How much does a jeweler make?

In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, skill, optional certification, specialty, the employer or industry, and location. More complex work and hours matter too; shop shifts may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Design, fabricate, adjust, repair, or appraise jewelry, gold, silver, other precious metals, or gems. Includes diamond polishers and gem cutters, and persons who perform precision casting and modeling of molds, casting metal in molds, or setting precious and semiprecious stones for jewelry and related products.

What's a typical day like?

At a workbench, a jeweler checks a ring with a magnifier, sizes it, solders a broken part, or sets and polishes a stone. They may also design a new piece, estimate material costs, and help customers.

In the U.S., many begin after high school, often around age 18, learning at work or through trade school or a paid apprenticeship. Training in casting or stone-setting can take a year or more, and professional certification is optional.

Vocational school or a few years' experience (preparation level 3 of 5)

Good for people who like building and doing and creating.

Some jewelers first shape a design in wax—or on a computer—then cast it in metal, so the first model of a new piece may not be metal at all.