Gem and Diamond Workers
Fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
Gem and Diamond Workers fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools. The role reports a median annual salary of $49,140 in the US and is projected to decline by 6% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.45 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Monitoring.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £29,340 a year for Other skilled trades n.e.c. (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5449). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Gem and Diamond Workers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Economics and Accounting
What you'd actually do
- 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.
- Advise customers and others on the best use of gems to create attractive jewelry items.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Gem and Diamond Workers do?
Fabricate, finish, or evaluate the quality of gems and diamonds used in jewelry or industrial tools.
How much does Gem and Diamond Workers earn?
The median annual salary for Gem and Diamond Workers in the US is $49,140.
What is the job outlook for Gem and Diamond Workers?
The role is projected to decline by 6% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 35,100 workers.
How do I become gem and diamond workers?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Gem and Diamond Workers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Gem and Diamond Workers?
Our AI-durability model gives Gem and Diamond Workers a score of 0.45 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Gem and Diamond Workers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.