All You Need To Know About A Jeweler Career

You think about becoming a jeweler but want to get additional information before you make your final career choice?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you all you need to know about being a jeweler in the following chapters.

Not only will you learn how much you can make as a jeweler, but we will also talk about job prospects, future outlook, working hours, work-life balance, job satisfaction, duties, educational requirements and much more.

After reading this article, you will have a much better idea of whether you still want to become a jeweler or rather want to go for a different career instead.

Without further ado, let’s get right into it!

What does a Jeweler do?

Jewelers create, fix and sell nice jewelry.

They also consult their clients regarding what rings, necklaces or other sorts of jewelry they should buy for various occasions.

Jewelers also sometimes buy jewelry from clients to fix it up before selling it for a higher price.

Responsibilities & Duties of a Jeweler

• Creation of fancy jewelry
• Fixing of jewelry
• Selling jewelry
• Consulting clients about what jewelry to buy
• Buying jewelry to sell it for a higher price in the future
• Researching prices for jewelry and precious metals
• Valuing jewelry
• Engraving
• Evaluating the material of jewelry
• Cleaning jewelry
• Meeting high safety standards
• Prevention of theft
• Cleaning the jeweler’s shop
• Documenting purchases

What a Typical Day of a Jeweler looks like?

Most jewelers start their workday between 8 and 10 a.m.

After commuting to their workplace, they make sure that everything looks nice so that clients get into buying mode once they arrive at the jeweler’s shop.

After doing some organizational work, you will consult many different clients every day and try your best to sell as many items as possible.

You will also sometimes create unique jewelry according to the wishes and preferences of clients.

After working in this manner for many hours, you will usually finish your workday between 5 and 7 p.m.

Jeweler Salary 2023

Jeweler salary brackets 2023

Jeweler salary 2023 by expert level

Jeweler salary by state 2023 (average)

Job Security of Jewelers

Most jewelers have rather low job security since barriers to entry are pretty low in this field and many people are able to do this job.

Consequently, you may always have to fear losing your job if someone comes along who is willing to work in this field for a lower wage than you.

Future Outlook of Jewelers

The future outlook for jewelers is pretty poor since an increasing number of people buy jewelry directly online without attending a jeweler’s store in person anymore.

In turn, many small jewelers may have to give up their businesses in the near future and you as a jeweler will also have a pretty hard time competing in this market in just a few years from now.

Working Hours of Jewelers

Jewelers usually start their workday between 8 and 10 a.m. and finish their workday between 5 and 7 p.m.

Thus, working as a jeweler can be considered a classical 9 to 5 job and can be great for you in case you don’t want to work long hours every day but rather want to meet up with your favorite people after work and enjoy lots of leisure in general.

Job Satisfaction of Jewelers

Most jewelers are pretty happy with the actual work they have to do.

However, many of them are still not happy with their salaries since hourly wages are rather poor and you will not be able to afford much luxury at all from your income as a jeweller.

Promotion Opportunities of Jewelers

Promotion opportunities are pretty limited for jewelers.

Once you work in this field, you will often stay in the same position for many years or decades and also your tasks and responsibilities will not greatly change over time.

Career Levels of Jewelers

• Jeweler intern
• Junior jeweler
• Senior jeweler
• Manager of a jeweler’s shop
• Owner of a jeweler’s shop

Fields and Types of Jewelers

• Goldsmith
• Silversmith
• Clockmaker
• Jewelry designer
• Lapidary
• Jeweler focused on rings
• Jeweler focused on necklaces
• Jeweler specialized in bracelets
• Jeweler specialized in young fashion
• Jeweler focused on older people
• Jeweler focused on high-class jewelry
• Jewelry with expertise in meeting current trends
• Jeweler specialized in the promotion of products

Educational Requirements for Jewelers

You don’t need to get a fancy college degree for becoming a jeweler.

However, you often need to go to trade school for up to one year to learn your craft after getting your high school diploma.

