Gem & Diamond Workers
Fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
Key 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.
- 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.
- Estimate wholesale and retail value of gems, following pricing guides, market fluctuations, and other relevant economic factors.
- Immerse stones in prescribed chemical solutions to determine specific gravities and key properties of gemstones or substitutes.
- Hold stones, gems, dies, or styluses against rotating plates, wheels, saws, or slitters to cut, shape, slit, grind, or polish them.
- 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.
- Sort rough diamonds into categories based on shape, size, color, and quality.
- Secure gems or diamonds in holders, chucks, dops, lapidary sticks, or blocks for cutting, polishing, grinding, drilling, or shaping.
- Identify and document stones' clarity characteristics, using plot diagrams.
- Advise customers and others on the best use of gems to create attractive jewelry items.
- Measure sizes of stones' bore holes and cuts to ensure adherence to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
- Select shaping wheels for tasks, and mix and apply abrasives, bort, or polishing compounds.
- Dismantle lapping, boring, cutting, polishing, and shaping equipment and machinery to clean and lubricate it.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
97%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
96%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
95%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
94%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
94%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
93%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
91%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
88%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
88%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
86%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
85%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
84%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
82%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
82%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
81%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
73%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
70%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
68%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
59%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
57%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
55%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
50%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
48%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
47%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
42%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
39%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
35%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
31%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
31%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
28%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
27%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
24%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
22%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
20%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
17%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
12%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
11%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
10%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
10%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
10%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
8%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
6%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
6%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
5%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
5%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
4%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
4%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
4%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
3%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
2%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
2%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
1%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
0%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
Post-secondary certificate
Interests
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Work Styles
Work Values
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