[Jewelry making - Article 00638] - Re: [Orchid] Employment in the Metal arts/Jewelery Field

[Charles Vail]

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    I had an opportunity to interview for a Sterling shop in my area but
    the word on the street was, that it wasn't a great place for a bench
    jeweler to work. I heard this from two separate jewelers who didn't
    know each other. They stated the pay wasn't that great and the stress
    level too high! Its one thing to work hard at Christmas or
    periodically through the year but to do this every day is not healthy
    and often leads to burnout. If that is what I could expect from any
    employer, I would rather do something else. I did the high stress,
    self employed, bench jeweler thing for about 20 years straight and it
    nearly killed me. Twenty hour days were not uncommon, not to mention
    the constant juggling of quality control, high risk, production speed
    and pricing. I must say, it wasn't worth it, from a financial point
    of view!!! Not that I can't find good things to say about working
    this way but it is dysfunctional, in my opinion. Yes, you can learn
    alot quickly and you can become a better jeweler, plus you can have
    no life and not see much of your family, if you manage to keep one.
    Or your health can take a dive....hopefully these working conditions
    exist when one is young and you can take it. In short....been there,
    done that! 

    If I have to work this way for another company or myself, in order
    to make a profit or a decent living I'd rather quit and do something
    else. Its time the whole industry got with the times concerning wages
    and working conditions but I don't think it will happen due to the
    availability of cheap manufacturing labor and the cheapening of
    jewelry in general. The guild stores and high end craftsmen will
    always have the best work and pay because pricing isn't as much of a
    barrier. If you are smart, you'll eventually take this approach and
    forget the high volume, high stress, work environment, at least when
    you begin to approach fourty or so. Ever wonder why there are fewer
    and fewer skilled craftsmen left in the field? I often wonder if the
    management of some of these companies realize what they are doing to
    their domestic labor pool.

charles
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