How to become a Jeweler

1. Inform yourself about the advantages and disadvantages of being a jeweler
2. Finish your high school diploma
3. Apply for trade school
4. Apply for an internship at a local jeweler’s shop
5. Work hard during your internship and make a good impression
6. Stay in touch with your colleagues
7. Finish trade school
8. Apply for jobs as a jeweler
9. Master the job interview
10. Sign your labor contract

Character Traits you need as a Jeweler

• Attention to detail helps you create outstanding jewelry
• You should strive to always improve your skills
• You should not get discouraged by drawbacks
• Empathy for clients helps you make them happy
• Willingness to take the risk of getting robbed
• Willingness to deal with difficult people
• You should listen to your customers
• Patience helps you succeed in the long run
• You should be willing to spend lots of time on small things

Hard Skills for Jewelers

• Good knowledge on how to create nice jewelry
• Knowledge of how to fix jewelry
• Good jewelry valuation skills
• Selling skills help as well
• You need to know how to promote your products
• Knowledge of rules and regulations related to selling jewelry
• You should have knowledge about safety standards in this industry
• Knowledge of modern technologies
• Digital marketing skills help as well
• Good spatial thinking helps as well
• You should be good at working with your hands
• Math skills help you run your business in a profitable manner

Soft Skills for Jewelers

• You should be good at spotting trends
• Good time management skills help you get things done
• Good communication skills help you lead a team
• You should be a good listener to meet the high expectations of your clients
• You should be trustworthy
• You need to be good at finding attributes and things that make you special
• Empathy helps you make customers happy
• Patience for difficult clients
• Passion for jewelry in general

Exit Options for Jewelers

Jewelers have pretty poor exit options since they are pretty specialized and once you don’t want to work in this field anymore, you will have a hard time finding a job in a different industry since you will often lack the skills to do so.

Jeweler – Similar Careers

• Salesperson
• Miner
• Jewelry store manager
• Designer
• Metalworker
• Diamond grader
• Cashier
• Florist
• Painter
• Tattooist

Jeweler Career FAQs

Is working as a jeweler physically demanding?

Working as a jeweler is not physically demanding most of the time since you will often just consult clients on what sort of jewelry they should buy and will not have to lift heavy things as gardeners or plumbers have to do on a regular basis.

Is working as a jeweler mentally demanding?

Being a jeweler is not heavily mentally demanding.

Even though you have to use your brain to figure out how to sell stuff to customers, you will still not have to stress your brain as much as financial analysts, statisticians or many other people who have to work with numbers in an advanced manner every day.

Is it dangerous to work as a jeweler?

Working as a jeweler can be risky since you will sometimes have to work with machines that could potentially lead to serious accidents.

Moreover, you will also be at significant risk of getting robbed and working as a jeweler is therefore riskier compared to just working as an auditor or in another classical office job.

How long do jewelers stay in their jobs?

Jewelers often stay in their jobs for many decades since many of them really like this kind of work.

Moreover, jewelers are also pretty specialized and many of them have a hard time finding a job in a different field and may get trapped in this industry.

Is it easy for jewelers to find a new job?

Since an increasing number of people buy jewelry from internet vendors right now, small jeweler shops have a pretty hard time to survive.

Hence, you will also have serious problems finding a job in this industry and in case you get fired, you may also have a hard time finding a new job.

Is it hard to switch from being a jeweler to another field of work?

While jewelers are often really good at what they are doing, they are also pretty specialized and they will often lack many skills needed to work in a different field.

Consequently, jewelers often have a pretty hard time finding a job in a different industry and you should therefore make sure that working as a jeweler is what you want to do for quite a long time since you may just get trapped in this business.

Do jewelers have a high social status?

Jewelers enjoy a decent social status.

However, you will still not be admired as much as dentists or other people who can save the lives of people on a regular basis.

Can you help out your family and friends as a jeweler?

You will not be able to do much good for your loved ones as a jeweler.

While you can consult them on what jewelry they should buy for various occasions, you will still not have the same big positive impact as other tradespersons who can fix many things around the home.

Can jewelers work remotely?

Jewelers are not able to work remotely.

Instead, they have to be present at their workplace in person and while many other people like financial controllers who work in classical office jobs will be able to work from home quite often, you as a jeweler will have to spend lots of time and money commuting to work and back.

Is it easy to find a partner as a jeweler?

Since jewelers don’t make good money and also have rather poor job security, it will be rather hard for them to find someone for a long-term relationship since they are just not considered good providers and you would have much better chances in the dating market as a dentist or by working in a different field where you can make more money and have a higher social status than a jeweler.

Do jewelers have to work on weekends?

Jewelers sometimes also have to work on weekends.

