Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
Occupation · SOC 51-9071.00
Design, fabricate, adjust, repair, or appraise jewelry, gold, silver, other precious metals, or gems.
Also called: Bench Jeweler · Goldsmith · Jeweler · Silversmith · Appraiser · Artisan Jeweler · Caster · Gemologist · Polisher · Stone Setter · Antique Jewelry Repairer · Appraisal Technician (Appraisal Tech)
Job family: Production Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-51-9071-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-5.5% by 2034)
- 4,000 openings/yr
- Moderate AI exposure
- Median pay $49,140/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (89th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (35th)
35th-percentile task overlap — yet about 4,000 openings a year (-5.5% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate | 45th | -0.2 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 31st | 0.3 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Moderate | 35th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.2), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.3). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.9 · 89th percentile among occupations · High
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Create new jewelry designs and modify existing designs, using computers as necessary. | 0.5% | |
| Create jewelry from materials such as gold, silver, platinum, and precious or semiprecious stones. | 0.4% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Declining · -5.5% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 4,000 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 35,100 → 33,200 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers sits at the 26th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure rose from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
18% mean task exposure (2025)
26th percentile of 427 placed occupations
+3 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Jewellery and Precious Metal Workers · 7313 | 18% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Clean and polish metal items and jewelry pieces, using jewelers' tools, polishing wheels, and chemical baths. Core · importance 4.5
- Smooth soldered joints and rough spots, using hand files and emery paper, and polish smoothed areas with polishing wheels or buffing wire. Core · importance 4.5
- Create jewelry from materials such as gold, silver, platinum, and precious or semiprecious stones. Core · importance 4.5
- Cut and file pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets. Core · importance 4.4
- Examine assembled or finished products to ensure conformance to specifications, using magnifying glasses or precision measuring instruments. Core · importance 4.4
- Make repairs, such as enlarging or reducing ring sizes, soldering pieces of jewelry together, and replacing broken clasps and mountings. Core · importance 4.4
- Compute costs of labor and materials in order to determine production costs of products and articles. Core · importance 4.3
- Position stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools. Core · importance 4.3
- Grade stones based on their color, perfection, and quality of cut. Core · importance 4.3
- Buy and sell jewelry, or serve as agents between buyers and sellers. Core · importance 4.2
- Select and acquire metals and gems for designs. Core · importance 4.2
- Determine appraised values of diamonds and other gemstones based on price guides, market fluctuations, and stone grades and rarity. Core · importance 4.2
- Shape and straighten damaged or twisted articles by hand or using pliers. Core · importance 4.2
- Create new jewelry designs and modify existing designs, using computers as necessary. Core · importance 3.9
- Plate articles such as jewelry pieces and watch dials, using silver, gold, nickel, or other metals. Core · importance 3.9
- Record the weights and processing times of finished pieces. Core · importance 3.8
- Construct preliminary models of wax, metal, clay, or plaster, and form sample castings in molds. Core · importance 3.8
- Soften metal to be used in designs by heating it with a gas torch and shape it, using hammers and dies. Core · importance 3.7
- Write or modify design specifications such as the metal contents and weights of items. Core · importance 3.7
- Pierce and cut open designs in ornamentation, using hand drills and scroll saws. Core · importance 3.6
- Research and analyze reference materials, and consult with interested parties in order to develop new products or modify existing designs. Core · importance 3.5
- Mark, engrave, or emboss designs on metal pieces such as castings, wire, or jewelry, following specifications. Core · importance 3.5
- Lay out designs on metal stock, and cut along markings to fabricate pieces used to cast metal molds. Core · importance 3.5
- Design and fabricate molds, models, and machine accessories, and modify hand tools used to cast metal and jewelry pieces. Core · importance 3.4
- Cut designs in molds or other materials to be used as models in the fabrication of metal and jewelry products. Core · importance 3.3
- Pour molten metal alloys or other materials into molds in order to cast models of jewelry. Core · importance 3.3
- Rout out locations where parts are to be joined to items, using routing machines. Supplemental · importance 3.3
- Weigh, mix, and melt metal alloys or materials needed for jewelry models. Supplemental · importance 3.2
- Anneal precious metal objects such as coffeepots, tea sets, and trays in gas ovens for prescribed times to soften metal for reworking. Supplemental · importance 2.8
- Rotate molds to distribute alloys and to prevent formation of air pockets. Supplemental · importance 2.6
Emerging tasks
Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.
- Measure, cut, and file pieces of jewelry, such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
Work activities
- Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly.
- Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
- Smooth metal surfaces or edges.
- Design jewelry or decorative objects.
- Solder parts or workpieces.
- Repair precision devices or workpieces.
- Clean workpieces or finished products.
- Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
- Select production input materials.
- Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
- Estimate costs of products, services, or materials.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.
- Build production molds.
