Precious Metal Workers

Overview Nature of Work Knowledge Areas Skills Utilized Job Activities Abilities Job Conditions Work Satisfaction Education/Training

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers use a variety of common and specialized handtools and equipment to design and manufacture new pieces of jewelry; cut, set, and polish gem stones; repair or adjust rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other jewelry; and appraise jewelry, precious metals, and gems. Jewelers usually specialize in one or more of these areas and may work for large jewelry manufacturing firms, for small retail jewelry shops, or as owners of their own businesses. Regardless of the type of work done or the work setting, jewelers need a high degree of skill, precision, and attention to detail.

Some jewelers design or make their own jewelry. Following their own designs or those created by designers or customers, they begin by shaping the metal or by carving wax to make a model for casting the metal. The individual parts then are soldered together, and the jeweler may mount a diamond or other gem or may engrave a design into the metal. Other jewelers do finishing work, such as setting stones, polishing, or engraving, or make repairs. Typical repair work includes enlarging or reducing ring sizes, resetting stones, and replacing broken clasps and mountings.

Bench jewelers usually work in jewelry retailers. They perform a wide range of tasks, from simple jewelry cleaning and repair to moldmaking and fabricating pieces from scratch. In larger manufacturing businesses, jewelers usually specialize in a single operation. Mold and model makers create models or tools for the jewelry that is to be produced. Assemblers solder or fuse jewelry and their parts; they also may set stones. Engravers etch designs into the metal with specialized tools, and polishers bring a finished luster to the final product.

Jewelers typically do the handiwork required to produce a piece of jewelry, while gemologists and laboratory graders analyze, describe, and certify the quality and characteristics of gem stones. Gemologists may work in gemological laboratories or as quality control experts for retailers, importers, or manufacturers. After using microscopes, computerized tools, and other grading instruments to examine gem stones or finished pieces of jewelry, they write reports certifying that the items are of a particular quality. Many jewelers also study gemology to become familiar with the physical properties of the gem stones with which they work.

Jewelry appraisers carefully examine jewelry to determine its value, after which they write appraisal documents. They determine the value of a piece by researching the jewelry market, using reference books, auction catalogs, price lists, and the Internet. They may work for jewelry stores, appraisal firms, auction houses, pawnbrokers, or insurance companies. Many gemologists also become appraisers.

In small retail stores or repair shops, jewelers and appraisers may be involved in all aspects of the work. Those who own or manage stores or shops also hire and train employees; order, market, and sell merchandise; and perform managerial duties.

New technology is helping to produce jewelry of higher quality at a reduced cost and in a shorter amount of time. For example, lasers are often used for cutting and improving the quality of stones, for applying intricate engraving or design work, and for inscribing personal messages or identification on jewelry. Jewelers also use lasers to weld metals together in milliseconds with no seams or blemishes, improving the quality and appearance of jewelry.

Some manufacturing firms use computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to facilitate product design and automate some steps in the moldmaking and modelmaking process. CAD allows jewelers to create a virtual-reality model of a piece of jewelry. Using CAD, jewelers can modify the design, change the stone, or try a different setting and see the changes on a computer screen before cutting a stone or performing other costly steps. Once they are satisfied with the model, CAM produces it in a waxlike or other material. After the mold of the model is made, it is easier for manufacturing firms to produce numerous copies of a given piece of jewelry, which are then distributed to retail establishments across the country. Similar techniques may be used in the retail setting, allowing customers to review their jewelry designs with the jeweler and make modifications before committing themselves to the expense of a customized piece of jewelry.

Work environment. A jeweler's work involves a great deal of concentration and attention to detail. Trying to satisfy customers' and employers' demands for speed and quality while working on precious stones and metal can cause fatigue or stress. However, the use of more ergonomically correct jewelers' benches has eliminated most of the strain and discomfort caused by spending long periods over a workbench.

Lasers require both careful handling to avoid injury and steady hands to direct precision tasks. In larger manufacturing plants and some smaller repair shops, chemicals, sharp or pointed tools, and jewelers' torches pose safety threats and may cause injury if proper care is not taken. Most dangerous chemicals, however, have been replaced with synthetic, less toxic products to meet safety requirements.

In repair shops, jewelers usually work alone with little supervision. In retail stores, they may talk with customers about repairs, perform custom design work, and even do some selling. Because many of their materials are valuable, jewelers must observe strict security procedures, including working behind locked doors that are opened only by a buzzer, working on the other side of barred windows, making use of burglar alarms, and, in larger jewelry establishments, working in the presence of armed guards.

1.	Anneal precious metal objects such as coffeepots, tea sets, and trays in gas ovens for prescribed times to soften metal for reworking.
2.	Assemble molds, wrap molds in heat-resistant cloth, and ladle molten alloy into mold openings, repeating casting processes as necessary to produce specified numbers of parts.
3.	Cut and file pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
4.	Determine placement of auxiliary parts, such as handles and spouts, and mark locations of parts.
5.	Engrave decorative lines on items, using engraving tools.
6.	Examine articles to determine the nature of defects requiring repair, such as dents, uneven bottoms, scratches, or holes.
7.	Form concavities in bottoms of articles to improve stability, using tracing punches and hammers.
8.	Glue plastic separators to handles of coffeepots and teapots.
9.	Hammer out dents and bulges, selecting and using hammers and dollies with heads that correspond in curvature to article surfaces.
10.	Heat ingots or alloy mixtures to specified temperatures, stir mixtures and skim off impurities, and then fill molds to form ingots from which parts are cast.
11.	Peen edges of scratches or holes to repair defects, using peening hammers.
12.	Pierce and cut open designs in ornamentation, using hand drills and scroll saws.
13.	Polish articles by hand or by using a polishing wheel.
14.	Position and align auxiliary parts in jigs, and join parts using solder and blowtorches.
15.	Position articles over snarling tools and then raise design areas, using foot-powered hammers.
16.	Rotate molds to distribute alloys and to prevent formation of air pockets.
17.	Route out locations where parts are to be joined to items, using routing machines.
18.	Shape and straighten damaged or twisted articles by hand or using pliers.
19.	Solder parts together or fill holes and cracks with metal solder, using gas torches.
20.	Strike articles with small tools, or punch them with hammers, to indent them or restore embossing.
21.	Trim gates and sharp points from cast parts, using band saws.
22.	Verify that bottom edges of articles are level, using straightedges or by rocking them back and forth on flat surfaces.
23.	Weigh and mix alloy ingredients, using formulas and knowledge of ingredients' chemical properties.
24.	Wire parts such as legs, spouts, and handles to article bodies in preparation for soldering.
25.	Carry castings or finished items to storage areas or to different work stations.
26.	Design and fabricate models of new casting molds, and chipping and turning tools used to finish product surfaces.
27.	Design silver articles such as jewelry and serving pieces.
28.	Sand interior mold parts to remove glaze residue, apply new glaze to molds, and allow it to dry for mold assembly.
29.	Secure molded items in chucks of lathes, and activate lathes to finish inner and outer surfaces of items.
30.	Strike molds in order to separate dried castings from molds.
31.	Weigh completed items to determine weights and record any deviations.
32.	Research reference materials, analyze production data, and consult with interested parties to develop ideas for new products.

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