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Gem and Diamond Workers Occupation Detailed Description

Gem and Diamond Workers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Gem and Diamond Workers

The main tasks and work activities of Gem and Diamond Workers are to smooth metal surfaces or edges, polish materials, workpieces, or finished products, align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly, design jewelry or decorative objects. In general, for the Gem and Diamond Workers, quality Control Analysis, judgment and Decision Making, operations Analysis, active Listening and other 6 skills are required.
Gem and Diamond Workers Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious 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.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Gem and Diamond Workers jobs. 35.31% of Gem and Diamond Workers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 28.26% of Gem and Diamond Workers have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
15.39%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
35.31%
Post-Secondary Certificate
28.26%
Some College Courses
20.15%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.88%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
0.01%

Tasks and Work Activities of Gem and Diamond Workers

  • Smooth soldered joints and rough spots, using hand files and emery paper, and polish smoothed areas with polishing wheels or buffing wire.
  • Position stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools.
  • Create jewelry from materials such as gold, silver, platinum, and precious or semiprecious stones.
  • 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.
  • Select and acquire metals and gems for designs.
  • Compute costs of labor and materials in order to determine production costs of products and articles.
  • Mark and drill holes in jewelry mountings in order to center stones according to design specifications.
  • Examine assembled or finished products to ensure conformance to specifications, using magnifying glasses or precision measuring instruments.
  • Construct preliminary models of wax, metal, clay, or plaster, and form sample castings in molds.
  • Pour molten metal alloys or other materials into molds in order to cast models of jewelry.
  • Cut, shape, and smooth gemstones, pearls, and metal pieces, using abrasives, grinding stones, and power and hand tools.
  • Soften metal to be used in designs by heating it with a gas torch and shape it, using hammers and dies.
  • Determine appraised values of diamonds and other gemstones based on price guides, market fluctuations, and stone grades and rarity.
  • Alter existing jewelry mountings in order to reposition jewels or to adjust mountings.
  • Grade stones based on their color, perfection, and quality of cut.
  • Plate articles such as jewelry pieces and watch dials, using silver, gold, nickel, or other metals.
  • Write or modify design specifications such as the metal contents and weights of items.
  • Create new jewelry designs and modify existing designs, using computers as necessary.
  • Examine gemstone surfaces and internal structures to evaluate genuineness, quality, and value, using polariscopes, refractometers, and other optical instruments.
  • Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationEstimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Handling and Moving ObjectsUsing hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or PeopleAssessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Smooth metal surfaces or edges.
  • Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
  • Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly.
  • Design jewelry or decorative objects.
  • Repair precision devices or workpieces.
  • Solder parts or workpieces.
  • Clean workpieces or finished products.
  • Select production input materials.
  • Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
  • Estimate costs of products, services, or materials.
  • Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
  • Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.
  • Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
  • Build production molds.
  • Place materials into molds.
  • Shape metal workpieces with hammers or other small hand tools.
  • Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
  • Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
  • Evaluate quality of materials or products.
  • Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.

Skills and Abilities for Gem and Diamond Workers

  • Quality Control AnalysisConducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Operations AnalysisAnalyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Control PrecisionThe ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Visual Color DiscriminationThe ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Air compressorse.g. Air compressors
  • Awlse.g. Awl sets
  • Jewellers plierse.g. Bail pliers
  • Ball peen hammere.g. Ball peen hammers
  • Jewellers plierse.g. Banding pliers
  • Battery testerse.g. Battery testers
  • Hand reamere.g. Bead reamers
  • Bead accessoriese.g. Beading tools
  • Tweezerse.g. Beading tweezers
  • Belt sandere.g. Belt sanders
  • Utility knivese.g. Bench knives
  • Bench refractometers or polarimeterse.g. Bench refractometers
  • Tumblers or polisherse.g. Bench top polishers
  • Jewellers plierse.g. Bending pliers
  • Curved nose plierse.g. Bent chain nose pliers
  • Blow torche.g. Blow torches
  • Jewellers plierse.g. Bow closing pliers
  • Jewellers plierse.g. Bow opening pliers
  • Wire brushese.g. Bristle brushes
  • Burnishere.g. Burnishing tools
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge 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.
  • DesignKnowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • MechanicalKnowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge 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.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.