Being a jeweler is more than selling beautiful pieces of jewelry. Customers may come in to look at wares, but they often rely on the jeweler’s knowledge and expertise to select or design what they want to purchase.

Training and Education

Jewelers generally are high school graduates and typically hold bachelor’s degrees in arts. Some jewelers receive on-the-job training for several years however as the career field expands skills are more frequently being learned in technical school programs, such as four-year universities and vocational schools

Several universities across the country offer bachelor’s degrees in Metal and Jewelry Arts.  Look for an accredited institution to obtain a well rounded viewpoint of artistry throughout history as well as modern trends.

The University of Northern Texas outlines a program which prepares individuals creatively and technically to express emotions, ideas, or inner visions by fashioning art works from gems, other stones, and precious metals. Coursework includes instruction in gemology; metalsmithing and finishing; stone cutting and polishing; metal and non-metal casting and molding; electroforming; metal coloring; enameling; photo etching; lapidary technique and art; design concepts; and personal style development.

Additionally Appalachian State University offers a Bachelor’s of Art focusing on Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design.  This curriculum is quite comprehensive and has five courses specifically focused on this career.  Courses are: fabrication, casting, hollowware, computer aided jewelry design and enameling.

Jewelry Appraiser/Jewelry Buyer:  Estimates wholesale and retail value of gemstones, following price guides and market fluctuations. Grades stones for color, perfection, and quality of cut. Examines gemstone surfaces and internal structure to evaluate genuineness, quality, and value, using polar scope, refractometer, and other optical instruments.

Goldsmith/Remount Jeweler: repairs and fabricates jewelry articles. Makes repairs, such as enlarging or reducing ring sizes, soldering pieces of jewelry together, and replacing broken clasps and mountings. Cleans and polish metal items and jewelry pieces, using jewelers’ tools, polishing wheels, and chemical baths. Smoothes soldered joints and rough spots, using hand files and emery paper, and polish smoothed areas with polishing wheels or buffing wire. Positions stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools. Creates jewelry from materials such as gold, silver, platinum, and determine repair and /or production costs of articles. Pours molten metal into mold, or operates centrifugal casting machine, to cast article. Forms sand or rubber mold from model for casting article.

Diamond Consultant:  Positions stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools.

Jewelry Designer/Graphic Designer:  The work of jewelry designers is close and precise. With stones and precious metals, they either originate or redesign objects that combine beauty and durability. Designers may work directly with customers to convert their ideas into an attractive design. Then, using hand tools, they cut, saw and file the raw materials before soldering and polishing the finished piece .

With proper training, a world of careers is open to qualified jewelers.  Knowledge and experience give a jeweler the marketable skills needed to step out from behind the counter and into the position of their dreams.