Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Gem And Diamond Workers
Gem And Diamond Workers fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
Table of contents
What they do
Gem And Diamond Workers fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
- 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.
- Examine diamonds or gems to ascertain the shape, cut, and width of cut stones, or to select the cuts that will result in the biggest, best quality stones.
- Estimate the wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations, and other relevant economic factors.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Gem and Diamond Workers hold stones, gems, dies, or styluses against rotating plates, wheels, saws, or slitters to cut, shape, slit, grind, or polish them. They estimate the wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations, and other relevant economic factors.
A typical day for a Gem and Diamond Worker will also include:
- Examine gems during processing to ensure accuracy of angles and positions of cuts or bores, using magnifying glasses, loupes, or shadowgraphs.
- Secure gems or diamonds in holders, chucks, dops, lapidary sticks, or blocks for cutting, polishing, grinding, drilling, or shaping.
- Assign polish, symmetry, and clarity grades to stones, according to established grading systems.
- Select shaping wheels for tasks, and mix and apply abrasives, bort, or polishing compounds.
- Locate and mark drilling or cutting positions on stones or dies, using diamond chips and power hand tools.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Gem and Diamond Workers also replace, true, and sharpen blades, drills, and plates. They may also secure stones in metal mountings, using solder.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Gem and Diamond Workers regulate the speed of revolutions and reciprocating actions of drilling mechanisms. They might also dismantle lapping, boring, cutting, polishing, and shaping equipment and machinery to clean and lubricate it.
In addition, they Lap girdles on rough diamonds, using diamond girdling lathes.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them split gems along pre-marked lines to remove imperfections, using blades and jewelers’ hammers.
To some Gem and Diamond Workers, it is also their responsibility to examine gem surfaces and internal structures, using polariscopes, refractometers, microscopes, and other optical instruments, to differentiate between stones, to identify rare specimens, or to detect flaws, defects, or peculiarities affecting gem values.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
53% said they were satisfied with their job and 28% said they found their job meaningful.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
Salary is below average.
Demand for this career is declining.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Gem And Diamond Workers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $26,050 to $32,650 per year or $13 to $16 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $77,330 | $37 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $56,730 | $27 |
| Median | $41,900 | $20 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $32,650 | $16 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $26,050 | $13 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Gem And Diamond Workers based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $64880 | $31.19 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $58580 | $28.16 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $50280 | $24.17 |
| Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores | $48520 | $23.33 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $43260 | $20.80 |
| Employment Services | $43210 | $20.78 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $42740 | $20.55 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | $41710 | $20.05 |
| Nonferrous Metal Production and Processing | $39310 | $18.90 |
| Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses | $37960 | $18.25 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Gem And Diamond Workers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Gem And Diamond Workers including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores | 7670 | $48520 | $23.33 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 5150 | $43260 | $20.80 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | 2940 | $58580 | $28.16 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 750 | $41710 | $20.05 |
| Specialized Design Services | 450 | $37720 | $18.14 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 240 | $42740 | $20.55 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 230 | $64880 | $31.19 |
| Employment Services | 100 | $43210 | $20.78 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 70 | $50280 | $24.17 |
| Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses | $37960 | $18.25 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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