Jewelry Designer Job Description Information

Jewelry designers cut, set and polish gemstones. They adjust or repair necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. They may also appraise jewelry. Some even create their own jewelry designs.

Jewelry designers first use designs or instructions from customers. They begin creating the jewelry by carving wax or shaping metal to make a model. The jewelry designer then solders the parts together and then may engrave a design or set a gemstone. Some jewelers specialize in finish work, such as polishing, engraving, or setting stones.

Other specialize in repair work, which includes includes adjusting ring sizes, resetting stones and fixing or replacing broken mountings or clasps. Bench jewelers work in jewelry retailers and perform a variety of tasks, including cleaning, repair, moldmaking and creating jewelry from scratch.

Some jewelry designers, especially those in manufacturing firms, use computer software, such as computer-aided design (CAD), to simplify the product design, moldmaking and modelmaking processes. CAD allows jewelry designers to create a lifelike model of a piece of jewelry. Jewelry designers can then modify the design, change the stone or try a different setting.

They can view the modifications on a computer screen before doing the actual work involved, thus saving time and money. When satisfied, they create a mold. The mold makes it easier for jewelry manufacturers to produce numerous amounts of a specific jewelry piece, which then can be distributed to jewelry stores and other retailers throughout the country.

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Jewelry Designer Salary Information

A jewelry designer creates designs for accessories made from precious materials. She may employ others to physically create her designs or she may fabricate them herself, making frameworks and setting stones. She will often combine her design with the task of selling the jewelry to clients, advising and informing on different pieces according to the requirements of the client. She may also take commissions to design individual pieces of jewelry to a customer's specifications. Her salary may vary according to the circumstances of her employment.

 

Average Salary

• In the latest occupational employment and wage figures compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean yearly salary for a jewelry designer was listed as $36,620 as of May 2009. This represents a monthly wage of $3,052 and a rate per hour of $17.60. The median 50 percent of earners within the profession achieved an average salary of $34,060, the highest 10 percent received $57,170, and the lowest 10 percent earned $19,080.

Salary by Employer

• The type of employer a jewelry designer works for will significantly affect her salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that jewelry, luggage and leather goods stores employed by far the greatest numbers of jewelry designers of any industry sector and paid an average salary of $38,910. This is over $9,000 more than specialized jewelry design services who were listed at a mean annual salary of $29,890. Firms that provide jewelry coating, engraving, heat treatment and allied activities offered average wages of $42,860, while positions in retail stores other than jewelry, luggage and leather goods brought compensation of $36,230.

Salary by Location

• Regardless of industry sector, the geographical location in which a jewelry designer pursues her vocation will influence the pay level she achieves. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that Connecticut and Illinois are the states paying the best wage levels -- $53,120 and $45,530, respectively. Idaho and Minnesota offer comparable average salaries -- $44,000 and $43,710, respectively. In contrast, South Dakota offers $30,000 and New Mexico is listed at an average of $28,380. Bakersfield, California, is the metropolitan area offering the best compensation for the services of jewelry designers -- $80,990.

Prospects

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cautions that employment opportunities for jewelry designers are likely to grow by only 5 percent in the decade between 2008 and 2018. This is slower than the national rate across all occupations, estimated to be between 7 and 13 percent for the same period. The continued increase in imports of jewelry is a major factor behind this low growth rate. However, the BLS also suggests that the number of vacancies liable to arise and the number of qualified professionals to fill them will roughly be in balance. Jewelry designers should therefore be able to secure reasonably competitive salaries in the immediate future.

Read more: The Average Salary of a Jewelry Designer | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7868553_average-salary-jewelry-designer.html#ixzz1gkmRngde

How to Become a Jewelry Designer

Becoming a jewelry designer gives you the freedom to set your own schedule as well as let your creative juices flow. Your earning potential is endless, and the work that you do can be fun and exciting once you learn how to become a jewelry designer.

1. Start by checking out other people's work. This will help plant creative ideas in your head for your designs, and this can get you help you get started understanding what materials are used in jewelry.
2. Think about what type of piece you want to create. Determine if you are into making bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces, brooches or pins, belt buckles, or some other type of jewelry or a combination of a number of types.
3. Purchase your materials. These can include metal, gemstones, clay, natural things such as shell or wood, or beads.
4. Buy the equipment and tools that you need to create your pieces. These can include wire, pliers, solder tools, glue, buffers, kilns or ovens, etc.
5. Determine to whom you are planning to sell. Decide if you are wanting to mass market, sell to local shops, have jewelry parties or attend art fairs and events.
6. Work on your business basics, and create a business plan that lists start-up costs. This includes choosing your business name and obtaining, through your state's Department of Revenue, a resale tax number. In addition, open a bank account strictly for your business.
7. Choose a location or workspace to create your designs. Determine if you can create your designs in your own home or if you will need to rent a studio location.
8. Figure out your pricing and determine how you are going to display your jewelry.
9. Prepare your resume as well as your portfolio. This will include narrowing down your initial work to your best pieces, and choosing a simple way to show them. 
10. Offer to do a project for someone or for a company. Let your work speak for yourself, and if the agreement is mutually agreeable or successful, consider future projects together.

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