Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Gold Worker

🎯 Role Definition

A Gold Worker (also referred to as goldsmith, bench jeweler, or precious metal technician) fabricates, repairs and finishes items made of gold and related precious metals. Responsibilities typically include alloy preparation, melting and casting, soldering and reticulation, stone setting, polishing, precise dimensional finishing, and quality assurance using techniques such as fire assay and XRF testing. The role requires strict adherence to safety, environmental and chain-of-custody procedures for high-value materials, accurate record-keeping, and close collaboration with designers, sales and production planning. SEO / LLM keywords: gold worker, goldsmith, precious metals, jewelry fabrication, lost-wax casting, fire assay, XRF analysis, bench jeweler, metal refining.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Bench Jeweler Apprentice / Jewelry Apprentice
Metal Fabricator / Plating Technician
Production Technician at a jewelry manufacturer or refinery

Advancement To:

Senior Goldsmith / Master Goldsmith
Jewelry Production Supervisor / Shop Manager
Precious Metals Assayer / Refinery Lead
Jewelry Designer / CAD/CAM Specialist

Lateral Moves:

CAD/CAM Jewelry Designer (Rhinoceros, Matrix)
Quality Control / Assay Technician
Precious Metals Sales or Buying Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Prepare, measure and mix gold alloys to specified karatage and color tolerances according to production recipes and customer specifications, ensuring metallurgical consistency and traceability.
Operate melting furnaces and induction melting equipment to safely melt and cast gold into ingots, bars, grain or specific item blanks while maintaining temperature and atmosphere controls for metallurgical quality.
Perform lost-wax casting workflows: invest, burnout, cast, and divest components; troubleshoot casting defects such as porosity, shrinkage or incomplete fill and remediate by adjusting sprues, vents or casting parameters.
Execute precision soldering, brazing and laser welding on gold components to assemble, repair or alter jewelry and metalwork to tight dimensional and aesthetic tolerances.
Size rings, reshape bands, and perform mechanical repairs including chain soldering, prong repair, shank rebuilding and shank solder inserts while preserving stone settings and finishes.
Set, reset and secure gemstones using a variety of techniques (prong, bezel, channel, pave) with emphasis on stone integrity, uniformity of setting and overall design alignment.
Polish, buff and finish gold surfaces to specified luster levels using tumblers, polishers, abrasives and hand finishing techniques while eliminating file marks, pits, and surface scratches.
Conduct fire assay and wet-chemical sampling or operate XRF spectrometers to verify gold content, assay returns and ensure lot purity for refining and customer reporting.
Maintain accurate chain-of-custody, lot numbering, assay documentation and shipping records for precious metals to meet compliance and customer traceability requirements.
Prepare detailed job estimates and quotations for repair, fabrication and custom work including material costs, labor hours and processing timelines.
Use CAD/CAM applications (e.g., Rhino, Matrix, JewelCAD) to read technical drawings, prepare wax or 3D-printed patterns, and translate design files into production-ready workflows.
Inspect incoming materials and finished parts for dimensional accuracy, surface quality and conformance to specifications; execute rework and corrective actions as necessary.
Operate precision metalworking equipment including rolling mills, drawplates, hydraulic presses and CNC units for forming and finishing gold components.
Execute electroplating and surface treatments for rhodium, gold or specialty finishes and ensure plating thickness, adhesion and color consistency meet specifications.
Follow strict safety, environmental and chemical handling procedures (acid, cyanide, fluxes) and maintain Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and appropriate PPE usage at all times.
Reclaim and refine scrap gold and sweepings using established refinery procedures, manage bullion inventory and prepare refined product for sale or reuse.
Maintain and calibrate bench tools, kilns, furnaces, XRF units and other specialized equipment; schedule preventive maintenance to reduce downtime and ensure consistent product quality.
Collaborate with designers, sales, and clients to interpret specifications and deliver custom pieces that meet aesthetic and functional expectations, offering technical alternatives where needed.
Train and mentor apprentices and junior bench staff on bench techniques, safety protocols, quality standards and best practices to build team capability.
Maintain clean, organized workstations and adhere to shop 5S standards to minimize loss of small parts and maintain security for high-value materials.
Coordinate with shipping, purchasing and finance teams to manage procurement of alloys, gemstones and supplies, and to reconcile material weights and costs against job tickets.
Respond to customer inquiries and service requests in a professional manner, provide progress updates, and ensure customer satisfaction for repairs and custom orders.
Investigate and document nonconformances, prepare root-cause analyses, and implement process improvements to reduce scrap rates and improve turnaround times.
Adhere to export control, anti-money laundering (AML) and regulatory requirements when handling bullion and high-value shipments, ensuring proper documentation and approvals.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Assist with inventory audits, material reconciliation and cycle counts for precious metal stock.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to streamline the bench workflow and reduce lead times.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in goldsmithing bench techniques: soldering, annealing, forming, bending, and filing with precision and consistent tolerances.
Lost-wax casting and centrifugal/vacuum casting experience including pattern preparation, burnout cycles and cast cleanup.
Fire assay fundamentals and experience operating or supporting assay workflows; XRF spectrometer operation and interpretation.
Alloy preparation and metal refining knowledge, including karat calculations, deoxidation and grain refinement techniques.
Proficiency with hand tools and shop machinery: rolling mills, drawplates, polishing motors, ultrasonic cleaners, laser welders and lathes.
Gemstone setting and stone handling skills across a variety of hard and softer stones; understanding of fracture risks.
Experience with CAD/CAM software for jewelry (Rhino, Matrix, JewelCAD) and working from technical drawings or 3D prints.
Electroplating and surface treatment knowledge: rhodium plating, gold plating, passivation and surface finishing controls.
Knowledge of chemical handling (fluxes, acids, solvents), PPE requirements and environmental controls for a metals workshop.
Strong record-keeping and documentation skills for assays, lot tracking, job tickets, and compliance reporting.
Basic metallurgy and materials science understanding to troubleshoot grain structure, work hardening and failure modes.
Quality inspection techniques including magnification inspection, gauging, micrometry and use of inspection fixtures.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and visual acuity for fine tolerance work.
Excellent manual dexterity and steady hand for delicate soldering and stone setting tasks.
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot process and quality issues.
Good verbal and written communication for collaborating with designers, clients and production teams.
Time management and ability to prioritize multiple jobs to meet tight lead times and customer deadlines.
Customer-focused mindset with a professional approach to custom and repair work.
Team player who mentors junior staff and contributes to a collaborative shop culture.
Integrity and discretion when handling high-value items and sensitive client information.
Adaptability to new technologies (e.g., digital design, laser welding) and continuous learning mindset.
Commitment to workplace safety, environmental compliance and ethical sourcing.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; vocational training or certificate in bench jewelry or metalsmithing preferred.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or diploma in Jewelry Design, Metalsmithing, Precious Metals Technology, Applied Metallurgy or related trade school certification.
Professional certifications (e.g., bench jeweler certification, assayer certification, CAD/CAM credential) are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing
Materials Science or Metallurgy
Precious Metals Technology
Manufacturing Technology / CNC Operations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–3 years (Junior/Apprentice Gold Worker)
3–7 years (Experienced Gold Worker / Bench Jeweler)
7+ years (Senior Goldsmith / Assayer / Shop Lead)

Preferred:

Demonstrated experience working on gold items across a production or custom bench environment, with documented experience in casting, soldering, finishing and assay procedures.
Prior experience in a refinery, bullion handling environment, or high-volume jewelry production is highly desirable.
Proven track record of quality control, problem solving and delivering custom pieces on schedule.