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Career Exploration

Gem and Diamond Workers

Also called: 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.
On the job, you'll need:

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

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

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

Realistic

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

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

Computer aided design CAD software

  • GemCad
  • Jewelry design software

Accounting software

  • Business accounting software

Analytical or scientific software

  • Spectrophotometer analysis software

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Below Average.

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $47,140

Education

High school diploma/GED or bachelor's degree is usually needed.