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Gem and Diamond Workers

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

How does this connect to your interests? →

A look at the work

  • 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.

A selection of source-listed tasks; duties vary by role and employer.

Interests involved in this work

These source scores describe occupational work activities. They are separate from your personal test results.

Hands-on

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

5.5 / 7

Investigative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

3.1 / 7

Creative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

2.9 / 7

Helping people

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

1.2 / 7

Enterprising

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

2.1 / 7

Organizing

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

4.1 / 7

Skills to explore

Source-reported importance on a 1–5 scale. Try a course, project or conversation to learn what these skills involve.

Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

2026-08

3.4 / 5

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

2026-08

3.1 / 5

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

2026-08

3.1 / 5

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.

2026-08

3.0 / 5

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

2026-08

3.0 / 5

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

2026-08

3.0 / 5

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

2026-08

2.9 / 5

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

2026-08

2.9 / 5

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

2026-08

2.8 / 5

Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

2026-08

2.8 / 5

Plan a small next step

Talk to someone doing this work, look for a supervised activity, and explore the subjects that interest you. Admission, licensing and current program requirements should be confirmed with the relevant institutions.

Source preparation category: Job Zone 3 of 5 · 2026-08. This category describes typical preparation, not your eligibility.

Related study fields

Source crosswalk connections are research leads, not required qualifications.

Watchmaking and Jewelrymaking →

Jewelry Arts →

Metal Arts →

Explore all related study fields →

Source & methodology

O*NET-SOC code 51-9071.06 · Database 31.0 · Retrieved Oct 14, 2026. Dates on individual observations describe their source periods.

How interest exploration matching works →

Data: O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0. StudyIndex normalizes the presentation and adds exploration features; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions.