Career Overview
Design, fabricate, adjust, repair, or appraise jewelry, gold, silver, other precious metals, or gems.
Also Known As
- Bench Jeweler
- Goldsmith
- Jeweler
- Silversmith
Alternate Job Titles
- 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
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities 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.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Measure, cut, and file pieces of jewelry, such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
- Production and Processing
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Near Vision
- Finger Dexterity
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Oral Comprehension
- Category Flexibility
- Oral Expression
- Originality
- Visualization
- Speech Recognition
- Visual Color Discrimination
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Innovation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Support
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable bench vises
- Air compressors
- Automatic lathes
- Awl sets
- Bail pliers
- Ball peen hammers
- Banding pliers
- Battery testers
- Bead reamers
- Beading pliers
- Beading tools
- Beading tweezers
- Belt sanders
- Bench knives
- Bench refractometers
Work Environment
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Time Pressure
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $33,890 |
| Median | $49,140 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $81,610 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 23,420
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Gem and Diamond Workers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $49,140
Etchers and Engravers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $40,450
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $41,690
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $45,690
Craft Artists
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $38,480
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.