680
Nevada $46,200
New Hampshire $48,280
New Jersey $54,870
New Mexico $30,480
New York $50,380
North Carolina $40,420
North Dakota $52,090
Ohio $38,180
Oklahoma $41,100
Oregon $52,580
Pennsylvania $42,670
Rhode Island $43,710
South Carolina $40,270
South Dakota $37,330
Tennessee $46,740
Texas $41,450
Utah $36,900
Vermont $40,010
Virginia $48,330
Washington $39,540
West Virginia $39,120
Wisconsin $52,050

Tools & Technologies Used by Jewelers

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Jewelers:

  • Web browser software
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Customer information databases

How to Become a Jeweler

What education or degrees do I need to become a Jeweler?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Jeweler?

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Where do Jewelers Work?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Jewelers employed by various industries.

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References:

Image Credit: Jorge Royan via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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