However, this greatly depends on the opening hours of the jeweler’s shop you work for and you should at least be willing to work some weekends before you decide on becoming a jeweler so that you don’t get disappointed with your working hours later on.

Do jewelers have to work on holidays?

Jewelers don’t have to work on holidays.

Instead, you can spend those days with your loved ones to make nice trips or just to celebrate those days with a nice barbecue in your garden.

Do jewelers have to work at nighttime?

Jewelers don’t have to work at nighttime.

In fact, most jewelry stores are closed during nighttime and you will be able to enjoy your evenings with your loved ones or you can also meet up with your favorite people after work.

Do you have to travel as a jeweler?

You don’t have to travel as a jeweler.

While many other people who work in office jobs have to do business trips on a regular basis, you as a jeweler will be able to stay at home with your family.

Are jeweler pensions good?

Since jewelers are not able to make really good money during their active careers, also their pensions will be rather low.

Hence, you should save some money on the side so that you don’t get into serious financial issues once you quit your career and retire.

Are jeweler salaries going up?

Jeweler salaries have not been going up significantly over the past years since an increasing number of people buy jewelry on the internet and the demand for jewelers decreases.

In turn, job prospects for jewelers have become rather poor and this is also reflected in their salaries.

Can you have a positive impact on society as a jeweler?

While you can make many clients happy, you will still not have the same high social impact as teachers or other people who can really educate and alter the thought process of many people on a daily basis.

How long does it take to become a jeweler?

While you will not have to get a degree for working as a jeweler, you will still often have to go to trade school for around one year to learn your craft.

However, some jeweler’s shops may be willing to employ you if you just have a high school diploma.

Is it difficult to become a jeweler?

Becoming a jeweler is not difficult.

All you need is passion for jewelry and good selling skills and you will be good to start your career in this field.

Do you need to be smart to work as a jeweler?

You don’t need to be smart to succeed as a jeweler.

What’s much more important is that you are creative to produce nice jewelry and that you also have great selling skills to stay in the business in the long run.

Do jewelers have a good work-life balance?

Jewelers have decent work-life balance since they work in a classical 9 to 5 environment and often don’t have to work on weekends.

Consequently, most jewelers have more than enough time to meet up with their favorite people or to spend with their families.

Do jewelers have to work many extra hours?

Jewelers also don’t have to work much overtime.

Instead, jewelers just work fixed shifts and once your shift is over, you will just finish your workday and will get back to work the next morning.

How to maximize your chances of becoming a jeweler?

The more experience you get in this field at a rather young age, the more value you will provide to a jeweler’s shop and the more likely it will be that you get the chance to work in this industry.

Hence, make sure to apply for an internship at a jeweler’s shop rather early in your life to get some experience and also to make valuable contacts that could help you find a job later on.

Can jewelers work part-time?

Even though some jewelers work part-time, their hourly wages are rather low and in order to make a living from what they are doing, most jewelers still have to work full-time.

Do jewelers work indoors or outdoors?

Jewelers work indoors most of the time.

Hence, you will not have to care about adverse weather conditions outdoors as many other people like roofers or garbage collectors who have to work outdoors during times of rain or extreme heat.

What does the workplace of a jeweler look like?

Most jewelers work in jeweler’s shops and they are surrounded by nice jewelry.

Thus, if you are really passionate about jewelry and also have great selling skills, becoming a jeweler could be a great career choice for you.

Do you have to look good for working as a jeweler?

While you don’t necessarily have to look good for succeeding as a jeweler, it can still help to look good since you will work with many people who will care about their and your looks and the better you look, the easier you might be able to sell things to your customers.

Is a jeweler career beneficial for your private life?

Being a jeweler doesn’t provide much value to your private life since you will not be able to make good money from what you are doing while you still suffer from high levels of insecurity related to your job and also don’t have a great social standing.

In turn, your partner may start cheating on you sooner or later to find a better deal.

Do you need a college degree for becoming a jeweler?

You don’t need a college degree for getting a job as a jeweler.

Instead, you will have to go to trade school for up to one year and compared to college education, you will not have to spend as much money and time but can rather make money at a young age.

Do you need to be certified to work as a jeweler?

You don’t need to get certified for working as a jeweler.

What’s much more important than looking good on paper is that you have great selling skills since only if you sell stuff to your clients, you will provide value to the jeweler’s shop you work for.

