How To Start a Career in Jewelry

As a jeweler with decades of experience, I am frequently asked how does one get into the jewelry industry? Where should you start when you want to pursue a diamond career? I would like to use my own experience as an example to answer these questions, along with other ideas and tips to help those of you interested in a career in jewelry. Start off by asking yourself what sparked your interest in the jewelry field?

Find Your Allure

Something must have happened to make you fall in love with jewelry. Ask yourself; Why do I want to pursue this jewelry thing? What was it that made me fall in love with the jewelry industry? Was it that you saw a rare piece of fine jewelry on someone and it mesmerized you? Were you recently in a jeweler’s repair shop and saw how the flame melted the gold metal and a ring was formed. Did you see an advertisement for selling gold jewelry and it sparked the investor/entrepreneur side of you? Or perhaps you are an artist by nature and want to custom make your own jewelry designs, whether it be by hand or a custom Computer Aided Design (C.A.D.). Whatever the reason, something or someone got to you and you can’t take your mind off this truly intriguing industry. I would like to help guide you to the steps you should take if you are considering any of these options. But before I do I would love to share the story of my own beginnings and how I got into the industry.

My Beginnings

I grew up in a family of jewelers. My dad and two uncles started H Squared Jewelers in 1993 with a jewelry store named Homsy Jewelers in the heart of the city, downtown crossing in Boston, Massachusetts. Ever since I was a little boy, I would be picked up from school and brought to my family store. I would spend hours in the store playing around and watching my father repair jewelry on the bench. I grew up along with my family’s business. My father and uncles poured their hearts into building and growing the store. They treated their customers with the upmost respect; repairing items for them as well as finding jewelry items that pleased them. They started out with just a few connections to jewelry manufacturers in the industry, who helped them stock their showroom with items on memo - (What is a jewelry memo? Well, think of this, it takes millions of dollars to stock a jewelry store. If you know a good manufacture and have a great reputation in the industry they will send you items for a designated period of time on a sort of consignment. This is mainly how the jewelry industry works - trust and reputation. When you have these two things you are golden and companies want to work with you!)

Over the years, by word of mouth they became one of the “go-to” family jewelry stores in Boston’s historic Jewelers Building. I watched all of their success unfold as I made my way through high school. I even started helping out on the weekends when the store was its busiest. In 2006, When it came time for college, I decided I wanted to learn about business management because someday I wanted to operate a branch of my own. So, in an effort to go to college and work I decided to attend Suffolk University. I double-majored in Business Management and International Business with a minor in Arabic. Some ask why international business? Well, most of the jewelry industry is manufactured overseas and I wanted to be well versed on international trade. In 2007, while studying for my degrees I slowly started taking distance education courses through The Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.). I started with the "Jewelry Essentials” course and worked my way through each course. In 2021, I finished the distance education program as a Graduate Gemologist. I took my time with this degree because I was working at my family’s store full-time, graduating college, getting married and starting a family!

During the initial years while I was working my way through the Gemologist program, decided I needed to explore other aspects of the jewelry industry. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and working alongside my father served as a wonderful foundation. I just knew it was time for me to explore the industry further and try out my skills on my own, outside of the protection of the family business. So, in an effort to remain in high end luxury jewelry, I worked on perfecting my LinkedIn profile to reflect my years of experience and training. Rather quickly, I was contacted about a business opportunity at Long’s Jewelers, one of the premier luxury jewelry stores in the New England area. Through an interview and rigorous questions about my knowledge, I got the job! Working with owners Bob, Craig, and Judd Rotenberg was one of the best things that has ever happened to my life and my career. I was able to grow and flourish at Long’s Jewelers. I was taught how a large-scale, multi-branch, professional jewelry business should operate. I soon became the manager of one of their largest stores, and the skills I honed from my experience in that position are priceless. Managing a team of dozens of employees is very different from the dynamics of a small family shop! I was taught how to care for customers even beyond what I was used to. I was taught to never compromise and to always give the client the best product thanks to Cathy Cronin. I will never forget my time at Long’s because it ultimately gave me the confidence in my own jewelry expertise and business managerial skills. After four years in my position at Long’s, I began to dream about opening my own store and what that could look like.

Your First Steps in Jewelry

So you may say, this is all great David! But you had the privilege of working for your family business and that gave you a leg up. I must say that although my family did help and give me a leg up, and I was certainly exposed to the jewelry industry at a much younger age than most, I worked my butt off through my studies at Suffolk University! My dedication to the industry and my family’s store really picked up during this time. I worked every weekend at the store, and after class during the busiest seasons (one thing to keep in mind in any retail career…the Christmas season is CRAZY!). As soon as I realized that I could see myself following in this path for a lifetime career, I began to pursue a gemologist degree at G.I.A. What I’m trying to say is you can begin to explore this industry during any stage of life.

Use the allure that got you interested in jewelry to push you forward. Let’s say you’re interested in Jewelry sales because you have a great personality, you love people want to help them, and you are mesmerized by gemstones! Some basic beginning steps to follow would be:

1. Get some experience. Find a small jewelry store that could use some help and take up some shifts. Even if you’re starting with administrative tasks, getting your foot in the door is half the battle!

