Jewelry Designer Jobs

Jewelry designers design, make, sell, and repair jewelry. They either make the jewelry themselves or pass their designs on to another craftsperson. Sometimes they make expensive, custom-made pieces that require a lot of handwork. At other times they make jewelry using assembly line methods.
Since jewelry designers work with valuable materials, many employers require candidates to be bonded before they will hire them. Bond companies ensure that bonded employees will not steal. They check candidates' backgrounds to make sure that they are honest before they will bond them.
Jewelry designers are employed by design and crafts studios, jewelry factories, and retail shops. The working conditions vary. Retail stores are usually quiet, clean, and attractive. Jewelry designers involved in selling must have good business sense and must be able to get along well with other people. Factories, repair shops, and studios are usually well lit and pleasant, but they may be noisy because of the machinery.
All jewelry designers should have some artistic ability. They must have good hand-eye coordination, as well as skill at working with their hands. Patience and attention to detail are essential.
Jewelry designers in factories often work thirty-five to forty hours per week. Those working in retail stores and repair shops generally work forty to forty-eight hours per week, including some evenings and weekends. Extra hours are required during holiday seasons when stores stay open longer. Both manufacturing and retail workers sometimes experience slow seasons when there may be layoffs. Some jewelers belong to labor unions.