Sales Oriented Careers

Allied services sales agent: giftware, packaging, display, security, insurance, bookkeeping etc: self explanatory, selling to jewellery stores, subject to the vagaries of the economy.

Diamond Dealer: it helps to have family and connections. A specialized field.Sales agent or travelling representative: represents manufacturers lines to jewellery stores, pay commensurate with skill and lines chosen. Some room for a self motivated person.

Sales Staff: employed by jewellery stores, pay is low to good depending upon the store and skills. A very high end store will have the best pay opportunities. It is a good way to learn something of the business of running a jewellery store, particularly in a smaller business where many jobs are expected of one.

Jewelley Shop manager: well paid, usually worked up through the ranks from sales staff.

Stone Dealer: can be employed and represent a company, often a place for independents. You have to like travel and have good skills. Income can be very rewarding.

Skills needed to be a goldsmith with options for your own jewellery store. Some areas may be subcontracted (eg mold making) but at least some experience with everything is wise.

• Sawing, piercing, filing
• Jewellery repair
• Polishing and finishing
• Layout, measuring, fitting and construction
• Soldering, soldered construction and fabrication, complex construction in wire and sheet
• Stonesetting (bezels, prongs, channel, constructing settings, bright cutting, bead, pavée)
• Making unique pieces and model-making for production
• Catches, findings and mechanisms
• Wax working and carving
• Casting, metallurgy, alloys and alloy calculations
• Molds and rubber mold making and cutting
• Rendering, drawing for customers, photography of jewellery
• Introduction to gemology/practical gem identification
• Silversmithing/forming metal
• Production techniques and technology
• Surface treatments (metal coloring, coloring gold, chasing, diamond burrs, diamond flywheel, plating, etching etc)
• Basic jewellery design
• Bookkeeping and inventory
• Basic business practice and sales skills, understanding of appraisal requirements.