Gem and Diamond Workers

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 51-9071.06

Pay and outlook shown for

median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

$35k10th$45kMedian$78k90th

New workers start near $35,180; experienced workers reach $77,740. About 160 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.

Job outlook

Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.

Employment change: -3.4%; Alamo region, 621 to 600 jobs · U.S. -6%
Openings a year: 73; in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 4,000
Employed in 2024: 621; in the Alamo region · U.S. 35,100

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Long-term on-the-job training

No program is mapped to this career yet. Many careers start from a transfer pre-major or a related program.

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

Fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.

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.
Examine gem surfaces and internal structures, using polariscopes, refractometers, microscopes, and other optical instruments, to differentiate between stones, to identify rare specimens, or to detect flaws, defects, or peculiarities affecting gem values.
Identify and document stones' clarity characteristics, using plot diagrams.
Advise customers and others on the best use of gems to create attractive jewelry items.

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

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