Gem and Diamond Workers
Fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
Sample of reported job titles:
Diamond Cutter, Diamond Grader, Diamond Picker, Diamond Polisher, Diamond Sawer, Diamond Setter, Facetor, Gemologist, Lapidarist
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- 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.
Technology Skills
- Accounting software:Business accounting software
- Analytical or scientific software:Spectrophotometer analysis software
- Computer aided design CAD software:GemCad,Jewelry design software
- Data base user interface and query software:Gem identification databases
- Internet browser software:Web browser software
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information:Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People:Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
- Thinking Creatively:Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems:Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Handling and Moving Objects:Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Detailed Work Activities
- Advise others on ways to improve processes or products.
- Apply solutions to production equipment.
- Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
- Determine the value of goods or services.
- Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
Work Context
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled:93% responded"Every day"
- Telephone:91% responded"Every day"
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate:88% responded"Extremely important"
- Contact With Others:87% responded"Constant contact with others"
- Spend Time Sitting:87% responded"Continually or almost continually"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Quality Control Analysis:Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Active Listening:Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking:Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Production and Processing:Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics:Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 58%High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
- 19%Bachelor's Degree
- 15%Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
- 8%Less than a High School Diploma
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Finger Dexterity:The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness:The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Visual Color Discrimination:The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
- Problem Sensitivity:The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Interests
- Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Investigative:Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Work Values
- Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Working Conditions:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Work Styles
- Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Persistence:Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Independence:Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Get yourself a new skill