2. Take G.I.A. distance education courses while you are working. Start with Jewelry Essentials to get a feel for the material and if you love it, you can go all the way to become a gemologist!

3. Create your own Clients. Even if you are working at someone else’s store, as you get to know and form relationships with people around you, they will eventually form a bond with you that is deeper than any loyalty to one specific store. Buying a piece of jewelry can be just a one-time deal, but often, when you form a lasting bond built on trust with a customer, they will return and want to work with you for years to come!

Let’s try another scenario; Let’s say you’re an Entrepreneur and love taking risks in the hopes of ultimately making a profit. The great thing about jewelry, if you have the education and experience, there is definitely room for making a profit. A great niche in the industry for those who are inclined to hunt for a deal would be a career in gold and gemstone buying. If you decide to venture down this path, I would suggest the following steps:

1. Begin with the introductory course at G.I.A.: Jewelry Essentials. Before you even get into the world of buying in the hopes of turning a profit, you first need to know what you’re looking at (is the gem even real? would be a good starting point!)

2. Find a gemologist/buyer and be an apprentice.

3. Start going to Flea Markets/Yard sales/Pawn Shops.

4. Find an assaying manufacturer to work with. I know this can seem like a lot, all this takes time. You have to start somewhere.

My last example will be for the Artists out there who are wanting to create their own masterpieces and like working with their hands. Your approach to this area of the industry can definitely start out as more of a hobby. Start out small and invest more time and resources if you find yourself loving the work!

1. Learn more about welding and jewelry repair by attending G.I.A. Graduate Jeweler Program.

2. You can buy jeweler’s bench equipment from the lead jeweler manufacturer, Stuller. You can start out with some inexpensive tools to practice your skills and work your way up.

Another avenue you could pursue as an artist with a heavy emphasis on computer and graphic design skills would be that of a jewelry CAD designer. This is an area of the industry in high demand, as more and more customers are interested in purchasing a one-of-a-kind, custom piece of jewelry.

1. Just as with my other suggestions, I would always start by educating yourself! The G.I.A. CAD design program is broken up into courses where you can begin to explore this new technique.

2. Buy Rhino 3D CAD designer software, and get acquainted with it.

3. Find a jewelry CAD designer around you and learn from them. I have found that if you show genuine interest in the field, professionals will help you.

Extra Tips

Allow me to wrap up with a word on something that I believe is vital to anyone’s success in Jewelry. I’m specifically speaking the person thinking about Jewelry Sales here. Jewelry for the most part is a luxury. Oftentimes, this luxury sale applies to those buying a special piece for their significant other, whether it be an I love you gift, a will you marry me ring, or a 50 years together necklace. These people came in to celebrate a special moment in time. To make their experience a memorable one, you need to be professional. How do I act professional in the jewelry store? Here are a few tips to give you the best shot at success:

1. Look the part. You don’t need to dress in the latest high-end runway fashions, but you should invest in a well-cut suit or business wear. You don’t want to be “dressed-under” the customers walking into your store. Hygiene is also very important…you will be working in close proximity to your customers, and a scruffy or unkept appearance can be very off-putting. All this may go without saying, however from what I’ve seen being in the industry for many years, it needs to be stated!

2. Arrive on time and help your associates and the owner with store set up. The more familiar you are with the store set-up, the better a salesperson you will be. This goes hand-in-hand with the next suggestion.

3. Get acquainted with the product in the store. Don’t just stare into the showcases all day, or twiddle your thumbs waiting for a customer. Use downtime to pick up and explore the inventory and ask the owner questions. This is one of the best ways to learn about different aspects of gems, diamonds, and jewelry in general.

4. Be social with your clients and learn more about them. What is their family like? What are their interests? Ask about special dates and anniversaries. While these questions will help to build a trusting relationship, knowing these details can also lead to future sales! If you know a customers anniversary, you can reach out and suggest the perfect gift for their spouse! If you know they have children graduating college soon, you can talk about timeless graduation gifts! I always keep track of these important details for my customers and follow-up with them as the years go by.

5. Along with getting to know your customer, I would suggest you lay a foundation of educating your customer too! You may be just starting out in the industry, but chances are, if you have a deep interest and have spent some time working with and studying jewelry (and especially if you have completed some G.I.A. coursework) you know a good deal more about gems and jewelry than your average customer. Helping to guide your customers to make an educated decision will build stronger trust than almost anything else you can do. This is something I strive for with every customer I come across.

For those of you interested in pursuing careers as CAD designers, artists and bench jewelers I would suggest branching off with my previous tips and applying them to your specific craft. You should understand that not everyone has an understanding of fine metal welding, or knows about structural integrity when it comes to jewelry designs. Work with your clients to patiently explain what it is you are doing with a repair or why you have to design a piece in a certain way. When a customer understands the work that is being done to a beloved piece of jewelry, you will build a strong trust in your work and expertise. I know from experience that having a friendly and communicative bench jeweler or CAD designer on my team can make all the difference in truly building a dynamic and successful store!

Best of Luck

Fine jewelry truly is an amazing industry that dates all the way back to the beginning of time. I was only able to scratch the surface of the different avenues and niches within the jewelry industry, so continue to explore this fascinating world! If you have any questions about this article or if you are considering going into the industry and want advice please reach out to me, I would love to help a fellow jewelry admirer!