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Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers

Design, fabricate, adjust, repair, or appraise jewelry, gold, silver, other precious metals, or gems.
Related: Craft Artists  Etchers & Engravers  Gem & Diamond Workers  Grinding & Polishing Workers, Hand  Molders, Shapers, & Casters 
Industries: Retail  Manufacturing 

  • Summary

  • Details

    • Work Activities

    • Create new jewelry designs and modify existing designs, using computers as necessary.
    • Record the weights and processing times of finished pieces.
    • Plate articles such as jewelry pieces and watch dials, using silver, gold, nickel, or other metals.
    • Mark, engrave, or emboss designs on metal pieces such as castings, wire, or jewelry, following specifications.
    • Cut and file pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
    • Make repairs, such as enlarging or reducing ring sizes, soldering pieces of jewelry together, and replacing broken clasps and mountings.
    • Grade stones based on their color, perfection, and quality of cut.
    • Select and acquire metals and gems for designs.
    • Write or modify design specifications such as the metal contents and weights of items.
    • Design and fabricate molds, models, and machine accessories, and modify hand tools used to cast metal and jewelry pieces.
    • Cut designs in molds or other materials to be used as models in the fabrication of metal and jewelry products.
    • Anneal precious metal objects such as coffeepots, tea sets, and trays in gas ovens for prescribed times to soften metal for reworking.
    • Buy and sell jewelry, or serve as agents between buyers and sellers.
    • Rotate molds to distribute alloys and to prevent formation of air pockets.
    • Anneal precious metal objects such as coffeepots, tea sets, and trays in gas ovens for prescribed times to soften metal for reworking.
    • Smooth soldered joints and rough spots, using hand files and emery paper, and polish smoothed areas with polishing wheels or buffing wire.
    • Make repairs, such as enlarging or reducing ring sizes, soldering pieces of jewelry together, and replacing broken clasps and mountings.
    • Clean and polish metal items and jewelry pieces, using jewelers' tools, polishing wheels, and chemical baths.
    • Create jewelry from materials such as gold, silver, platinum, and precious or semiprecious stones.
    • Construct preliminary models of wax, metal, clay, or plaster, and form sample castings in molds.
    • Lay out designs on metal stock, and cut along markings to fabricate pieces used to cast metal molds.
    • Weigh, mix, and melt metal alloys or materials needed for jewelry models.
    • Pierce and cut open designs in ornamentation, using hand drills and scroll saws.
    • Lay out designs on metal stock, and cut along markings to fabricate pieces used to cast metal molds.
    • Weigh, mix, and melt metal alloys or materials needed for jewelry models.
    • Examine assembled or finished products to ensure conformance to specifications, using magnifying glasses or precision measuring instruments.
    • Position stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools.
    • Smooth soldered joints and rough spots, using hand files and emery paper, and polish smoothed areas with polishing wheels or buffing wire.
    • Compute costs of labor and materials to determine production costs of products and articles.
    • Select and acquire metals and gems for designs.
    • Pierce and cut open designs in ornamentation, using hand drills and scroll saws.
    • Research and analyze reference materials, and consult with interested parties to develop new products or modify existing designs.
    • Soften metal to be used in designs by heating it with a gas torch and shape it, using hammers and dies.
    • Rout out locations where parts are to be joined to items, using routing machines.
    • Pour molten metal alloys or other materials into molds to cast models of jewelry.
    • Soften metal to be used in designs by heating it with a gas torch and shape it, using hammers and dies.
    • Buy and sell jewelry, or serve as agents between buyers and sellers.
    • Clean and polish metal items and jewelry pieces, using jewelers' tools, polishing wheels, and chemical baths.
    • Cut and file pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
    • Determine appraised values of diamonds and other gemstones based on price guides, market fluctuations, and stone grades and rarity.
    • Weigh, mix, and melt metal alloys or materials needed for jewelry models.
    • Research and analyze reference materials, and consult with interested parties to develop new products or modify existing designs.
    • Shape and straighten damaged or twisted articles by hand or using pliers.

    Skills

    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    Abilities

    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    Knowledge

    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    Education

    Education
    High school diploma or equivalent
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    More than 1 year on-the-job training
    Education and Training Opportunities

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    60030/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    28.86/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    580
    Yearly Projected Openings
    80

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Cautiousness
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Innovation
    • Achievement Orientation

    Tools

    • Abrasive stones
    • Air compressors
    • Anodizing machine
    • Anvils
    • Applicator brushes
    • Automatic lathe or chucking machine
    • Awls
    • Ball peen hammer
    • Battery testers
    • Bead accessories
    • Belt sander
    • Bench refractometers or polarimeters
    • Bench scales
    • Bench vises
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Blow torch
    • Burnisher
    • Calipers
    • Crimping pliers
    • Cross and straight pein hammer
    • Curved nose pliers
    • Dapping punches
    • Diagonal cut pliers
    • Dial indicator or dial gauge
    • Drill press or radial drill
    • Drop hammer forging machine
    • End cut pliers
    • Engravers
    • Engraving machines
    • Flat nose pliers
    • Fume hoods or cupboards
    • Hammers
    • Hand clamps
    • Hand or push drill
    • Hand reamer
    • Jewel appraising tester
    • Jeweler scissors
    • Jewellers pliers
    • Jewelry mandrels
    • Knurling tool
    • Laboratory hotplates
    • Laser welding machine
    • Light boxes
    • Loupes
    • Magnifiers
    • Mallets
    • Mechanical or ultrasonic metal cleaner
    • Metal cutters
    • Metal testing instruments
    • Mini pliers
    • Paint brushes
    • Polariscopes
    • Power buffers
    • Power drills
    • Power grinders
    • Power routers
    • Power saws
    • Power scissors
    • Precision file
    • Precision screwdriver
    • Pressure or steam cleaners
    • Punches or nail sets or drifts
    • Punching pliers
    • Respirators
    • Ring sizers
    • Round nose pliers
    • Rulers
    • Safety glasses
    • Scratch brushes
    • Shears
    • Soldering iron
    • Stamping die
    • Stamping dies or punches
    • Straight edges
    • Thickness measuring devices
    • Tongs
    • Tumblers or polishers
    • Tweezers
    • Utility knives
    • Vacuum pumps
    • Watch or clock repair kits
    • Wire brushes
    • Wire cutters
    • Wire gauge
    • Wire mills

    Technology

    • Accounting software
    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Customer relationship management CRM software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Internet browser software
    • Inventory management software
    • Point of sale POS software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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