Hello All: I received this from Christiansen Group and thought I would
share it with the Forum. The web address is http://www.cgroup1.com/
check it out.
The following is from Vic Davis of Christiansen Group.
With regard to posts concerning compensation for jewelers, we are
happy to share our experience in the marketplace. With all due respect
to this wonderful forum, we certainly do not want or intend for this
post to be construed as an advertisement, but do feel it necessary to
explain our role in the jewelry industry.
The Christiansen Group, Inc., is a nationwide recruitment firm
specializing in the recruitment and placement of professionals in the
retail jewelry industry. Our jewelry division was established in
January, 1997, and since that time we have placed many qualified
candidates in various skilled positions from New Hampshire to
California and points in between. Our typical hiring client is a
mid-size to large independent with most carrying lines in their stores
such as David Yurman, Charles Krypell, Scott Kay, Mikimoto, Rolex,
etc.
Recently we have helped several professionals at the bench secure
good jobs, and a composite of those placements leads to the following:
– For custom/manufacturing jewelers, (whose main responsibility is
working one-on-one with customers to design and manufacture pieces and
handle the more difficult repair and setting work), the range has been
$43,700.00 ($21.00 per hour) to $60,000.00 ($28.85 per hour) annually,
with the average at $49,957.00 ($24.02 per hour). – For repair
jewelers (whose main responsibility is ring sizing, chain repair,
prong re-tipping, head replacement, setting, etc.), the range has been
$31,200.00 ($15.00 per hour) to $35,400.00 ($17.02 per hour)
annually, with the average at $33,200.00 ($15.96 per hour). – In
addition, the current assignments we are working on offer the
following combined repair and custom/manufacturing salary averages:
Low - $41,125.00 ($19.77 per hour) Mid-range - $45,825.00 ($22.03 per
hour) High - $50,525.00 ($24.29 per hour)
In closing, we find that location does not have as great a bearing on
salary as does the level of experience and expertise a craftsman
brings to the company. Top pay definitely equates directly to ; 1)
carving clean, precise and jeweler friendly waxes, 2) Possessing top
pave, bead, channel, bright cut, etc., setting skills, 3) Setting
fancy shapes and colored stones, and 4) Overall experience working
with platinum.
We hope you found this helpful, and would be happy to
respond to anyone with questions on jewelry employment.
Thank you,
Vic A. Davis
Jewelry Division Director
The Christiansen Group, Inc.