Other Production Occupations

How to become a Gem and Diamond Worker

Official title: Gem and Diamond Workers

Also called: Diamond Cutter, Diamond Grader, Diamond Picker, Diamond Polisher, Diamond Setter, Facetor, Gem Carver, Gemologist, Lapidarist

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

Main tasks

Assign polish, symmetry, and clarity grades to stones, according to established grading systems.
Identify and document stones' clarity characteristics, using plot diagrams.
Estimate wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations, and other relevant economic factors.
Examine gems during processing to ensure accuracy of angles and positions of cuts or bores, using magnifying glasses, loupes, or shadowgraphs.
Examine diamonds or gems to ascertain the shape, cut, and width of cut stones, or to select the cuts that will result in the biggest, best quality stones.
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.
Advise customers and others on the best use of gems to create attractive jewelry items.
Locate and mark drilling or cutting positions on stones or dies, using diamond chips and power hand tools.

How to become one

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation, and they learn their skills on the job. Some workers complete an apprenticeship or trade school program.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Brilliandeer-Lopper.
Apprenticeship: Gem Cutter (Jewelry).

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $52,540 a year The middle half earn $39,520 to $69,810.
About 32,800 people work in this job now, and about 31,800 are projected by 2035. (-3.2%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Gem and Diamond Worker?

How much does a Gem and Diamond Worker earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $52,540 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $39,520 to $69,810.

Is a Gem and Diamond Worker a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 3% by 2035, from about 32,800 to about 31,800 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Gem and Diamond Worker?

Not always. 36% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Brilliandeer-Lopper.

Will AI change the work of a Gem and Diamond Worker?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.