How much does it cost to become a jeweler?

While you will have to spend some money on trade school, the costs of becoming a jeweler are still rather low compared to the costs related to college education.

Consequently, you will also not have to take on student loans as many other people who have to spend lots of money on tuition and other expenses related to college.

Is being a jeweler a good career?

Since you will not be able to make lots of money while you will also not have a high social standing and may lose your job from one day to the other, being a jeweler can not be considered a good career compared to other jobs where overall working conditions are much better.

Is it easy to start your own business as a jeweler?

It is not that easy to start your own jewelry business since you would often have to invest lots of money upfront and in case your business may not succeed, you might be left with lots of debt.

Can jewelers teach themselves?

Jewelers are able to teach themselves many skills they need to succeed in this industry.

However, you will still need to go to trade school to get some further education to get really good at what you are doing.

Do jewelers make good money?

Even though they sell fancy jewelry on a daily basis, most jewelers will never make good money.

In fact, the majority of jewelers make rather poor money and some of them are not even able to cover their basic expenses.

Is it ever too late to become a jeweler?

It is never too late to become a jeweler in theory.

However, the younger you are, the better your chances in the job market will be and the more time you will have to really learn your craft.

Do jewelers have to quit their careers early?

Most jewelers don’t have to quit their careers early since they don’t have to work in a heavy physical manner and while many other people have to quit their careers due to serious physical health issues, you as a jeweler will often be able to work in this field until retirement age.

What is the most challenging thing about working as a jeweler?

The most challenging thing about being a jeweler is that you always have to spot current trends and that you need to know what your clients want so that they come back to your shop in the long run.

Can you provide for your family by working as a jeweler?

Since jewelers don’t make good money from what they are doing, they will often have a hard time providing for their families.

In fact, if you want to have a family, your spouse may have to work as well to cover your expenses since your jeweler salary will often not be enough in this regard.

Will jewelers suffer from old-age poverty?

Many jewelers suffer from old-age poverty since they receive rather poor pensions while they are often also not able to save and invest enough money for retirement during their active careers.

In turn, once they quit their active careers, many jewelers struggle to pay their bills.

Can jewelers retire early?

Most jewelers are not able to retire early since they just don’t make enough money from their jobs and have to work until they reach official retirement age or sometimes even longer in case their pensions are not enough to pay their bills.

Do jewelers get a fixed or variable salary?

Most jewelers get a fixed base salary and also have a variable component in their salary.

Hence, the more they sell, the more money jewelers can make.

Can you get rich as a jeweler?

It is almost impossible to get wealthy or even rich as an employed jeweler.

If you really want to make good money in this industry, you would have to start your own business and scale it as much as possible to scale your profits as well.

Do jewelers need a second job?

Some jewelers even have to work a second job to pay their bills, especially in case they live in expensive regions where rents and living costs are quite high and a jeweler’s salary will not be enough to even just cover basic expenses.

Do you get continuous training as a jeweler?

While you get some training at the beginning of your jeweler’s career, it will be on you to hone your craft and to really get good at what you are doing in the long run.

Do you get sick pay as a jeweler?

Many jewelers don’t get paid in case they get sick.

However, this also greatly depends on the jeweler’s shop you work for and if you are not sure in this regard, it can make sense to ask someone who already works in this field.

Do jewelers have a high level of responsibility?

Jewelers don’t have an extremely high level of responsibility.

Even though their mistakes could lead to serious financial damage for the shop they work for, their mistakes will still not have the same adverse impact compared to doctors or policemen whose mistakes could take away the lives of people on a daily basis.

Can jewelers work abroad?

Jewelers are needed all over the world.

However, working conditions and salaries might be quite different from what you are used to at home and you should inform yourself in this regard so that you don’t get disappointed once you finally move to a foreign country.

Is it stressful to work as a jeweler?

Being a jeweler is not stressful since you will just consult clients most of the time and even though some clients may be difficult, you will still not have to deal with lots of stress at work compared to someone who works in consulting or investment banking and has to deal with pressure on a regular basis.

Is it boring to work as a jeweler?

Working as a jeweler may become boring if you are not really passionate about jewelry and consulting clients in general and if this is the case, you should just go for a different career instead of becoming a jeweller.

Is being a jeweler hard?

