Job Report Jewelers

Job Report Jewelers

Published 1996

Mascor Publishing Co.

P.O. Box 8308

Silver Spring, MD 20907

Nature of the Work

For thousands of years, people have worn and admired jewelry made from precious metals and stones, such as gold and diamonds. Jewelers use such materials to make and repair rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other jewelry.

Jewelers who work in jewelry stores and repair shops generally provide a variety of services to their customers. Much of their time is spent repairing jewelry. Typical repair jobs are enlarging or reducing rings, resetting stones, and replacing broken clasps and mountings. Some jewelers also may design jewelry by hand, repair watches, and do hand engraving. A small number are qualified gemologists, who appraise the quality and value of diamonds and other gem-stones.

Those who own stores or shops hire and train employees, order and sell merchandise, and handle other managerial duties.

Jewelers who work in manufacturing generally only do one specialized job. For example, some make molds to cast jewelry or dies to stamp it. Others do finishing work, such as setting stones or engraving. However, a small number of the most highly skilled jewelers make entire jewelry pieces. Following their own designs or those created by designers, they shape the metal with pliers or other handtools or cast it in molds. They then solder individual parts to form the finished piece. They may carve designs in metal, and mount diamonds or other stones. A growing number of jewelers use lasers to engrave letters and designs into gold, silver, or other metals.

Working Conditions

Jewelers usually work in comfortable surroundings and the trade involves few physical hazards. However, doing delicate work while trying to satisfy demands for speed and quality from customers and employers can cause some stress.

In stores and repair shops, jewelers generally work alone with little supervision. However, in retail stores they may talk with customers about repairs and even do some sales work.

In some precious jewelry manufacturing plants, the workweek is 35 hours. Most jewelers in stores and repair shops work 40 to 48 hours a week including evenings and Saturday. During peak sales seasons, such as Christmas, they often work longer hours, but are compensated for overtime. However, during slack periods, they may face layoff or a shortened workweek.

Employment

Jewelers had about 37,000 jobs in 1990. About two-fifths of all jewelers are self- employed, many operate their own jewelry stores or repair shops, and some specialized in designing and creating custom jewelry.

Roughly half of all salaried jewelers worked in retail establishments, while approximately one-third were employed in manufacturing plants. Although jewelry stores and repair shops are located throughout the country, most jobs in these establishments are in metropolitan areas.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Jewelers' skills usually are learned through training on the job or in technical schools.

Technical school programs are the major source of training for people who want jobs in jewelry stores or repair shops. In these programs, which vary in length from 6 months to 3 years, students learn the use and care of jewelers' skills, such as casting, stone setting, polishing, and design. Some of these courses are very technical and cover topics like blueprint reading, math, and shop theory. Store and shop owners prefer graduates of these programs over people with no experience in the trade. However, most employers feel that graduates need an additional 3 years or more of supervised on-the-job training to refine their repair skills and to learn more about the operation of the store or shop. In addition, short-term courses such as sample making, wax carving, and gemology are available at some technical schools to help workers develop their skills.

In jewelry manufacturing plants, workers traditionally have developed their skills through informal on-the-job training programs provided by their employer. This training could last for 3 to 4 years, depending on the difficulty of the skill. Training usually focuses on a particular specialty--casting, stone setting, or engraving. A growing number of technical schools now offer training designed for jewelers working in manufacturing. Employers generally prefer graduates of programs because they already know the basics of the trade and the inhouse training programs can be shortened significantly.

A high school education has become very important for people entering the trade. A growing number of technical schools require a high school diploma or its equivalent for admission. Courses in art, math, mechanical drawing, and chemistry are useful, depending on which aspect of the trade one chooses to follow.

The precise and delicate nature of jewelry work requires finger and hand dexterity, good eye-hand coordination, patience, and concentration. Artistic ability is a major asset, because jewelry must be stylish and attractive. Jewelers in retail stores should be neat, personable, and dependable in order to keep satisfied customers.

In manufacturing, jewelers sometimes advance to supervisory jobs; however, advancement opportunities generally are limited. Jewelers who work in jewelry stores or repair shops may become salaried managers of jewelry stores; some open their own businesses.

A substantial financial investment is required to operate a jewelry store, because an inventory of expensive merchandise must be obtained. The jewelry business also is highly competitive. Therefore, jewelers who plan to open their own stores should have experience in selling and business management. Technical school courses in jewelry retailing and jewelry store management also are helpful.

Job Outlook

Employment of jewelers is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2000. Job opportunities for jewelers depend largely on jewelry sales and on demand for jewelry repair services. Jewelry is considered a luxury item and demand for it is affected by the amount of disposable income people have. Jewelry sales are expected to remain strong, fueled by increases in the number of affluent individuals, working women, double-income families, and fashion-conscious men.

Job opportunities for jewelers in manufacturing depend on jewelry sales. Increasing foreign competition and factory automaton have caused employment growth to slow. In addition, inflation and recession force people to spend less on luxuries such as jewelry, so that job opportunities in jewelry factories may fluctuate with economic conditions.

Busy store and shop owners often are reluctant to hire untrained and inexperienced workers. People entering the trade may have trouble finding a job unless they can demonstrate their ability. Such persons can improve their chances for employment by attending a technical school with a good reputation among local store or shop owners.

Earnings

Depending on the employer, jewelers may receive commissions on what they sell or bonuses for outstanding work. According to the Jewelers' Circular-Keystone annual salary survey, jewelers in retail stores earned a median salary of approximately $23,325 in 1990, while jewelry repair workers earned a median salary of $26,500.

For those in manufacturing, earnings of experienced, unionized jewelry workers ranged form about $10.07 to $14.05 an hour, according to the limited information available. Beginners in jewelry factories generally start at considerable less than experienced workers; as they become more proficient, they receive periodic raises up to the minimum union wage for their job.

Related Occupations

Jewelers are important craft workers in the jewelry industry. Other skilled workers in this industry include gem cutters, gemologists, hand engravers, model makers, and watch repairers.

Sources of Additional Information

For information on job opportunities in jewelry stores as well as information on training programs, contact:

Jewelers of America, Time-Life Building, Suite 650, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020.