Gem & Diamond Workers

Diamond Cutter, Diamond Setter, Gemologist, Lapidarist

What they do:
Fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
On the job, you would:
  • Examine gems during processing to ensure accuracy of angles and positions of cuts or bores, using magnifying glasses, loupes, or shadowgraphs.
  • Assign polish, symmetry, and clarity grades to stones, according to established grading systems.
  • Estimate wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations, and other relevant economic factors.

Knowledge

Business

  • customer service
  • sales and marketing

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • manufacture and distribution of products

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Hand and Finger Use

  • put together small parts with your fingers
  • keep your arm or hand steady

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • group things in different ways

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Persistence
  • Independence
  • Cooperation

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Computer aided design CAD software

  • GemCad
  • Jewelry design software

Accounting software

  • Business accounting software

Analytical or scientific software

  • Spectrophotometer analysis software

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training
Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Local Salary Info
Find Jobs
See more details at O*NET OnLine about gem and diamond workers.