Working as a jeweler is not extremely hard since you will not have to work with your hands in a heavy physical manner and you will also not have to stress your brain that much.

Instead, you will have a rather relaxed time at work.

Are jewelers at risk of burnout?

Jewelers are not at great risk of burnout since they don’t have to deal with lots of stress at work and also don’t have to stress their brains that much as many people who work in demanding office jobs have to do on a regular basis.

Is there a dress code for jewelers?

You don’t need to dress fancy as a jeweler.

Instead, you can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in and also don’t have to spend lots of money on suits or fancy dresses.

What kind of jewelers are paid the most?

The better you are at selling, the more money you will make as a jeweler in the long run since the more items and volume you sell, the more value you will provide to the jeweler’s shop you work for.

What percentage of jewelers are women?

Around 75% of jewelers are women will only 25% are men.

However, this doesn’t mean that you have a hard time finding a job in this industry as a man.

It just means that more women aspire to a career in this field.

Do I need a mentor to succeed as a jeweler?

You don’t need a mentor to succeed as a jeweler.

What’s much more important is that you work on your skills and that you become really good at selling things to customers.

Will you be personally liable for mistakes as a jeweler?

You may be personally liable for mistakes as a jeweler.

However, this greatly depends on the individual case and if you want to be sure in this regard, you should consult a lawyer and get proper insurance.

Do jewelers have a high life expectancy?

Jewelers don’t have a great life expectancy since they work in a rather risky environment and also don’t make good money from what they are doing.

Consequently, jewelers are also often not able to afford expensive medical treatment.

Do jewelers suffer from sleeping problems?

Since jewelers mainly work at daytime and don’t have to work in the late evening or at nighttime, jewelers don’t suffer from sleeping problems related to their jobs often since they can maintain a rather stable sleeping pattern.

What states are best for working as a jeweler?

Since jewelers make rather poor money across states, you should choose a state or a region where the demand for jewelry is rather high but living costs are still affordable so that you are able to make enough money from your job to cover your expenses and that you don’t have to work a second job.

Who do jewelers work with?

Jewelers work with many different clients.

Hence, you should be an open and friendly person so that your clients trust you and will come back to your jeweler’s shop in the long run.

Is working as a jeweler cool?

Being a jeweler is not considered cool by most people out there.

However, you should not care about the opinion of others that much but rather make your own decision in this regard.

Can you start a side hustle as a jeweler?

You can start many side hustles as a jeweler since you will have enough time and will hopefully also be creative enough to make money on the side.

For instance, you could start a blog or a YouTube channel where you talk about jewelry and give people helpful advice in this regard.

Do you have to be creative as a jeweler?

Being creative helps to succeed as a jeweler since only if you are creative, you will come up with new ideas for jewelry on a regular basis and only if you always reinvent yourself, your clients will come back to you in the long run.

Do jewelers suffer from being overweight?

Since jewelers don’t have to work in a heavy physical manner, they often suffer from being overweight since they just don’t get sufficient exercise at work and don’t burn enough calories.

How employable are jewelers?

Jewelers are not that employable anymore since an increasing number of people buy jewelry online and small jewelers have a hard time competing with big jewelry corporations out there.

Are jewelers happy with their jobs?

While many jewelers are happy with the actual work they are doing, many of them still complain about their rather poor wages and poor overall working conditions and secretly think about quitting their jobs.

Is working as a jeweler exciting?

Working as a jeweler can be exciting if you are really passionate about this industry and working as a jeweler is more than a job for you.

Can you have a positive impact on our environment as a jeweler?

You will not have a positive impact on our environment as a jeweler since you will mainly focus on selling jewelry to customers and will not care about our planet that much.

Moreover, the extraction of precious metals for jewelry purposes often causes significant damage to our environment.

What are the pros and cons of working as a jeweler?

If you want to learn even more about being a jeweler, you should also have a look at additional pros and cons of a jeweler career.

Sources

https://www.statista.com/topics/5841/jewelry-market-in-the-united-states/

https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/accessories/watches-jewelry/jewelry/united-states

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1074786/number-of-jewelry-stores-in-the-us/

Interviews and own research.

About the author

My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people about the different career paths that are possible in our current state of the world. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy.

This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Master’s degree in Economics. However, I’ve quit pretty soon after that since I haven’t found true meaning in my job.

Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money.

I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice.

Wanna support my blog? Share it!