JEWELLERS & RELATED OCCUPATIONS

Jewellers and related workers in this unit group fabricate, assemble, repair and appraise fine jewellery. Watch repairers and related workers in this unit group repair, clean, adjust and fabricate parts for clocks and watches. They are employed by jewellery, clock and watch manufacturers and retail stores, by jewellery and watch repair shops or they may be self-employed.

Example Titles

clock repairer
diamond cutter
gem cutter
gemologist (geologist with a more academic background)
pearl cutter
precious stone setter
watch repairer
watchmaker

>>View all titles



Main duties

Jewellers and related workers perform some or all of the following duties:

• Fabricate and repair precious and semiprecious metal jewellery, such as rings, brooches, pendants, bracelets and lockets
• Examine, cut, shape and polish diamonds using optical instruments, lathes and laps
• Examine, cut, shape and polish precious and synthetic gems using optical instruments, cutting disks and laps
• Appraise gemstones and diamonds to differentiate between stones, identify rare specimens and to detect peculiarity affecting stone values
• Set precious and semi-precious stones in jewellery mountings, according to specifications
• May supervise other jewellers.

Jewellers may specialize in certain kinds of jewellery, such as gold or silver, or in particular operations, such as fabrication or repair.

Watch repairers perform some or all of the following duties:

• Fabricate or fit parts to make watches and clocks
• Examine clocks and watches, disassemble and check for defective and misaligned parts or rust
• Replace or repair worn or broken parts
• Test, adjust and regulate timepiece movements
• Clean all parts using special cleaning and rinsing solutions and ultrasonic or mechanical cleaning machines to remove dirt and dried lubricants
• May supervise other watch repairers.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a college or other program, or apprenticeship training in watch or jewellery repair or gemology is usually required.
• A watch repairer certificate is compulsory in Quebec and Ontario.
• Experience as a jewellery, clock or watch assembler may be required.

Additional information

• Mobility is possible among the various jewellery occupations in this unit group.
• There is little mobility between the jewellery occupations and the watch repairers in this unit group.

Classified elsewhere

• Jewellery and clock and watch production assemblers (in 9498 Other Assemblers and Inspectors)
• Silversmiths and jewellery artisans (in 5244 Artisans and Craftspersons)