A precious stone worker is a type of jeweler who specializes in working with gems and other precious stones. Typically, the job of a precious stone worker would be to cut and otherwise process the stones that they’re given, often shaping them to particular forms and sizes in order to fit a specific design that another jeweler is working on (e.g. for a ring or another piece of jewelry). Precious stone workers will often have to take molds of their stones which they provide to the other jewelers, as well as work with very precise measurements to ensure a flawless design.
The job of a precious stone worker is a type of trade, and as such doesn’t require a high degree of education to get hired. However, a good deal of experience is an absolute must for a good precious stone worker – typically, some time in an apprenticeship would be required to get hired at most jewelers’ stores. The job also tends to run through families, and is commonly passed on from father to son, making it a popular choice of profession in some regions of the world and not so much in others.
The average annual salary for precious stone workers lies between $40,000 – $55,000, and some workers tend to receive a bit more than the average maximum thanks to various beneficial circumstances around them. Those with a high degree of experience are usually able to secure a much higher salary than the ones paid to other workers in the industry, and the salary tends to be even better for those involved with the business more directly.