- Place materials into molds.
- Reshape small metal components for precision assembly.
- Shape metal workpieces with hammers or other small hand tools.
- Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
- Determine the value of goods or services.
- Evaluate quality of materials or products.
- Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
- Sell products or services.
- Purchase products or services.
- Record operational or production data.
- Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
- Engrave designs, text, or other markings onto materials, workpieces, or products.
- Confer with customers or designers to determine order specifications.
- Prepare materials for processing.
- Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
- Mix ingredients to create specific finishes.
- Melt metal, plastic, or other materials to prepare for production.
- Adjust position of molds during processing.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.3 | |
| Design | 4.0 | |
| Production and Processing | 3.9 | |
| Sales and Marketing | 3.8 | |
| Administration and Management | 3.7 | |
| Mechanical | 3.4 | |
| Administrative | 3.2 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.2 | |
| Mathematics | 3.2 | |
| Fine Arts | 3.1 | |
| Economics and Accounting | 3.1 | |
| Education and Training | 3.0 | |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.0 | |
| English Language | 2.9 | |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.8 |
Abilities
| Near Vision | 3.9 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.6 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.5 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.3 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.1 | |
| Originality | 3.1 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.1 | |
| Visualization | 3.1 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.0 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.0 | |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.0 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.0 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.0 | |
| Written Comprehension | 2.9 | |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.9 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.9 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 2.9 | |
| Control Precision | 2.9 |
Essential skills
| Active Listening | 3.1 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
Transferable skills
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 | |
| Coordination | 2.9 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Illustrator | Graphics or photo imaging software | Hot technology |
| Adobe Photoshop | Graphics or photo imaging software | Hot technology |
| Intuit QuickBooks | Accounting software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | Hot technology |
| Computer assisted jewelry design CAD software | Computer aided design CAD software | |
| Customer information databases | Customer relationship management CRM software | |
| Inventory tracking software | Inventory management software | |
| Jewelry store point of sale POS software | Point of sale POS software | |
| Metal designing software | Computer aided design CAD software | |
| Retail management software | Data base user interface and query software | |
| Web browser software | Internet browser software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians , Visual and Performing Arts . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 25.3% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 21.4% | |
| Some College Courses | 19.4% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 16.5% | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 8.8% | |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 6.9% | |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.6% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 6.6 | |
| Artistic | 3.7 | |
| Conventional | 3.4 | |
| Investigative | 2.6 |
Interest areas
| Applied Arts and Design | 4.9 | |
| Visual Arts | 3.9 | |
| Physical/Manual Labor | 3.6 | |
| Engineering | 2.4 | |
| Mechanics/Electronics | 2.4 | |
| Construction/Woodwork | 2.3 | |
| Accounting | 2.0 |
Work styles
| Attention to Detail | 3.0 | |
| Dependability | 3.0 | |
| Cautiousness | 2.1 | |
| Integrity | 2.0 | |
| Innovation | 1.8 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $33,890 |
| 25th percentile | $38,030 |
| Median (50th) | $49,140 |
| 75th percentile | $63,210 |
| 90th percentile | $81,610 |
| People employed | 23,420 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade · Sector | 12,050 | $50,340 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 6,180 | $46,180 |
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing · National industry | 6,000 | $46,130 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 2,780 | $58,120 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 1,030 | $48,250 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 420 | $70,410 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 410 | $62,640 |
| Finance and Insurance · Sector | 190 | $50,870 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 40 | $36,520 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | — | $55,370 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing · National industry | 1982.99× | 6,000 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 5.09× | 12,050 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 3.19× | 6,180 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 3.03× | 2,780 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 1.53× | 1,030 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 0.98× | 420 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 0.25× | 410 |
| Finance and Insurance · Sector | 0.2× | 190 |
Related occupations
Part of the Advanced Manufacturing career cluster.
- Gem and Diamond Workers · 51-9071.06 Compare →
- Etchers and Engravers · 51-9194.00 Compare →
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand · 51-9022.00 Compare →
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic · 51-9195.00 Compare →
- Craft Artists · 27-1012.00 Compare →
- Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing · 51-9195.03 Compare →
- Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers · 51-6041.00 Compare →
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers · 51-9123.00 Compare →
- Sewers, Hand · 51-6051.00 Compare →
- Tool and Die Makers · 51-4111.00 Compare →
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- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners · 51-4194.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians · field of study
- Visual and Performing Arts · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 26th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers show 35th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 4,000 annual U.S. openings
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers rank in the 35th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 4,000 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be declining (-5.5%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $49,140, across about 23,420 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers show 35th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 4,000 annual U.S. openings • Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers rank in the 35th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 4,000 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be declining (-5.5%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $49,140, across about 23,420 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-9071-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-9071-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-9071-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-9071-00,
title = {Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-9071-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.