Are jobs available?

There’s a big demand today for skilled jewelers, as more people now want products that are customized for them and made in the USA. Also consider the following:

• Millions of folks are inheriting valuable jewelry and want to repurpose it, using the metals, diamonds, and gems to make something new. Jewelry is the original recyclable product!
• Baby Boomer bench jewelers and jewelry makers are beginning to retire—and their employers need new skilled workers.

Is it a Good Career?

Modern jewelers work both with their hands and with cool high-tech tools and machines, including computer-aided design programs. If that appeals to you, then being a jewelry maker may be a great way to earn a living.

• Schooling to learn a bench jeweler’s basic skills can be achieved in as little as 3-6 months, though some students attend longer programs. You avoid the costs of an expensive 4-year degree.

What Does a Jeweler Do?

One of the most desirable things about being a jeweler is that no day is the same as the day before. You will always be learning new things, solving new problems, creating something different. Some of the tasks you will do in your job include:

• Create jewelry from gold, silver, platinum, and precious gemstones.
• Shape metal to hold the gems when making individual pieces.

Do I Have What it Takes?

If you have the following skills and abilities, you would make a great jeweler!

• An eye for detail. Creating jewelry requires concentration and patience. Bench jewelers must give attention to large and small details on the pieces they make.
• Arm and hand steadiness and control, plus finger dexterity. Jewelers must precisely move their fingers in order to grasp, manipulate, and assemble very small objects.

What's the Workplace Like?

Whether you're working in a retail store, a trade shop, or a manufacturing or design facility, most people would agree: A jeweler's workshop is a pretty great place to hang out.

• Jewelers spend a lot of time at a workbench, using different tools. They often enlarge their work using magnifying headpieces or microscopes.
• Computers are also becoming an increasingly important tool in the jewelry industry as computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) save time and resources.

What Can a Jeweler Earn?

According to the Occupational Information Network, the median wage for a bench worker in the United States is $22.66 hourly, $47,140 annually. Ranges vary across states, from an average of $62,380 in Washington State to $31,080 in South Dakota.

In the current job market, with an increase in the trend toward customized jewelry and the planned retirement of many Baby Boomers, salaries are increasing. Jewelers in the field tell us that’s because demand for jewelry makers is outstripping supply.

The bottom line? Bench salaries vary according to what region of the country you’re in, as well as your skill level. An entry-level bench jeweler should not expect what a master makes, but with hard work, increasing skill, and the continuous on-the-job learning most bench jewelers receive, you can expect your salary to rise.