How to Become a Gemologist

If you’re interested in gems, there are plenty of career opportunities in gemology, including appraisers, retail associates, lab gemologists, or jewelry designers. It can be tough, however, to figure out how to get started in this field. You’ll likely need some type of formal training for any career path you choose. Once you figure out which area of gemology you’d like to pursue, you can locate the appropriate training, and eventually, find a job in this field through networking, searching job boards, and going to career fairs.



Part
1
Deciding What Area of Gemology to Work In
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1
Research different careers in gemology. As with most professions, there are a number of areas you can go into as a professional gemologist, so you must decide what area of gemology you want to pursue before you can figure out the right educational path. Some common jobs include lab gemologist, appraiser, jeweler, and gemstone manufacturing, cutting, and design. Take some time reading about different career paths and consider which options sound most interesting to you.[1]
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2
Asses your skills. You’ll be happiest if you choose an area of gemology that you find interesting and that utilizes and enhances your current skills. In general, gemologists need to be detail oriented, have good interpersonal skills, hand-eye coordination, and finger dexterity to be successful in the field.[2] Think about what other skills you have that could contribute to your success as a gemologist.
For example, are you a good sales person? If so, you could do well in a retail outlet or as a gemstone wholesaler.
If you are creative and have an interest in fashion, a position as a gemstone designer could be the right choice.
Or maybe you’re especially meticulous and detail oriented. You could do well as an appraiser or bench jeweler, which is someone who repairs fine jewelry.